ACADEMIA

Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner last week inaugurated a new simulation and modeling center in Virginia to train command and control managers for homeland security and defense. Initially, the new center will be housed at Old Dominion University’s Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center in Suffolk until new facilities are built. The new center has a 17-member corporate board of directors including: The Boeing Co., General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp., Raytheon Co., and Science Applications International Corp. “This new facility will combine world-class expertise and state-of-the-art modeling and simulation for training, analysis and operational support for disaster management and homeland security situations,” Warner said in a news release. The center is now operating and available to assist clients in needs assessment and design of training. It will be ready to conduct its first training in January. Clients can design supercomputing simulations at the center. Then, trainees must respond in real-time with second and third effects of their decisions. Last year, the state authorized $1.5 million in funding to spur growth of the region’s simulation activities.