March 9–11, 2026 | Washington, DC
Dear USACA Members,
We would like to share details on two upcoming events USACA is hosting this spring: the 2026 USACA Spring Technical Meeting and the USACA | ORNL: Next Generation Harsh Environment Materials and Manufacturing Workshop.
To make participation easier for members, USACA has scheduled the Harsh Environment Workshop for the same week as the Spring Technical Meeting. The workshop will take place on Monday, March 9, 2026, followed by the Spring Technical Meeting on Tuesday, March 10, and Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Both events will be held at 200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, 2nd Floor Conference Room, in Washington, D.C.
USACA | ORNL: Next Generation Harsh Environment Materials and Manufacturing Workshop – March 9, 2026
U.S. leadership in defense, energy, and industrial competitiveness depends on materials and manufacturing processes that can perform in extreme environments, including high temperature, corrosive and oxidative conditions, irradiation, pressure, space, and other multi-stressor settings. Manufacturing in extreme environments such as low Earth orbit, lunar and planetary surfaces, and subsea domains presents additional challenges for logistics and sustainment.
This workshop will bring together government, industry, and academic stakeholders to identify priorities and begin strategy and roadmap development for harshenvironment materials and manufacturing. The goal is to align technical needs with national security, economic security, and industrial resilience.
Workshop highlights will include:
- Morning speakers from DOE, ORNL, and DoW, followed by an industry panel
- Evening breakout discussions organized by industry segment and application, with anticipated participation from program managers
USACA 2026 Spring Technical Meeting – March 10-11, 2026
The Spring Technical Meeting will be a two-day event featuring USACA’s standard meeting format and an informal reception on Day 1. Day 2 will include the opportunity to present USACA working group initiatives on Capitol Hill.
TENTATIVE AGENDA
Tuesday, March 10:
- 8:30 AM: Registration and Continental Breakfast
- 9:00 AM: Call to Order Meeting and Opening Remarks
- 9:15 AM: Congressional Speaker
- 9:30 AM: Executive Director Report
- 11:00 AM: Morning Speaker Sessions
- 12:30 PM: Working Lunch & New Member Presentation
- 1:30 PM: Afternoon Speaker Sessions
- 2:30 PM: Technical Director Report & Breakout Sessions
- 3:15 PM: Hill Day Breakout Groups
- 3:30 PM: Meeting Adjourn & Informal Reception Upstairs in the Penthouse
Wednesday, March 11th:
- 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM: Hill Visits — Additional Details to Come
If you plan to participate in Capitol Hill visits, please notify LB Fullerton (lb@strategicmi.com) by January 30th, 2026. Unfortunately, members who do not notify us by this date may not be accommodated for congressional visits. Participants should plan to keep their schedules flexible into the early afternoon.
Hotel Recommendations:
- The George Hotel
Address: 15 E St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Corporate Rate | Ask reservations for Strategic Marketing Innovation’s rate or use the Corporate ID 787147094 to book directly on the site. - Arlo Washington DC
Address: 333 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001 - Hyatt Regency Washington On Capitol Hill
Address: 400 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001 - Fairfield Inn & Suites Washington, DC/Downtown
Address: 500 H St NW, Washington, DC 20001
All of the recommended hotels are within walking distance of the meeting location. We suggest making your hotel reservation as soon as possible to ensure availability.
Registration for Events
If you plan to attend the 2026 Spring Technical Meeting, please email LB Fullerton at lb@strategicmi.com and Karen Coleman-Dillon at karen@strategicmi.com.
Details on registration for the USACA | ORNL: Next Generation Harsh Environment Materials and Manufacturing Workshop will be shared soon.
We look forward to welcoming you to Washington, D.C., in March and to another year of progress and collaboration in the advanced ceramics industry.
Best,
Ken Wetzel
USACA Executive Director