(Left to right): Jesse Tolleson Jr., principal deputy, ASA(ALT); the Hon. Brent Ingraham, assistant secretary, ASA(ALT) and Army Acquisition Executive; Dr. Lauren Boteler, associate director for enterprise-level S&T integration, ARL; Joseph Alexander, ARL deputy director; Lt. Gen. Robert Collins, principal military deputy, ASA(ALT); and Sgt. Maj. Robert Haynie, assistant secretary of the Army, ASA(ALT). Boteler and Alexander accepted the 2025 Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory of the Year award on behalf of DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory.
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ADELPHI, Md. – The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory was named the 2025 Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory of the Year by the Army Acquisition Executive.
The award recognizes the Army Research Laboratory’s exceptional contributions to advancing science and technology for the Army, delivering groundbreaking innovations and operational solutions between June 2024 and May 2025.
“An award like this isn’t won by a single project or a handful of people,” said. Dr. Eric L. Moore, ARL acting director. “It is the result of a thousand daily efforts, the challenging experiment, the flash of insight that forges an elegant solution, and the collaborative spirit that defines our culture. It recognizes the collective brilliance and shared commitment of all the ARL staff members to delivering the future for our Army.”
The AAE Awards, presented annually by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology , honor individuals and organizations for their excellence, innovation and dedication to empowering Soldiers and strengthening national defense.
ARL demonstrated unparalleled excellence in translating cutting-edge research into operational advantages. The laboratory’s achievements reflect its commitment to conducting fundamental research to address high-priority Army needs, including advancements in lethality, electronic warfare and agentic artificial intelligence.
Highlights of ARL’s accomplishments during the award period include:
- Catalyst Pathfinder Program: This innovative program rapidly connected Army units with university and industry partners to address urgent operational needs. More than 40 prototypes were developed, with 10 transitioning to fielded technologies. Notable successes include a drone-delivered sensor package now utilized by the 101st Airborne Division and low-cost training devices adopted by the XVIII Airborne Corps.
- Thorium-229 Nuclear Clock: ARL’s collaboration with the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Colorado Boulder led to a major scientific breakthrough in nuclear clock technology. This discovery promises atomic clocks with unprecedented accuracy, revolutionizing operational timing and autonomous system synchronization.
- Deep Autonomous Reconnaissance and Targeting Sensing (DARTS): ARL developed cost-effective, relocatable sensors for persistent surveillance, now adopted by the 3rd Infantry Division’s Transformation in Contact unit.
The award also highlighted the lab’s commitment to fostering leadership, professional development and teamwork across its workforce. ARL cultivated a collaborative environment that drives scientific breakthroughs and the Army’s continuous transformation.
Through these efforts, ARL continues to play a significant role in the Army’s continuous transformation, empowering Soldiers and strengthening national defense for the future Army.
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DEVCOM ARL is the Army’s sole foundational research laboratory serving as the nexus of science between the military, academia and industry. ARL expertise drives cross-cutting advancements in science and technology to ensure the Army wins now and in the future. For information visit DEVCOM ARL’s website.
