Published On: April 13, 2026Categories: Newsletters
The AFRL Regional Network – Midwest is thrilled to welcome you to the latest edition of Around the Region, an exciting addition to your inbox that promises to keep you in the know regarding all Midwest Network happenings.
With a mission to share the latest news, trends, insights, events, and intriguing stories, the team has crafted this newsletter as your trusted companion on a journey of innovation.
March 2026 Edition
Growing What We’ve Planted
Spring is a season that reminds us growth doesn’t happen overnight. Just as seeds planted in the soil require time, care, and the right conditions to flourish, innovative research often begins as a small idea that gradually develops into something with real-world impact. Across the AFRL Regional Network – Midwest, researchers and partners are continually planting the seeds of new ideas through conversations, proposals, and early-stage collaborations.
Over time, those ideas are cultivated through partnerships, funding opportunities, and shared expertise. What begins as a concept can grow into a funded project, a new capability, or a technology that supports the mission of the Air Force and broader national defense priorities. The Network plays a role in helping nurture that process by connecting institutions, facilitating collaboration, and supporting researchers as they move projects forward.
As we move further into the year, spring offers a chance to reflect on the ideas that have already taken root and consider what new ones might be planted next. By continuing to collaborate and build on the strengths across our region, the Midwest research community can help ensure that today’s ideas grow into tomorrow’s innovations.
Has something that you planted with our Network turned into a great success? Let us know! We’re always looking to spotlight the great things our members are doing. Send us a message at afrlmwst@purdue.edu.
When: March 25-27, 2026 Where: Stewart Center, Purdue University
Don’t forget to register for the 2026 AFRL Regional Network – Midwest annual meeting!
This year’s meeting will bring together network members, including business leaders, faculty, researchers, and AFRL stakeholders, to foster collaboration and accelerate technology advancement. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with regional partners, explore cutting-edge research, hear insights from leadership, and take part in hands-on workshops designed to spark new ideas.
Wednesday, March 25
Networking reception (evening)
Thursday, March 26
Update on the Network
Innovation Science seminar
Workshops/breakout sessions
Awardee talks
Networking opportunities
Friday, March 27
Optional lab tours
See our email invite for additional details. We hope to see you there!
The AFRL Regional Network – Midwest is excited to announce that we are preparing to release our first funding call for FY 2026. Potential proposers should make contact with their AFRL co-PIs to discuss submissions. Before applying, you MUST have an established relationship with an AFRL scientist and/or engineer.
As a reminder, for Phase I of the proposal process, you are required to submit 1-3 paragraphs describing the project, collaborator information, and connection to the AFRL mission, AFRL interest, opportunities for personnel exchanges, and potential for technical transition.
Watch out for an official announcement in our next newsletter, in an email notification to our members, and on LinkedIn.
Rongjun Qin, co-PI of the funded project “Live 3D Gaussian Splatting for ISR,” has published a new paper on physically consistent dynamic Gaussian splatting for single-sequence aerial 4D reconstruction.
With an input drone video, Qin and his collaborator output a navigable, dynamic 3DGS field that enables replaying at 4D scene at different angles. This paper demonstrates a new method for turning a single drone video into realistic, time varying reconstruction of a large outdoor scene, which could significantly improve how aerial imagery is used for mapping, monitoring, and simulation.
Qin is a Professor of Civil and Geodetic Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Ohio State University. The code associated with the study in this paper will soon be publicly available.
Partner Spotlight: Purdue Technical Assistance Program
The Purdue Technical Assistance Program (TAP) is a long-standing resource dedicated to helping organizations solve complex challenges, enhance performance, and foster innovation by tapping into the deep expertise of Purdue University faculty, staff, and students. Serving businesses, healthcare providers, nonprofits, and public sector organizations throughout Indiana and beyond, TAP has assisted thousands of partners with confidential, hands-on solutions tailored to their needs across areas like business management, manufacturing, cybersecurity, product validation, process optimization, and quality assurance.
One of the key avenues for engagement is the TAP Innovation Development (InDev) Program, which connects organizations with Purdue faculty, graduate students, and other subject matter experts to assess challenges and develop targeted strategies — from process improvement and technology adoption to strategic planning and logistics. InDev also offers subsidized technical assistance to help organizations accelerate problem solving and growth. By leveraging TAP’s multidisciplinary support, Indiana innovators and industry partners can gain actionable insights and practice guidance that complement collaborative research and development efforts like those encouraged through the AFRL Regional Network – Midwest.
Click below to find out how you can use TAP’s services to meet your business’s needs.
The Indiana Space Grant Consortium (INSGC) serves as Indiana’s hub for NASA-related STEM education, research, and workforce development — empowering students, educators, and institutions to engage with space and aeronautics opportunities. As one of 52 consortia within the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, INSGC works to support and enhance the full spectrum of the aerospace industry both within Indiana and nationally. Through scholarships, fellowships, internships, and research support, INSGC helps build the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators while working with partners across academia and industry to enrich the talent pipeline needed for Indiana’s growing space industry workforce.
INSGC’s statewide network fosters collaboration that turns education and research into real-world impact. One example is from early INSGC-supported student and faculty research efforts at Taylor University. That collaboration helped launch two successful organizations: NearSpace Launch, which builds small satellites and radio for in-orbit space, and NearSpace Education, which expands access to hands-on aerospace learning experiences by integrating the innovative technology developed by NearSpace Launch into the classroom. Partnerships like these demonstrate how INSGC investments can translate into new companies, expanded STEM education opportunities, and a stronger aerospace ecosystem for the region.
Through initiatives like these, INSGC continues to connect education, research, and industry in ways that strengthen Indiana’s role in the national aerospace landscape while preparing students to contribute to the next generation of space and defense innovation.
Use the link below to discover how INSGC could help fund your students or research.
Have you checked out the AFRL Regional Network – Midwest YouTube Channel? On this platform, partners have access to a variety of video content that includes:
Funded project video reports
Network promo videos
Informative and instructional videos
Stay tuned to all of our social media channels as new content will be added frequently!
Partner with Us
The AFRL Regional Network – Midwest is a unique opportunity to partner with the Air Force Research Lab. If you are interested in becoming a partner, please visit our Join Page for more information!
Get Featured in the Newsletter
If you or your organization would like to be featured in an issue of Around the Region, please email us at afrlmwst@purdue.edu. A representative will then reach out to you for additional information.
At the AFRL Regional Network – Midwest, we are dedicated to developing next-generation research and technology to support the Air Force mission by providing analysis, development, and testing capabilities that span multiple science and engineering disciplines. From propulsion to communications, materials to sensors, our research focuses on advancing mission capability and accelerating technology transitions throughout the life cycle of programs.
At the Midwest Network, we understand the importance of collaboration in advancing technology and mission capability. We facilitate partnerships between industry and academia to develop new means to address the current and future needs of our customers.
