DoD Innovation: Landscape of Emerging Practices Katy Person, Program Manager, MIT Innovation Initiative Katy Person, Program Manager, MIT Innovation Initiative For my whole career, I’ve been intrigued by this concept of defense acquisitions. I mentioned this to a new friend of mine, a research scientist at the Koch Institute for Brain Research. She said that was the nerdiest thing she had ever heard. But here’s the thing: after even just one tour in a combat zone - my first was Afghanistan - you learn the criticality of having the technology you need right when you need it. Warfighters juggle a lot of priorities, many of which could increase the chance of casualties. When there’s a technical solution that makes managing those life-saving responsibilities easier, warfighters deserve it fast and right.