Third Regional Symposium in Engineering Management for Space and Defense in Washington, DC

Third Space and Defense Engineering Management Symposium

May 21, 2027 | 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Hosted by The George Washington University Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering
Venue: Science and Engineering Hall (SEH)
800 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20052
Rooms: FB-SEH-B1167, FB-SEH-B1220, and FB-SEH-B1270

Engineering Management for the Future Space and Defense Enterprise
Leading Across Sectors for Security, Exploration, and Sustainable Growth

The Third Space and Defense Engineering Management Symposium will bring together high-profile panelists and leaders from the space and defense sectors and academia for a focused half-day conversation on how engineering organizations must evolve to meet the demands of the next decade. Panelists and speakers will be announced soon.

Artificial intelligence, digital engineering, commercial space, evolving security challenges, and increasingly interconnected organizations are changing how critical systems are developed and how the people and organizations behind them are led. Four panel discussions will examine the tensions engineering leaders must navigate:

Innovation vs. Mission Assurance: How can organizations move faster while preserving the reliability, safety, quality, and engineering discipline required for mission-critical systems?

Competition vs. Collaboration: How can leaders work effectively across government, industry, startups, suppliers, and academia while managing competing interests and protecting sensitive information?

Autonomy vs. Human Leadership: As AI becomes part of engineering work and decision-making, how should leadership, workforce roles, governance, and organizations evolve, and what remains uniquely human?

Stability vs. Adaptability: What will successful space and defense engineering organizations need over the next decade, and what should engineering leaders begin preparing for today?

Who Should Attend: Engineering managers and executives, technical and systems leaders, government and defense professionals, aerospace and space industry professionals, engineering management researchers, educators, and others involved in leading complex engineering organizations.

From Discussion to Action: Key ideas and perspectives from the symposium will inform the Engineering Management for the Future Space and Defense Enterprise: 2027 Symposium Insights Report, focused on four questions: How do we innovate responsibly? How do we work together? How do we manage differently? Where are we heading?

Join the space and defense engineering management community in Washington, DC, for a timely exchange of ideas, perspectives, and practical insights on leading the future space and defense enterprise.

Symposium Leadership Team:

• Yesim Sireli, PhD, CPEM, F-ASEM, IAB Chair, UNC Charlotte (contact: ysireli@charlotte.edu)
• Mike Holman, PE, CPEM, F-ASEM, Kratos Defense
• Carl Ise, Col (ret), PhD, CPEM, F-ASEM, Analytical Mechanics Associates
• Roberto Montañez, D.Eng., Northrop Grumman