Here's What's Happening This Week 9.17.2025
TPP Program & Updates
Annual TPP Defense Summit NOVEMBER 19th! Third time is the charm! Registration opening on/about September 29th
The TPP Newsletter is archived on our website
here: https://paxpartnership.org/newsletter/.
TPP HAS OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE! Contact Michelle Reloba for more information at 301-866-4088 or contact michelle.reloba@paxpartnership.org
TPP – NAWCAD - NAVAIR - TECH BRIDGE
Tech Bridge–NAVAL X: https://navalx.nre.navy.mil/s/tech-bridges/southern-maryland-tech-bridge and https://techport.center/
Artificial Intelligence Augmented Testing (AIAT) Prize Challenge
The Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic and Palmetto Tech Bridge (PTB), in collaboration with PEO MLB, are seeking solutions for leveraging AI to revolutionize testing and evaluation processes. PEO MLB Artificial Intelligence Augmented Testing (AIAT) aims to address the challenges of traditional automation processes and tool capabilities, which rely on very detailed human intervention with significant costs, delays, and inefficiencies.
Phase 1 open until 10/17/25 06:00 PM EDT
Now LIVE on Challenge.gov and can be viewed here: https://www.challenge.gov/?challenge=peo-mlb-artificial-intelligence-augmented-testing-aiat
24 September 2025 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm- VAQ Squadron Post-Deployment Debrief. Organized by the local Association of Old Crows (AOC) Chapter in conjunction with PMA-234!
Classification: SECRET//REL to USA, AUS (Open to Government, Contractors, Australian Foreign Nationals)
Location: Precise Boyington Conference Room
Register: https://mp.gg/gcuuqfjx
To streamline security, please register with your official government or contractor email. Registration will close on September 15th. SMO code will be provided after registration to all non-US government personnel. PMA-234 Security will submit visit requests for US government civilians and military personnel.
September 30th 2025 | 0900-1200 EDT or 1300-1600 EDT. -NAWCAD invites you the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (APNT) Industry Information Session I. Details and further clarification is provided on the recently released APNT Request for Information (RFI), followed by a Q&A on RFI submissions and the technologies sought.
Location: This is a hybrid session at TechPort located at St. Mary's County Aeropark, 44185 Airport Rd, California, MD 20619.
For more information on the RFI and to register https://techport.center/naval-aviation-assured-pnt-industry-survey/
NOTE: This is not a formal solicitation. An invitational information session may be arranged with your firm at the discretion of the panel.
Due to the potential recommendation for flight experimentation, we are seeking only responses for systems meeting, Technology Readiness Level (TRL) = 5; Technology component or basic sub-system validation in a relevant environment. Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) = 5; Capability to produce prototype components in production production-relevant environment.
May 6 - 7, 2026, Monterey, CA. Acquisition Research Program invites you to submit a research paper or panel proposal for the “Accelerating Warfighting Capabilities”, NPS 23rd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium & Innovation Summit.
This event brings together academic researchers, acquisition professionals, and defense service leaders for two days of exploration, discovery, and dialogue intended to inform acquisition policy and modernization efforts.
In keeping with recent executive orders and DOD memoranda, the goal of this dual event is to explore and promote innovative ways to enhance readiness, deter
adversaries, and increase warfighting capabilities by reviving our defense industrial base, reforming our acquisition process, and rapidly fielding emerging technologies.
CALL FOR PAPER AND PANEL PROPOSALS - DUE 18 NOVEMBER 2025
The Summit welcome papers and panels proposals that address these areas of concern, as well as any other topics related to accelerating warfighting capabilities in procurement, acquisition, requirements, test and evaluation, maritime dominance, space systems acquisition, contracting and commercial solutions, research and development, program management, acquisition workforce, industrial base and supply chain, emerging technologies, risk-taking and innovation, and technology transition, and readiness.
Visit the symposium website for topic suggestions and submission guidelines.
EDUCATION
NEWS: Straight to the workforce: Charles County public schools’ apprentice programs show success. https://paxpartnership.org/straight-to-the-workforce-charles-public-schools-programs-show-success/
St. Mary’s College of Maryland ( SMCM) https://www.smcm.edu/ The National Public Honors College. Events here:
Center for the Study of Democracy at SMCM https://www.smcm.edu/democracy/
Newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/Je5H45l/Subscribe
Events here: https://www.smcm.edu/democracy/events/
The Center for the Study of Democracy offers St. Mary’s College students three separate paid internship opportunities and awards, here: https://www.smcm.edu/democracy/student-opportunities/
College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Information, news, and events: register: https://www.csmd.edu/news/index.html
Registration is Ongoing for Community Education Courses at
www.csmd.edu/CommunityEducation
The 2026 St. Mary’s County Science and Engineering Fair (SMCSEF) will be at the USMSM SMART Building and is open to the St. Mary’s County residents. It is the perfect venue for students to share their talents in experimental methodologies, engineering design and testing, and other scientific projects.
