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22 May 2015
NOTICE
AC/323-N(2015)0010
NATO SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BOARD
Call for Project Proposals for von Karman Horizon Scanning Initiative
1.
Please find in enclosure the call for project proposals from Prof. Maurus Tacke,
STB Senior Mentor for von Karman Horizon Scanning, a Strategic S&T Initiative.
2.
Please distribute widely to NATO S&T stakeholders.
Matthieu Eloy
STB Secretary
Enclosure 1:
1 Enclosure
Call for project proposals for the NATO STB's Strategic S&T Initiative
Action Officer: Maj. Gene Lutz - [email protected]
Original: English
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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATION
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22 May 2015
Dear Colleagues,
Are you active in an emerging science or technology area that could be a game-changer for
the Alliance? Are you interested in leading a team of diverse experts to explore the impact
in emerging capabilities? If you answered, “Yes” to these questions, then you are a strong
candidate for participation in von Karman Horizon Scanning.
It is with great pleasure that I announce the first call for proposals for the NATO Science &
Technology Board’s (STB’s) Strategic S&T Initiative, von Karman Horizon Scanning. This
Initiative employs a foundational principle of Theodore von Karman: bringing together armed
forces personnel and scientists to develop a sound basis for the future.
Through Horizon Scanning, NATO S&T will advance broad awareness of S&T trends with potential
defence relevance and will identify and assess the security and defence impact of emerging
technologies. The end state will be an enduring procedure that delivers a comprehensive view of
emerging technologies to inform: research, planning, requirements, budget allocation, capability
development, procurement, and transformation.
NATO S&T stakeholders are invited to propose projects focused on ensuring that NATO has the
full range of capabilities necessary to deter and defend against any threat to the safety and
security of the Alliance. Each project will focus expert views and deliver a report that covers the
current state-of-the art, view of the next 10 years, potential applications, feasibility, and economic
viability.
Please submit proposals (see attached template) to: Major Gene Lutz, +32 (0)2 707 3908,
[email protected], by 30 June 2015.
As the STB Senior Mentor for the von Karman Horizon Scanning Initiative, I will notify project leads
of selection in early August 2015, with a view toward developing project plans and commencing
the projects by the fourth quarter of 2015.
Prof. Dr. Maurus Tacke
STB Member
STB Senior Mentor for vK Horizon Scanning
Attachments:
Strategic S&T Initiatives Overview
vK Horizon Scanning Overview
vK Horizon Scanning project proposal template
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Strategic S&T Initiatives Overview
1.
Introduction
Strategic S&T Initiatives are intended to focus Science and Technology (S&T)
activities on time-sensitive NATO issues with high-intensity, quick-turn activities, and
to deliver relevant S&T contributions to clearly defined exploitation paths that support
Alliance core tasks. The Initiatives tackle problems from a comprehensive
perspective, focus the attention of the community, and construct a collaborative
arrangement of S&T stakeholders in order to jointly achieve results that are beyond
the reach of individual actors.
The Initiatives support capability development and deliver advice to decision makers
on innovative solutions to stated Alliance needs. Building on the collaboration across
NATO S&T stakeholders, Initiatives benefit from the top-level visibility and the
support provided by the Science & Technology Board (STB) in terms of mentoring,
focusing attention, and providing appropriate support.
The STB selects Initiative topics and invites national STB Members to lead the
Initiatives as STB Senior Mentors. The STB Senior Mentors are empowered by the
STB to lead the Strategic S&T Initiatives entrusted to them in order to provide
focused leadership, deliver vision and give guidance to Project Leads, while
maintaining coherence across all projects within the Initiative. The Senior Mentors
select and guide projects that deliver results in less than a year.
2.
Who Can Participate?
Any NATO S&T stakeholder1 may submit a project proposal, serve as a Project Lead,
or be a Participating Stakeholder.
1
Stakeholders in NATO S&T cover a broad spectrum, comprising national representatives, subject matter
experts, and NATO staff who organize their activities through NATO committees, commands,
programmes, or agencies.
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3.
Selection Procedure
Project proposals review will be led by the respective Initiative’s STB Senior Mentor,
who will notify applicants of selection within a month from the close of a Call for
Project Proposals.
Following selection of project proposals, the Project Leads will be invited to form a
planning team to develop a more detailed plan. When the detailed plan is
approved, the project will be chartered.
4.
Roles and Responsibilities
a.
STB Senior Mentor
The STB Senior Mentor to each Initiative is a national STB member and has the
following responsibilities:

Define the scope of the Strategic S&T Initiative entrusted to him/her;

Review Initiative project proposals and make selections;

Maintain coherence across projects addressing the Initiative;

Provide strategic advice to Project Leads, both prospective leads and
those actively working projects addressing the Initiative, with regard to
planning, execution, and exploitation; and

Facilitate information flow between the STB and the Project Leads.
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b.
Project Lead
The Project Lead will have the responsibility to:
c.

