Q: What is VMASC?
The Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) is a university-wide multidisciplinary research center that emphasizes modeling, simulation, and visualization (MS&V) research, development and education. VMASC is one of the world's leading research centers for computer modeling, simulation, and visualization. The mission of the Center is to conduct collaborative MS&V research and development, provide expertise to government agencies and industry, and to promote Old Dominion University, Hampton Roads and Virginia as a center of MS&V activities. Working with more than one hundred industry, government, and academic members, VMASC furthers the development and applications of modeling, simulation and visualization as enterprise decision-making tools to promote economic, business, and academic development. Annually, the Center conducts approximately $10M in funded research.
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Q: I would like to collaborate with VMASC research staff. How do I do that?
Contact information for specific faculty and research staff can be found in the VMASC People section. If you are unsure which member of the VMASC staff would be most appropriate for your collaboration needs, please contact our Manager of Marketing & Communications or our Director of Business Development & Technology Transfer.
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Q: How do I contract with VMASC for Modeling & Simulation Services?
Old Dominion University’s VMASC is supported by the Old Dominion University Research Foundation. The Research Foundation is the fiscal and administrative agent for Old Dominion University for sponsored agreements. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation, and it is tax-exempt under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
To contract with VMASC for projects that align with our core competencies, discuss your research initiative with one of our faculty researchers. Once you have determined that VMASC can support your requirement, a Statement of Work (SOW) is submitted through our administrative support office for pre-award processing. The administrative support office works closely with the Research Foundation in preparing the proposal package for final submission to the sponsoring agency. Awards are made to VMASC through the Research Foundation and all contractual negotiations are conducted with an assigned Grants and Contracts Administrator.
Currently, VMASC has three IDIQ contracts:
The Student, Faculty and Fellows, Engineering & Technical Services (SFFE&TS), N00189-08-D-Z052, is an IDIQ contract primarily utilized by our sponsors at the Joint Staff Hampton Roads formerly the U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM). This contracting vehicle is managed through FISC Norfolk, Detachment Philadelphia and allows customers to reach the full breath of university and industry partner talent. SOWs are submitted through the command’s contracting officer for approval and then forwarded to FISC for processing, with the approved RFQ then forwarded to the Research Foundation. The Research Foundation works with the Principal Investigator (PI) and the administrative office to build the proposal for submission back to FISC. Once an award is made, the Research Foundation notifies VMASC and work begins.
The Modeling and Simulation Battlelab contract works exactly like the SFFE&TS contract and follows the same guidelines. Our sponsors at the JS J7 Joint Coalition Warfighting Center, formerly known as the Joint National Training Center (JNTC – J7), primarily utilize this contract.
The N00178-11-D-6640 SEAPORT-e IDIQ contract has been recently awarded to VMASC by the Naval Surface Warfighting Center (NSWC). SOWs for this contract are submitted to us through an electronic system as an Enhanced Event Invitation. Task orders against this contract are competitively bid and awards are made based on the criteria followed by the sponsoring agency.
VMASC can also contract to sponsors through BAAs, Grants, Congressional Earmarks, SBIR/STTR, NIH, and other DoD opportunities.
We welcome industry and other academic institutions to become partners in delivering unmatched modeling and simulation capabilities to our customers. We are especially interested in partnering with small businesses in the following categories:
· Small
· Small Disadvantaged
· 8(a)
· Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZones)
· Woman-Owned
· Indian-Owned Economic Enterprises & Organizations
· Veteran-Owned/Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned
· Historically Black and Hispanic colleges and universities
If you are interested in utilizing these contracting vehicles to solicit work from VMASC or would like to partner on potential projects, please contact Thomas Reese, Director of Business Development and Technology Transfer, 757-638-4454 or treese@odu.edu.
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Q: Do you have programs for high school, undergraduate, or graduate students?
Through Old Dominion University, VMASC offers summer programs for high school students interested in M&S as well as STEM education. School tours of the VMASC facilities can also be scheduled with the Manager of Marketing & Communications or our Director of Business Development. Undergraduates and graduate students can find internship opportunities as well as research positions available through the Old Dominion University Research Foundation.
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Q: Can I work at VMASC?
ODU’s Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center (VMASC) is one of the world’s leading research centers for computer modeling, simulation, and visualization (MS&V). The mission of the Center is to conduct collaborative MS&V research and development, provide expertise to government agencies and industry, and to promote ODU, Hampton Road and Virginia as a center of MS&V activities. The Center has over 50 research and administrative staff and works closely with faculty researchers from across the University. In 2010, the Center conducted approximately $9M in funded research. ODU offers bachelors through doctoral degrees as well as certificate programs in Modeling and Simulation (M&S) supported by faculty in the Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Engineering Department in the Batten College of Engineering and Technology and research faculty from VMASC. There are approximately 50 masters’ and 55 doctoral students enrolled in M&S programs and another 20 students are enrolled in graduate certificate programs related to M&S.
Old Dominion University is a state-assisted institution and one of only four Virginia schools in the Carnegie Research Universities (high research activity) category. It is located in the Hampton Roads, the nation’s center for the military application of MS&V. The region is home to Joint and Coalition Warfighting arm of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the US Army’s Training and Doctrine Command, the Joint Forces Staff College, the U.S. Navy’s Commander Operational Test and Evaluation Force, the Naval Sea Systems Command, and the Space and Naval Warfare Center. In addition, Department of Energy’s Jefferson Lab, NASA-Langley Research Center and numerous regional industries are important users of MS&V technology. The economic values of MS&V-related business activity in Hampton Roads is estimated to be over $500M.
Positions within the VMASC organization consist of: Research Faculty (Ph.D. required), Sr. Project Scientists and Project Scientists (Master’s preferred, Bachelors required), Engineering and Technical Services Staff (Master’s preferred with years of experience in Military service) Information Technology Staff (Bachelors preferred, Associates degree required), Administrative Staff (Bachelors and/or Associates preferred, high school diploma and years experience required), Post Doc (Ph.D. required), and Graduate Internships (Master’s required). Once a position becomes available, it is advertised utilizing State or Research Foundation rules and regulations.
Candidates for posted positions must submit a letter of application, resume or curriculum vitae, and three professional references to vmascsearch@odu.edu; attn: Sheila Flanagan. All posted positions can be found on the VMASC website under “Careers” and other published media, i.e., Virginian Pilot, Higher Ed Jobs, Virginia Employment Commission, ODU website and ODU Research Foundation website.
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Q: I would like a VMASC professor, researcher, or graduate student to give an interview, lecture, or presentation. How do I schedule this?
Such visits are scheduled directly by individual faculty members, researchers, and graduate students. Contact information for specific faculty, research staff, and graduate students can be found in the VMASC People Section. If you are unsure which member of the VMASC staff would be most appropriate for you, please contact our Manager of Marketing & Communications or our Director of Business Development & Technology Transfer.