Home - St Mary's Science Fair (smcsef.org), the SMCSEF website, contains links to General Information, Science and Engineering Categories, and Judging Information.
Please check the website for ways to partner with SMCSEF, including sponsoring awards and scholarships, advertising opportunities, and volunteering as board members, judges, and project mentors. Contact Mark Ragland, SMCSEF President, at smcsefpresident@protonmail.com for additional information. Please send advertisement artwork and sponsorship questions directly to Samantha Nelson at smnelson@smcps.org
NEWS: Congratulations to the Grand Award Winners of the 2025 St. Mary’s County Science and Engineering Fair! Téa Combs, Thomas Fucito, Collin Haycraft, Rishi Sheth, and Stephen Krasznay
Employment Opportunities
Wednesday, October 8, | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Calvert County Job & Internship Fair! The Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, in partnership with the College of Southern Maryland and the Calvert County Department of Economic Development, invites you to participate in the Job & Internship Fair at the CSM Prince Frederick Campus. FREE EVENT!
Showcase your open positions and internship programs to motivated students and jobseekers. Please register here. https://tccsmd.news/CalvertJob-InternshipFair_BusRegistOct85q3
Tuesday, November 4th, 2025| 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. SMCM Fall 2025 Career & Internship Fair—This event is a fantastic opportunity to hire interns, graduating seniors, and current students, and to inspire students to explore your industry by showcasing the incredible work you do.
Sponsorship slots are available, and 28 standard table slots. Registration for sponsors: SMCM - FALL 2025 CAREER & INTERNSHIP FAIR
RESOURCES & EVENTS
LSM Homecoming Oct. 8th!
Help the Homecoming Team pull off the next Best Homecoming Ever! They seek items for their silent & live Homecoming auctions—from local goods to event tickets, to unique experiences. Organize a basket with your class, and show 'em who's the Best Class Ever. We also seek event volunteers! Got Auction Ideas? christa@aaacpa.com Available to Volunteer? Volunteer Sign-Up
CANCELLED! September 18, 2025| 11:30 am to 2:00 pm B&A Fall Open House!
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 | 5 pm/3:30 pm -Dr. Miao Yu will be “Addressing Societal Challenges with Robotics and AI: Toward Precision Shellfish Aquaculture" presented at the USMSM SMART Building. This Evening@SMART program is free to attend, and light snacks are provided! Register now at https://go.umd.edu/evening-smart-1001
Thursday, 2 October at 11:15 am. What Keeps You Up at Night? Part 13, AFCEA Southern Maryland, invites you to Part 13, an incredibly interactive event that went beyond the stop time.
Join meeting here:
https://sabresystems.webex.com/wbxmjs/joinservice/sites/sabresystems/meeting/download/99491df9442d4b5c952c581c76f42e71?MTID=m6c55caf435484eb17c4556f987a0c201
Meeting number (access code): 2313 112 4052
Meeting password: pgPmaEEx987 (74762339 when dialing from a video system)
Join by phone +1-415-655-0003 US Toll
October 8, 2025 | 5pm - U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Solutions and Opportunities in the Australian Maritime and Defense Sectors - This webinar is tailored for U.S. suppliers of advanced manufactured products and advanced manufacturing solutions. It will offer practical guidance for companies looking to enter the Australian market by partnering with local firms focused on strengthening innovation and resilience in critical sectors. Register for the webinar today.
October 21, 2025 - The 2025 ARDIS Symposium. This one-day, solutions-driven forum is designed as a high-level, moderated exchange rather than a traditional trade show. ARDIS connects defense innovators—government, primes, non-traditional vendors, startups, and academia. Essential for Both Procurement & Technical Teams,
the focus is on accelerating technology pathways from prototype to deployment. Website: www.ardis.eventbrite.com
Pax River Naval Museum (PRNAM) Join today: https://www.paxmuseum.com/membership
Event Calendar: https://www.paxmuseum.com/events-calendar
- Flight Simulators open Tuesday to Sunday 12-4 pm, and 10-4 pm on Saturdays.
- The museum is seeking adults (18+) interested in supervising the simulators during the weekends. Email dan.dickey@paxmuseum.org for more information!
Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Southern Region, stay informed here: https://www.sbdchelp.com. Check out their NO-Cost online Training & Workshops! https://www.marylandsbdc.org/training
July small business courses found here:
https://mdsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events?reset=1
Greenwell Foundation is seeking Nature Volunteers to provide support for PreK to 1st grade environmental education field trips, guided hikes and kayaking programs, tabling at outreach events, and more! Learn more and apply here.
TEDCO Leading innovation to market- find funding/explore resources https://www.tedcomd.com/
Newsletter Link: https://www.tedcomd.com/subscribe-tedcos-newsletters
Events calendar: https://www.tedcomd.com/events
FYSA: Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and spurring innovation in the defense industrial base. Executive Orders
Read more here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/modernizing-defense-acquisitions-and-spurring-innovation-in-the-defense-industrial-base/
NEWS
"Maryland has the best community colleges, with its five best schools all ranking within the top 40 community colleges nationwide. Maryland is ranked the #1 state for community colleges — for the 3rd year in a row. The annual assessment is done by WalletHub, a personal finance website. State ranks are based on aggregated scores of state's individual community colleges.
