Student Success Story: From Flight Test to National Defense: How Rebecca Gilligan Built an Aerospace Career Through Ohio’s Research Ecosystem

Rebecca Gilligan’s path to becoming an Aerospace Engineer at Northrop Grumman began not in a classroom, but in a lab, where hands-on research, real-world testing, and mission-relevant challenges shaped her into an industry-ready engineer. Gilligan...

Ohio-Led HERCULES Project Targets One of Hypersonics’ Biggest Barriers: Reusability

Herc1
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hypersonic flight has long promised faster global reach, reusable space access, and new defense capabilities. Yet one challenge continues to limit real-world deployment: materials that can survive extreme heat repeatedly without...

Student Success Story: Dr. Lynn Pickering on Building Trustworthy AI for Aerospace—Powered by Ohio’s Research Ecosystem

Pickering (center) and Cohen (right) at the Amelia Earhart award ceremony.
OFRN & OSGC Workforce Development Success Story For Dr. Lynn Pickering, aerospace engineering was never just about making systems smarter—it was about making them safer, more trustworthy, and accountable to the humans who rely on them. Today, as a Ph...

Trust Isn’t Binary: Why Calibrated Trust Is the Next Frontier in Human–Autonomy Teaming

VISTA interface prototype
As autonomous systems take on more responsibility in contested, complex environments, a subtle but critical challenge is emerging—one that can’t be solved by better sensors or faster processors alone. Trust. Today’s AI-enabled systems are no longer...

Success Story: OFRN-Funded “Visibility Tool” Becomes the First Mobile App to Turn Any Smartphone into an Aviation-Grade Visibility Sensor

Turn Any Smartphone into an Aviation-Grade Visibility Sensor flyer
When FlightProfiler , Ohio University, and Ohio State University’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence teamed up under the Ohio Federal Research Network Round 5 project , they shared a simple premise: pilots and drone operators urgently...

OFRN Student Success Story: University of Cincinnati PhD student Nate Steffen on Advancing Space Robotics Through Explainable AI

Nate Steffen
Nate Steffen: Advancing Space Robotics Through Explainable AI — Strengthened by OFRN’s Research Ecosystem OFRN Workforce Development Success Story When Ohio Space Grant Consortium (OSGC) Fellow Nate Steffen (2024–25) joined the University of...

Ohio Federal Research Network Is Delivering on the DoD’s Most Critical Technology Needs 

In November 2025, the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering announced six new Critical Technology Areas (CTAs) that will guide federal investment and modernization priorities across the defense innovation ecosystem. These CTAs sharpen...

Recap: November 13, 2025 — Ohio Federal Research Network Virtual Opportunity Day (Quantum)

On November 13, 2025, the Ohio Federal Research Network (OFRN) hosted its latest Virtual Opportunity Day, bringing together more than 70 attendees from Ohio’s academic, industry, and government innovation ecosystem. The event—focused on Quantum...

Advancing Hypersonics Through Additive Manufacturing: ARCTOS and Partners Collaborate on Ohio Federal Research Network Project 

On Friday, September 12, ARCTOS Technology Solutions delivered the final briefing and demonstration for the Ohio Federal Research Network (OFRN) -funded Project “Gradient Alloy Processing in Laser Powder Bed Fusion for Hypersonic Applications,” a...

Recap: August 13, 2025 — Ohio Federal Research Network Virtual Opportunity Day: Ohio Federal Partner Updates

Recap: August 13, 2025 — Ohio Federal Research Network Virtual Opportunity Day: Ohio Federal Partner Updates
The Ohio Federal Research Network (OFRN), in collaboration with Parallax Advanced Research, The Ohio State University, the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub: Ohio, hosted its most recent Virtual Opportunity...