COMET is a joint initiative of NJII's Defense Division, NJIT resources and the United States Department of Defense.  On Friday, July 19th, NJII hosted over 100 attendees for the program ribbon cutting housed at Landing 360, NJII's Advanced Manufacturing Center in Landing, New Jersey.

NEWARK, N.J., July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) proudly announces the successful ribbon cutting ceremony for the COMET Initiative, held at the NJII Advanced Manufacturing Center, Landing 360. The event marked a significant milestone in advancing collaborative innovation, workforce development and technological development.

Dr. Michael Johnson, President of NJII, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of the COMET Initiative in fostering innovation and industry collaboration. "The COMET Initiative represents a major step forward in our mission to drive technological advancement and economic growth," said Dr. Johnson. "We are excited to drive positive impact on the industry and the community though this initiative."

Dr. Atam P. Dhawan, Senior Vice Provost for Research at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), concluded the remarks on behalf of NJIT President, Dr. Teik Lim, by highlighting the academic and research contributions to the initiative. "NJIT is proud to support the COMET Initiative, which will provide our students and faculty with unparalleled opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research and development," said Dr. Dhawan.

Distinguished guest speakers included Paul Manz, Chief Technology Officer JPEO Armaments and Ammunition who offered comments on behalf of Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Commanding General of Picatinny Arsenal and Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments & Ammunition.  Mr. Manz highlighted the critical role of innovation in national defense and shared Major General Reim's sentiment, "The collaboration between NJII and Picatinny Arsenal through the COMET Initiative is a testament to our shared commitment to advancing technological capabilities for our armed forces."

Mr. Chris Grassano, Director of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, also spoke at the event, stressing the importance of partnerships in driving research and development. "The DEVCOM Armaments Center is proud to be a key collaborator in the COMET Initiative, which will undoubtedly lead to groundbreaking advancements in armament technologies," said Mr. Grassano.

"The COMET initiative represents a significant milestone in our journey towards solidifying New Jersey's position as a leader in innovation across the nation," said Congressman Kean. "This facility embodies our state's commitment to excellence, our dedication to fostering talent, and our leading force in technology and innovation. With this initiative, we'll have positive impacts across New Jersey, such as boosting the local economy and creating more high-tech jobs."

Final comments were offered by Stephen Luckowski, OSD MII Program Manager. He reflected on the value of partnerships and the importance of advanced manufacturing to the Department of Defense.  He stated, "The partnership with NJII and NJIT promises to provide capabilities in workforce training that go beyond what is achievable in the classroom alone. I am extremely excited that COMET will help produce scientists and engineers skilled and upskilled in advanced manufacturing and advanced materials, that understand how to solve DoD's technical challenges, bringing a new generation of workers to support the needs of the nation."

Following the enthusiastic remarks was a group ribbon cutting ceremony and unveiling of the equipment floor.  Both guided and self-guided tours allowed attendees live demonstrations and interaction with subject matter experts.

The COMET Initiative is designed to foster collaboration between industry, academia, and government to drive innovation in critical technology areas. The initiative aims to create a dynamic ecosystem that supports the development of new technologies and the commercialization of innovative solutions.

For more information about the COMET Initiative and NJII, please visit https://www.njii.com/defense/new-comet-overview/.

About NJII
The New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII) is a 501c3 organization wholly owned by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). As an independent corporation, NJII is uniquely positioned to be agile, entrepreneurial, and opportunistic. NJII is focused on accelerating technology, fostering innovation, and development the workforce in order to have a positive economic impact in New Jersey. To date, NJII has generated over $330M in revenue during its ten years of operation across its divisions (AI/ML, Defense, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare and Learning & Development) and today has a team of 120 staff. https://www.njii.com/about/ [Learn more __title__ Learn More]

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SOURCE New Jersey Innovation Institute