It is difficult to predict where the next great idea will come from and taking multiple research paths is often the best way to solve complex problems.
To maximize research efforts between the DON and academia, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus directed the department to identify critical unclassified research needs and share them with the public, particularly America's top graduate schools in a memo issued May 5.
Sharing research needs ensures a cross-disciplinary approach to problem-solving, a proven approach for fostering innovation. “It is to our advantage to share unclassified research needs with the public to leverage the outstanding graduate programs in the United States,” Mabus wrote.
In 2014, OPNA V N51 created the U.S. Navy Key Strategic Issues List, Academic Years 2014-2015. N51 used this product to identify and share the strategic research needs of the U.S. Navy with Navy graduate students and fellows.
Using OPNAV N51's model, SECNAV directed the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition to solicit unclassified research needs from all functional communities across the DON and provide the results to the Naval Post Graduate School.
The Naval Post Graduate School will compile the results and publish the U.S. Navy Key Strategic Issues List, Academic Years 2016-2017 and ensure this list is publically accessible on the NPS website, Mabus wrote.
Actions are to be completed by Sept. 1, 2015.
The DON Key Strategic Issues List memo can be accessed from the DON Innovation website: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/innovation/Pages/Home.aspx or by going directly to: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/innovation/Documents/2015/05/KeyStrategicIssuesList.PDF.