9:00am

Registration and Light Breakfast

9:15am

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Dr. Greg Hyslop
Chief Technology Officer, The Boeing Company; and
Senior Vice President, Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology

Dr. Harris Pastides
President
University of South Carolina

9:45am

The Council, the EMCP and the Energy Landscape

The Honorable Deborah L. Wince-Smith
President & CEO
Council on Competitiveness

Mr. William Bates
Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff
Council on Competitiveness

Today, America’s competitiveness is shaped by the convergence of a distinctly modern breed of energy abundance with a re-emergent manufacturing sector. Challenges from globalization to climate change are forcing us to understand the nexus of energy and manufacturing as a whole more powerful than the sum of its parts.

The Energy and Manufacturing Competitiveness Partnership (EMCP) is a collaboration among national leaders from all sectors of the economy committed to deepening our understanding of the complexities of the energy landscape and building a roadmap to ensure that America captures the competitiveness opportunity of this new frontier.

10:45am

America's Aerospace Infrastructure

Maintaining a competitive aerospace infrastructure is essential for growth, productivity, jobs and national security. But U.S. air traffic control is operating under a technologically and financially limited system that has fallen behind the satellite systems and business models of our competitors. This session will focus on the challenges and opportunities around regaining a competitive edge by advancing America's aerospace infrastructure. 

Key questions:

How does America's aerospace infrastructure compare to that of its competitors? What can the U.S. do to out-compete countries that have or will soon overtake our leadership position in this space?

Does the current regulatory infrastructure enable the U.S. to innovate and compete with Russia, Europe and the rest of the world when it comes to the aerospace sector? If not, what types of policies are needed to spur innovation?

11:00am

Networking Break

12:00pm

Technological Innovation in the Aerospace Sector

As airlines demand more energy-efficient fleets, as military capabilities demand more agile, long-range and fuel-efficient technologies and vehicles, and as the industry continues to rely on energy-intensive raw materials from steel to carbon composites, manufacturers in the sector must overcome both existing and new challenges, including issues around defense and cybersecurity that stem from commercial development in the sector. This session will focus on the technological innovation needed to accelerate and out-innovate our competitors in the aerospace industry while safeguarding national security and intellectual property.

Key questions:

How does the aerospace industry view the development of alternative energy and fuel sources? How does the need for new and advanced materials, technologies and products complement--or compete with--energy efficiency and product development?

How is the increasing commercial viability in this sector changing the way we look at aerospace defense and national security, particularly as it relates of cybersecurity and intellectual property protection?

1:00pm

Lunch

1:00pm

Guest Presentation

2:00pm

Investing in America's Aerospace Sector

Aerospace is an advanced sector that serves as an engine of manufacturing and economic growth. Long-term strength of the industry allows it to avoid the short-termism that often plagues R&D. And while for decades space was exclusively the purview of governments and militaries, in recent years this previously-restricted domain has shown increased commercial viability. The new frontier that exists as a consequence of this renewed space race is ripe for development and, as a consequence, investment, and presents an opportunity for government, military and industry. This session will focus on maximizing the effectiveness of investment in the aerospace sector to drive competitiveness and growth for the U.S. economy.

Key questions:

What roles should government and the private sector play in terms of funding the research and development needed to accelerate American leadership in the aerospace sector vis-a-vis our global competitors?

How will the competition between the public and private sectors for leadership in the space frontier impact the overall investment climate in this space?

3:00pm

Building Talent in the Aerospace Sector

The aerospace industry represents a potential source of new jobs that will require new and higher skills. In many ways, the competitiveness of the American aerospace sector in the next decade will be defined by the ability to develop, standardize and deploy advanced materials, technologies and processes on a broad scale supported by a highly-skilled workforce. This session will focus on how best to build the talent needed to support this critical sector.

Key questions:

What formal, alternative and continuing education platforms must be established or strengthened to ensure a robust talent pipeline and domestic workforce in the aerospace sector?

What domestic skill shortages and talent deficits hinder America's ability to achieve the full potential of the aerospace sector?

Conclusion & Next Steps