Maryland is also one of the states that currently offers free community college education." — WalletHub
COMMUNITY NEWS & ACTIVITIES
Historic Sotterley - Information & to register for events here:
https://www.sotterley.org/events/
Docents and Visitor Center Assistants Needed!
Volunteer form: https://sotterley.org/?ff_landing=6
- September 20 | 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Birding the Fields and Trails of Historic Sotterley
- Sept. 30 to Dec 12, 2024 | Tuesday to Friday 11:00 am – 6:00 pm, Saturday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm – Historic Sotterley is partnering with the Boyden Gallery at St. Mary’s College of Maryland to bring the public a new art exhibit titled “Sharing our Common Humanity from Common Ground”. The exhibit features the first 38 portraits of Historic Sotterley Descendants by artist Nicole Stewart with additional work by photographer Ken Barlow and quilter Dr. Joan M. E. Gaither.
Sunday, September 20 & 21st, 2025 | 10 am to 5 pm ArtFest '25 - Art & Music Festival at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, Dowell Rd, Solomons. Enjoy more than 180 artist booths, 40 performers on four stages, activities for kids in the Discovery Tent, Studio School, and the Zany Zone, along with great food, wine & beer. EVENT DETAILS: https://www.annmariegarden.org/annmarie2/content/Artsfest
Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC) - Events here: https://www.hsmcdigshistory.org/events/.
Email: hsmcc.groups@maryland.gov; 301-994-4371 / 301-994-4372
NEWS: HSMC announces the launch of www.stmarysfort.com, a new digital experience designed to connect the public with one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Maryland’s history.
- September 21, 2025 | 10 am & 1 pm Maryland Dove Public Sail –
Sail aboard the Maryland Dove on the St. Mary’s River. Learn about the 1634 voyage while enjoying scenic views. Ages 5+. $60 Registration required: hsmcc.groups@maryland.gov
- October 18, 2025 | 5–8 p.m. | Historic St. Mary’s City “Lost City” Free admission | Donations appreciated | Costumes encouraged | Last entry 7:30 pm. HSMC invites families to a free trick-or-treating event, Lost City. Enjoy fall and Halloween fun, trick-or-treating, Maryland Dove, fortune telling, games, crafts, and dancing at the “Monster Mash Disco Ball.” A family-friendly evening and plenty of candy! Parking at 47414 Old State House Rd. Info: 301-994-4370.
September 26th, 2025 | 10 am -3 pm RiverFest 2025- Live music all day, kayaking, arts and crafts, live animals, engaging exhibits, and more! To keep all of these activities free for our community, we need your help!
Help make RiverFest a success by signing up to volunteer and sharing our flyer on social media! If your business or organization would like to sponsor the event, exhibit, or provide an activity, contact Emma at emmaSMRWA@gmail.com.
Saturday October 8th, 2024| 9 am –12 pm 4th Annual Great Mills Community Clean up - Join the St. Mary's CDC in helping us clean up Great Mills Road and our surrounding areas by participating. Register by Sept. 19th: https://tinyurl.com/stmaryscdccleanup25
COSMIC Symphony 30th year Birthday Bash- directed by Will Esterling, featuring the music of Stravinsky, Brahms, and Rimsky-Korsakov.
- Saturday, October 11, 2025 | 4:00 pm at St. Nicholas Lutheran Church 1450 Plum Point Rd. Huntingtown, MD 20639 FREE CONCERT - NO TICKETS REQUIRED
- Sunday, October 12, 2025 | 3:00 pm at Nancy R. and Norton T. Dodge Performing Arts Center, SMCM FREE CONCERT - NO TICKETS REQUIRED
Find Local Farmers Markets Near You! Southern Maryland Buy Local Guide Available Now- Your one-stop resource for local farmers and enjoy the best of SoMD. View the SoMD Farmers Market Guide HERE
St. Mary’s County Library Newsletter sign up:
https://www.stmalib.org/newsletter-sign-up/
Planning a Conference or meeting? St Mary’s County is a prime location. Partner with organizations to highlight local lodging options and 'things to do' for conference attendees. Check out the St. Mary’s County website: Visit St. Mary's MD
St. Mary’s County Activity Search: https://recreation.stmarysmd.com/webtrac/web/search.html?module=AR&category=SPEC
St. Mary’s County Museum Division - Please visit:
https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/recreate/Museums/
Free admission for the Military!
NOTE! Clement’s Island Museum is closed for reconstruction.
· October 5th and 19th, 2025 Last Chance to Discover Drayden African American Schoolhouse this Season- For more information about the Drayden African American Schoolhouse Open Houses, programs, admission prices, and more, visit their Facebook page at Facebook.com/DraydenSchool or call (301) 994-1471 |
