NGA Research to shape GEOINT future

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency revamped its organization chart, establishing a new office to champion and drive research across the entire geospatial community, specifically from national labs, universities and commercial businesses.

Earlier this year, NGA Director Robert Cardillo announced to the agency’s workforce that NGA Research will officially replace the directorate formerly known as InnoVision by the end of Fiscal Year 16 and will maintain seven focus areas: Radar, Automation, Geophysics, Spectral, Environment and Culture, Geospatial Cyber and Geophysics.

“This move will advance our research activities and position us to deliver cutting-edge technologies and capabilities that support the intelligence community and our many customers,” said Cardillo.

The new office will move the agency away from conducting research internally and strategically calibrates each research area to be a potential source of dynamic new NGA capabilities. It is only one of several special projects recently announced by Director Cardillo and NGA. In addition to the internal restructuring, NGA has established the In-Q-Tel Interface Center, the GEOINT Pathfinder 2 project and the creation of the agency’s presences in Silicon Valley, the NGA Outpost Valley.

Leading this new effort is Peter Highnam, PhD, former director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity.

“I am very grateful for the support from Director Cardillo to establish research and development as a strategic priority for our agency,” said Highnam. “His decision will enable us to aggressively explore powerful new capabilities for our agency, closely with external partners, and help drive the science. We will also work closely with internal partners, particularly on effective ways to transition the new capabilities into the mission.”

Source: NGA