NSWCPC joins innovation lab journey

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City (NSWCPC) has begun a journey to establish a Center For Innovation to foster a culture of creativity that will give staff an outlet to learn techniques and understand war-fighters’ needs in a designed solution safe zone, according to Unmanned and Surface Combatants Science and Technology Mine Warfare director Holly Gardner. CFI will be a collection of spaces and capabilities to foster innovation at all levels, and give employees an outlet where they can brainstorm, network and work through problems before putting that innovation into practice at the fleet level, according to Sheila Schnoering, NSWCPC engineer for mine warfare prototyping. Reaping beneficial knowledge, even through failures, stimulates alternative routes to success and a “plethora of creative ideas” that lead to light bulb moments, says Technical Product Manager Rick Hurst. Two buildings are being configured to support the innovation lab concept. Throughout FY 2019, efforts will be dedicated to defining its business model, continued input from users, conveyance of capabilities with respective training arenas, and the completion of spaces. NSWCPC conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and in-service support in Mine Warfare, Naval Special Warfare, Diving and Life Support, and Amphibious and Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare Systems and other missions in the Littoral Battlespace. (Source: NSWCPC 02/28/19) Columbus AFB, Miss., was among the first in the Air Force to begin creative hubs. CAFB began its ‘Spark Cell’ creative hub last November to find solutions from 3D printing to flying patters for its T-6 Texan II. Today, CAFB has shared information on set-ups and collaborated with officials at Keesler AFB, Miss., and Tinker AFB, Okla.