NE North Dakota News

The University of North Dakota (UND) will host the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Innovation, Workforce and Research Conference on September 10 at the Memorial Union. The event, titled the AI and Autonomy Summit, is set to bring together participants from government, industry, and academia for discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications in aerospace, agriculture, and defense.

UND’s established role in aerospace research and unmanned systems, along with the nearby Grand Sky UAS business park, positions the region as a center for academic achievement, industry activity, and military infrastructure. The summit aims to highlight how these combined resources are advancing autonomous technologies across different sectors.

Mark Askelson, associate vice president for Research & National Security at UND, emphasized the collaborative goals of the summit. “By bringing together stakeholders from government, industry and academia, this summit will spark new partnerships, shape national policy and prepare the workforce for an AI- and autonomy-driven future,” Askelson said. “From defense to manufacturing, the technologies discussed here will define the next decade of innovation.”

The conference agenda includes keynote presentations by leaders from organizations such as the Department of Defense, Northrop Grumman, Grand Sky, and AFRL Regional Network-Midwest. Attendees will also participate in breakout sessions focused on air, ground, and space autonomy; counter-autonomy strategies; and how autonomous technology intersects with manufacturing.