Develop and submit a one to two-page project proposal;

Aide the building of teams to plan and execute project;

Promote synergies across Participating Stakeholders;

Shepherd the planning process;

Submit the two to five-page detailed plan;

Lead the execution of the approved plan; and

Serve as the spokesperson for the project to the Initiative Senior Mentor
and the STB.
Participating Stakeholders
Each Participating Stakeholder will have the responsibility to:
5.

Define their own contribution to support the objectives of the project;

Assist in developing the detailed project plan; and

Execute planned contribution to the project
Contact Information for Strategic S&T Initiatives

For proposal submission and questions:
MAJ Gene Lutz, +32 (0)2 707 3908, [email protected].

For additional questions or guidance:
Dr. Susanne Wirwille, +32 (0)2 707 5986, [email protected].
***
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VON KARMAN HORIZON SCANNING
A Strategic S&T initative
OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The NATO Science & Technology Board has established Strategic S&T Initiatives as an active element of NATO
S&T strategic guidance. Horizon Scanning has been recognized by the STB as a strategic area to advance, and
the STB has selected it to be one of its Strategic S&T Initiatives starting in 2015. Von Karman Horizon Scanning
employs a foundational principle of Theodore von Karman to bring armed forces personnel and scientists
together to develop a sound basis for the future, seeking to enhance collective knowledge and understanding,
and providing evidence-based advice toward military and civilian planning and investments. Von Karman
Horizon Scanning aims to advance broad awareness of S&T trends with potential defence relevance, and
identify and assess the impact of emerging technologies.
EXPERTS GROUP
An Experts Group will be formed for each focus topic selected under the von Karman Horizon Scanning
Initiative. A Chair and Co-Chair will lead the Experts Group, which will be comprised of 10-15 experts from
multiple disciplines. Each Experts Group will conduct wide area surveillance of technical approaches and
applications in their focus topic. The planned result comprises both qualitative and quantitative descriptions of
approaches to use the future capability of focus, to include comparisons to present approaches, giving
application potential and a projected timeline of critical developments and decision points.
WORKSHOPS AND PROCEDURE
Experts Groups formed under von Karman Horizon Scanning will convene in two workshops, each lasting two
to three days. The dates and locations will be selected based on availability of the expert participants.
The Chair and Co-Chair will facilitate intense discussions in the Experts Group, which encompasses broad
expertise on the focus topic. The end result will include the Group’s view of science and technology state-ofthe-art, the next 10 years, possible applications, feasibility, and economic viability.
PARTICIPATION
Participation in the von Karman Horizon Scanning Experts Groups is by invitation of the Chair and Co-Chair. An
appropriate blend of expertise will comprise the Experts Group to achieve the objective. The Experts Group
participants are expected to commit to both workshops and to contribute a written summary of their expert
input to the project.
PUBLICATION
The results of the Experts Groups will take the form of a NATO publication. The Editor will be the Experts Group
Chair, supported by technical staff. The publication of results may be classified up to the NATO Secret level,
and a NATO unclassified version to share results broadly, each with an executive summary. The results will be
disseminated to national and NATO senior officials.
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von Karman Horizon Scanning Initiative Project Proposal
Title of Project
Proposed Project Lead1: Name, position title, organization, contact information.
Topic
Briefly describe topic proposed.
NATO Strategic Drivers
List the NATO strategic drivers for the proposed project (e.g., political-military guidance
resulting from Summits and Ministerial meetings).
Proposed Chair and Co-Chair
Provide names and affiliation of proposed Chair and Co-Chair for the Experts Group
formed for this project. Typically, the Project Lead fulfils the position of Experts Group
Chair and the Co-Chair will come from a different community than the Chair (e.g., a
Chair from the Armed Forces and a Co-Chair from the S&T community)
Prospective Stakeholders
List the prospective stakeholders that may contribute experts to the project.
Projected Timelines
List target dates envisioned for the project activities.
Possible Exploitation Paths
Briefly list the possible exploitation paths for the products to be delivered.
1
Please attach the proposed project lead’s curriculum vitae to the project proposal.
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