University of Arkansas alumnus Benjamin Conley has been selected as a finalist for the Chief of Naval Research Concept Challenge. The challenge was developed by the Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral David J. Hahn to inspire innovative ideas on how to keep naval ships, aircraft and personnel always at an advantage and help Sailors and Marines either deter conflict or win decisively and return safely.

Conley is one of only nine finalists selected from the more than 200 submissions to the challenge. His proposed project is to develop a new type of uncooled thermal infrared sensor. The idea is built around the positive aspect of the night vision goggle, such as high frame rate, low lag and low power and adds in uncooled thermal imaging.

"This has the potential to give expeditionary warfighters a new capability and advantage on the battlefield that is currently only deployed on a few platforms because of the high power and cost of those existing mid-wave infrared systems," Conley said. "It was great to receive the Chief of Naval Research Concept Challenge award and be recognized for my ideas and research."

Conley graduated from the University of Arkansas with a doctorate in microelectronics-photonics in 2014. He was advised by Fisher Yu, an associate professor of electrical engineering.

Conley is now an engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana. The Center is a naval laboratory and field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command. The center is responsible for multi-domain, multi-spectral, full-life-cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability of today's warfighter.