Senior Army Official to Deliver Microreactor, Energy Insights at 2026 Army Summit
- Army Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Installations, Energy and Environment Dr. Jeff Waksman will keynote the 2026 Army Summit on June 18.
- Waksman has focused his career on advanced energy efforts like portable reactors in Project Pele and microreactors with the Janus Program.
- Get your burning questions addressed by Waksman after his keynote. Secure your seat today!
Potomac Officers Club, the nation’s leading GovCon events, media and networking organization, is thrilled to announce that Dr. Jeff Waksman, Army principal deputy assistant secretary for installations, energy and environment, will deliver a keynote address at the 2026 Army Summit on June 18 at the Hyatt Regency Reston in northern Virginia.
Waksman joins a stellar lineup of the brightest minds in emerging technologies at the 2026 Army Summit, POC’s flagship forum for examining GovCon business opportunities and technology trends related to the Army. Other keynotes include:
- Katie Thompson, Army deputy executive director, Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground
- Marc Andersen, Army assistant secretary for financial management and comptroller
- Lt. Gen. Jeth Ray, Army deputy chief of staff, G-6
Who Is Jeff Waksman?
As Army principal deputy assistant secretary for installations, energy and environment, Dr. Jeff Waksman advises service leadership on matters tied to policy and oversight for energy dominance and sustainability, safety and occupational health, and all environmental matters. He has an extensive background in federal service of working on some of the toughest technology challenges facing the government.
As program manager at the Office of the Secretary of War’s Strategic Capabilities Office, Waksman led Project Pele, a transportable nuclear reactor being developed by BWX Technologies, and the first Generation IV reactor to start construction in the U.S. He also served as a policy advisor to former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine during the first Trump administration.
What Has Dr. Jeff Waksman’s Career Focused On?
Waksman has focused his career on advanced energy efforts like the Janus Program, the Army’s next-generation nuclear power effort. This program seeks to deliver resilient, secure and reliable energy by delivering commercial microreactors for military bases through a milestone-based contracting model. The Army requested $48 million for the Janus Program in FY 2027.
Prior to his federal service, Waksman was on the research staff at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center, where he focused on quantum computing and heterogeneous chip integration. He is a member of the American Nuclear Society and has published 11 scientific journal articles and two patents.
What Dr. Jeff Waksman Will Discuss in His Keynote
Waksman’s keynote at the 2026 Army Summit will provide GovCon technology leaders with a unique opportunity to hear from one of the federal government’s foremost experts on energy and emerging technologies.
Some possible topics include:
- Janus Program. Experience firsthand Waksman’s spending priorities for this critical nuclear power initiative.
- Project Pele. Get Waksman’s insights on the Army’s plan for declaring operational capability for the nation’s first micronuclear by 2028.
- Artificial intelligence. Hear directly from Waksman about the Army’s strategy for powering AI and other advanced technology initiatives.
- And more!
Why Dr. Jeff Waksman’s Keynote Is Critical for GovCons
Dr. Jeff Waksman’s keynote at the 2026 Army Summit on June 18 is a rare opportunity for GovCon executives to hear directly from one of the Army’s top experts on emerging energy technologies. Attendees can look forward to:
- Q&A session. Take advantage of this chance to have your pressing questions on advanced energy efforts and microreactors answered by Waksman after his keynote.
- Contracting strategies. Hear directly from Waksman how the Janus Program’s contracting approach will resemble NASA’s Commerical Orbital Transportation program, with milestone payments supporting commercial reactor companies in achieving production-scale operations.
- Networking. Participate in the invaluable face-to-face conversations with other ambitious GovCon executives that only take place in live-venue settings.
- And more!
Why Is the 2026 Army Summit a Must-Attend Forum for GovCon Executives?
The 2026 Army Summit brings together top technology leaders from the largest U.S. service branch to discuss the emerging technologies and strategies transforming combat. Hear firsthand from the service’s elite executives, researchers, innovators and industry experts and get actionable business intelligence from conversations led by the top talents in emerging technologies.
The Army requested $253 billion for its FY 2027 budget, up 23 percent from the $205 billion enacted in FY 2026. This includes major funding boosts for critical technology programs like:
- Counter small-Unmanned Aerial Systems, or C-sUAS, Advanced Technology. The $157 million requested for FY 2027 is 1,906 percent more than the $8 million provided in FY 2026.
- Cyberspace Operations Forces and Force Support. The $23 million requested for FY 2026 represents a potential 309 percent boost from the $6 million enacted in FY 2026.
- Counter UAS, aka C-UAS, Systems Development. The $359 million requested for FY 2027 would represent a 156 percent increase from the $140 million enacted in FY 2026.
- UAS Launched Effects Systems Development. The $816 million requested in FY 2027 would be a 123 percent jump from the $358 million provided in FY 2026.
Get exclusive insights into the Army’s plans for connecting science and technology programs under a unified framework to target high-priority investment areas and accelerate transition from concept to production. Secure your seat today!
Why Should I Attend the 2026 Army Summit?
The 2026 Army Summit on June 18 at the Hyatt Regency Reston in northern Virginia will provide GovCon technology leaders with access to timely, actionable market intelligence from one of the Pentagon’s top emerging energy technology experts.
What’s the Agenda for the 2026 Army Summit?
The 2026 Army Summit is the essential forum for GovCon technology professionals. Attendees of the conference can look forward to:
- Panels on the most critical Army topics:
- Discover enabling AI-ready infrastructure at the tactical edge and delivering agile, resilient command and control transport at Tech Stack After Next: What’s Still Needed to Enable a Hyperconnected Battlefield, featuring senior Army officials:
- Robert Monto, program manager for robotic control and integration, capability program executive for mission autonomy
- Christopher Manning, deputy assistant secretary for research and technology (pending confirmation)
- Daniel Duvak, Army C5ISR Center Engineering and Systems Integration Directorate acting director
- Dive into advancing Army Unified Network Plan 2.0 execution and leveraging open ecosystems for rapid innovation at Continuous Modernization Incorporating Wireless Spectrum, SD-WAN, Open Ecosystems and Cybersecurity, featuring DOW leaders:
- Brig. Gen. Shane Taylor, Army program executive officer for command, control communications and networks, or PEO C3N
- Col. Alan Stephens, Army PM for integrated enterprise network
- Dr. Tucker Swindell, Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, or DEVCOM, C5ISR center chief of terrestrial communications division
- Josh Weaver, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, aka OUSW R&E director for spectrum initiatives and analysis (pending confirmation)
- And more!
- Discover enabling AI-ready infrastructure at the tactical edge and delivering agile, resilient command and control transport at Tech Stack After Next: What’s Still Needed to Enable a Hyperconnected Battlefield, featuring senior Army officials:
The 2026 Army Summit on June 18 is the can’t-miss GovCon event for professionals interested in the future of emerging Army technologies. Leverage this unique opportunity to learn fresh business opportunities and get an advantage on your competition in 2026. Buy your ticket now!
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