Army 'Mad Scientist' returns

The Army's Training and Doctrine Command and Arizona State University are partnering to examine the impact of increased global urbanization on future conflicts.

The service's latest "Mad Scientist" conference, taking place April 21 and 22 in Tempe, AZ, will focus on the ways the Army can use current and developmental technologies to address possible challenges to come.

The event, which will feature Army and interagency officials, ASU personnel, scientists and futurists, will be livestreamed for the public.

According to a release, the Mad Scientist initiative benefits the Army by providing "a continuous dialogue with academia, industry and government," as well as enabling the service to share research and development costs with academia.

Featured speakers at this week's event include Lt. Gen. Kevin Mangum, TRADOC deputy commanding general; Thomas Greco, TRADOC deputy chief of staff for intelligence; Brig. Gen. John Kem, provost of Army University and deputy commandant of Army Command and General Staff College; and Dr. Brett Piekarski of the Army Research Laboratory.

"Rapid urbanization over the next 20-30 years will pose serious security challenges for the Army to conduct military operations," Greco said in a statement. "This forum will expand our knowledge base and identify new, innovative ways to deal with megacity environments."

The Tempe event is the third such conference in the past two years, and TRADOC will hold additional Mad Scientist events in July and October.