Wright State University in Fairborn hosts three Air Force Research Laboratory units on its campus, expanding a partnership with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

In December 2024, Wright State and Wright-Patterson extended access across campus to labs, classrooms, and housing as needed, with more than 60 AFRL researchers already working in the labs at that time.

The Digital Capabilities Team handles digital transformation to improve access to models and simulations for future R&D efforts, while AFIT provides educational programming for base personnel on campus.

Timothy Bunning’s 2024 role as AFRL CTO is followed by his move to Wright State as interim dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The initiative aims to create opportunities for students to engage in Air Force research, highlighted by graduate student Rachael Ballentine securing a position with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center through the SMART Scholarship program and the addition of a new mathematics bachelor’s degree with data science and statistics tracks.

The expanded collaboration builds on agreements since December 2022 when Air Force personnel began using space in the Neuroscience Engineering Collaboration Building, which houses 55,000 square feet of research facilities and an on-site MRI scanner.

The ACT 3 Autonomy Capability Team focuses on applying artificial intelligence to Air Force operations, including autonomous systems for F-16s and autonomous aerial refueling, as part of scaling AI for military use.