{{Short description|Industry conference}} The '''Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC)''' is an annual conference in [[Orlando, Florida]] organized by the [[National Training and Simulation Association]],<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=About IITSEC: IITSEC 2026 |url=http://www.iitsec.org/about-iitsec |publisher=NTSA |accessdate=1 February 2019 |language=en}}</ref> an affiliate organization of the [[National Defense Industrial Association]] (NDIA). I/ITSEC is held at the [[Orange County Convention Center]], a large conference and exhibition center located on Exhibition Drive on the south side of [[Orlando, Florida]].

== Attendance == Peak attendance at I/ITSEC occurred in 2010 and 2011 (see the table in the next section) with approximately 20,000 attendees. Attendance declined to about 14,000 in 2013 and 2014 due to new restrictions with US military and government travel. As a result, conference leaders are taking steps to attract more international attendees, and they have begun expanding I/ITSEC's offerings to appeal to modeling, simulation, and training professionals who work in sectors outside of the defense and security sectors, such as healthcare, civil aviation, transportation, and disaster relief.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141030132434/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-12-04/business/os-simulation-training-show-orlando-20131203_1_trade-show-defense-budget-interservice-industry-training Matthews, M.K. & Clarke, S.K. (2013, May). Simulation-training contractors court global customers at trade show, ''Orlando Sentinel'']</ref>

I/ITSEC 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision had an estimated economic impact of $45M based on the financial impact of previous years. RADM James Robb, USN (Ret), President, National Training and Simulation Association<ref>{{Cite web |title=James Robb |url=https://www.ndia.org/leadership-bios/james-robb |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251009150838/https://www.ndia.org/leadership-bios/james-robb |archive-date=2025-10-09 |access-date=2026-03-01 |website=www.ndia.org |language=en}}</ref> was quoted as follows, "We cancel this year’s I/ITSEC with a heavy heart and are working on ways the technical content prepared for the conference can be provided to the training community,”<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-09-03 |title=IITSEC Cancelled |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-iitsec-cancelled/192444361/ |access-date=2026-03-01 |work=The Orlando Sentinel |pages=A16}}</ref>

== Growth and Evolution == The ancestor of '''I/ITSEC''' was the “[[Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division|Naval Training Device Center/Industry Conference]],” first held in 1966. The conference later expanded to include land, air, and sea systems, and in 1980 its title was changed to reflect this broader scope.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=I/ITSEC History |url=https://www.iitsec.org/about-iitsec/history |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240719084203/https://www.iitsec.org/about-iitsec/history |archive-date=2024-07-19 |access-date=2026-03-01 |website=www.iitsec.org |language=en}}</ref>

The Orlando area became the predominant location, particularly after construction of the [[Orange County Convention Center]] (the second-largest convention complex in the United States).<ref name=":0" /> This shift was driven by the availability of nearby hotel accommodations, convenient access via [[Orlando International Airport]], and the development of eastern Orlando and Orange County as the [[Department of Defense]]’s primary hub for modeling, simulation, and training.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1997-10-06 |title=Central Florida leaders hope to stimulate interest in simulation |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-central-florida-lea/192431333/ |access-date=2026-03-01 |work=The Orlando Sentinel |pages=72}}</ref> This growth was supported by the establishment of the [[Central Florida Research Park]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=1998-02-06 |title=Research Park has come alive |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-research-park-has-c/192431988/ |access-date=2026-03-01 |work=The Orlando Sentinel |pages=19}}</ref> adjacent to the [[University of Central Florida]], as well as the relocation of various DoD training and simulation activities from the now-closed [[Naval Training Center Orlando]] to the newly established [[Naval Support Activity Orlando]] within the research park.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-11-11 |title=Naval Support Activity Center in Research Park |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-naval-support-activ/192432963/ |access-date=2026-03-01 |work=The Orlando Sentinel |pages=A10}}</ref>

DoD activities located at [[Naval Support Activity Orlando]] include:{{citation needed|date=March 2026}}

- [[U.S. Army]]'s '''Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation''' (PEO STRI)<br /> - [[U.S. Army]]'s '''Synthetic Training Environment Cross-Functional Team''' (STE CFT)<br /> - [[U.S. Army]]'s '''[[United States Army Simulation and Training Technology Center|SFC Paul Ray Smith Simulation and Training Technology Center]]''' (STTC)<br /> - [[U.S. Navy]]'s '''[[Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division]]''' (NAWCSTD)<br /> - [[U.S. Marine Corps]]' '''Program Manager for Training Systems''' (PM TRASYS)<br /> - [[U.S. Air Force]]'s '''[[Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation]]''' (AFAMS)<br /> - [[U.S. Space Force]]'s modeling, simulation and training activity under the aegis of [[Space Training and Readiness Command]] (STARCOM).

