This title examines global technology trends in biotechnology, nanotechnology, and materials science, with an eye towards their applications in the year 2015. It is aimed at members of the intelligence community, policy-makers, technologists, and the general public.

Understanding an organization's reliance on information systems and how to mitigate the vulnerabilities of these systems can be an intimidating challenge--especially when considering less well-known weaknesses or even unknown vulnerabilities that have not yet been exploited. The authors introduce the Vulnerability Assessment and Mitigation methodology, a six-step process that uses a top-down approach to protect against future threats and system failures while mitigating current and past threats and weaknesses.

Of Critical GapsSpecial Issues for Traumatic Brain Injury; Mild TBI; Moderate and Severe TBI; What Is High-Quality Care for TBI?; Summary of Gaps and Recommendations for TBI Services; Appendix 7.A: Approach to Interviews with Administrators andProviders; Appendix 7.B: Summary of Focus Groups with MilitaryServicemembers and Spouses; Appendix 7.C: Evidence-Based Practices; Appendix 7.D: Studies of Mental Health Services Utilization AmongServicemembers; Appendix 7.E: State and Local Mental Health Resources; References; Part VI: Conclusions and Recommendations.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) wind tunnel and propulsion test facilities continue to be important to U.S. competitiveness across the military, commercial, and space sectors. Unfortunately, management issues are creating real risks to these facilities. NASA needs to develop an aeronautics test technology vision and plan; analyze the viability of a national test facility plan; identify and maintain its minimum set of facilities; and identify financial shared support to keep its underutilized but essential facilities from entering financial collapse.

A recurring challenge to successful Department of the Air Force (DAF) acquisition program execution is poor contractor performance. Early indication of potential contractor performance risks and execution issues is critical for proactive acquisition management. When contractors are in danger of not meeting contractual performance goals, DAF acquisition management may not be fully aware of the shortfall until, for example, a schedule deadline is missed, government testing indicates poor performance, or costs exceed expectations. In response, the authors developed a new way to apply data science to a variety of government and external data sources to assess the relative contractor performance risks and early indicators of performance issues in DAF acquisition contracts and programs. This method seeks to produce risk and performance indicators earlier than do current information sources and metrics. In this report, the authors outline the functional software specification and basic design of that prototype, its architecture, and the core software components within it. The authors focus on the technical details of the prototype, along with summary context on the basic function of the approach.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) wind tunnel and propulsion test facilities continue to be important to U.S. competitiveness across the military, commercial, and space sectors. Unfortunately, management issues are creating real risks to these facilities. This technical report supports a companion monograph (Wind Tunnel and Propulsion Test Facilities: An Assessment of NASA's Capabilities to Serve National Needs, MG-178-NASA/OSD), providing more detailed data, observations, and conclusions about the future of NASA's wind tunnel and propulsion test facilities.

"In the conference report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Congress expressed concern that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) "does not sufficiently incorporate data into its acquisition-related learning and decision-making" and asked six questions about "the use of data analysis, measurement, and other evaluation-related methods in DoD acquisition programs." In this report, the authors decompose and measure acquisition functions, data governance, and training to assess how data and associated analytics support DoD acquisition decision making. The authors found that the DoD is applying a breadth of data analytics to acquisition. Capabilities range from simple data archives and plotting to archives integrated with commercial analytic tools. The DoD has implemented an array of data governance and management practices, but major challenges remain, including a culture against data sharing and concerns about security and oversight burden. Some commercial breakthroughs in advanced analytics sound promising for DoD acquisition, but some might not be applicable; research is ongoing. Advancement should include developing a data analytics strategy across acquisition domains, expanding data governance and data sharing, and continuing to expand and mature data collection, access, and analytic layers. Also, mechanisms are needed to authorize and ensure protected access to data for both the DoD and external analysts. Improved incentives and understanding of data analytics could encourage decision makers to make better use of capabilities" -- Publisher's description.

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate asked RAND to assess flight research capabilities and needs, and to identify management options that would facilitate increased and improved flight research.

The authors prototyped a new way to apply data analysis on a variety of government and commercial data sources to assess the relative contractor performance risks in Air Force acquisition contracts and programs.