With the exception of the aforementioned USAF activities in Orlando, all others have acquisition authority and life cycle program management responsibility for all training systems in their respective services. === I/ITSEC attendance figures === Below is the history of '''I/ITSEC''' locations and attendance from 1980:{{citation needed|date=March 2026}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+I/ITSEC Historical Data ! Edition ! Year ! Exhibitors ! Attendance ! Venue |- | 40 || 2019 || 550 || 17,400 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 39 || 2018 || 491 || 16,500 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 38 || 2017 || 485 || 15,200 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 37 || 2016 || 489 || 17,100 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 36 || 2015 || 470 || 14,700 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 35 || 2014 || 500 || 14,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 34 || 2013 || 400 || 14,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 33 || 2012 || 561 || 16,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 32 || 2011 || 600 || 20,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 31 || 2010 || 595 || 20,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 30 || 2009 || 550 || 18,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 29 || 2008 || 575 || 17,900 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 28 || 2007 || 539 || 16,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 27 || 2006 || 500 || 16,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 26 || 2005 || 500 || 17,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 25 || 2004 || 480 || 16,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 24 || 2003 || 495 || 14,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 23 || 2002 || 460 || 14,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 22 || 2001 || 429 || 12,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 21 || 2000 || 417 || 14,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 20 || 1999 || 347 || 12,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 19 || 1998 || 341 || 3,000 || Orlando, Orange County Exhibition Center |- | 18 || 1997 || 248 || 3,000 || Orlando, Marriott |- | 17 || 1996 || 242 || 3,300 || Orlando, Marriott |- | 16 || 1995 || 229 || 2,700 || Albuquerque, New Mexico |- | 15 || 1994 || 212 || 2,608 || Orlando, Marriott |- | 14 || 1993 || 191 || 2,003 || Orlando, Marriott |- | 13 || 1992 || 157 || 1,985 || San Antonio, Texas |- | 12 || 1991 || 162 || 1,954 || Orlando, Marriott |- | 11 || 1990 || 165 || 1,415 || Orlando, Marriott |- | 10 || 1989 || 187 || 1,700 || Fort Worth, Texas |- | 9 || 1988 || 161 || 1,861 || Orlando, Marriott |- | 8 || 1987 || 96 || 1,976 || Washington, D.C. |- | 7 || 1986 || 115 || 1,583 || Salt Lake City, Utah |- | 6 || 1985 || 96 || 1,976 || Orlando, Sheraton |- | 5 || 1984 || 97 || 1,498 || Washington, D.C., Hilton |- | 4 || 1983 || 84 || 1,334 || Washington, D.C., Hilton |- | 3 || 1982 || 84 || 1,469 || Orlando, Hyatt |- | 2 || 1981 || 57 || 1,142 || Orlando, Sheraton |- | 1 || 1980 || 39 || 885 || Salt Lake City, Utah |}

== Exhibit Hall== The conference includes an exhibit hall, which typically encompasses approximately 200,000+ square feet and features more than 50+ organizations and agencies. In addition to commercial vendors, academic institutions and military organizations regularly maintain exhibit booths. Many organizations also bring live demonstrations of their technologies.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=I/ITSEC Exhibitors |url=https://www.iitsec.org/exhibitors|access-date=March 1, 2026|website=iitsec.org|date=March 1, 2026}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

Previous exhibit displays have included computer-based 3D graphics; flight simulators (fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and tilt-rotor); Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training systems for air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon ranges; armored vehicle and tank crew simulators; convoy trainers; aircraft and vehicle maintenance trainers; dismounted small-unit ground combat simulators; command and control center simulations; first-person shooter simulators; shipboard simulators; [[virtual reality]] and [[augmented reality]] (VR/AR), [[SCORM]], [[Information Technology|information technology]], [[Advanced Distributed Learning|advanced distributed learning]], [[aerospace]], [[Communication|communications]], and [[Public Safety|public safety]] training systems.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />

Annually, the NTSA publishes short video clips highlighting notable booths on its YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/NTSAToday == Papers, Tutorials, and Workshops == Each year, '''I/ITSEC''' requests submissions for papers and tutorials to be presented at its annual conference. In 2025, the conference featured 122 Technical Papers, 33 Tutorials, and 9 Professional Development Workshops.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2026 |title=I/ITSEC 2025 Full Agenda |url=https://www.iitsec.org/-/media/sites/iitsec/agenda/2025/iitsec2025program112625.pdf?download=1 |access-date=March 1, 2026 |website=iitsec.org}}</ref> The peer-reviewed process spans half a year as prospective authors must pass multiple quality assurance gates. Authors must first submit an abstract to one of the six sub-committees: education, emerging concepts and innovative technologies, human systems engineering, simulation, training, or the policy, standards, management, and acquisition subcommittee. Each subcommittee consists of government, industry, and academic members. At the abstract meeting, each submission is carefully considered and either accepted or rejected. If accepted, the full paper submission is required a few months later to again be reviewed and either accepted or rejected. Lastly, accepted authors must prepare presentations that are again reviewed by committee members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Authors Submission Information |url=https://www.iitsec.org/authors/submission-information |access-date=2026-02-03 |website=www.iitsec.org}}</ref> Abstract submission typically opens in February each year with full, accepted papers due sometime in June and presentations due around September.

If accepted, authors present their tutorials on the first day of the conference (always held on a Monday). Speakers present their papers during concurrent sessions, held across the subsequent three days of the conference (Tuesday-Thursday). Finally, on the last day of the conference, invited speakers present special workshops, which are like the Monday tutorials but longer. Typically, each conference includes more than 160 of these educational sessions or special events. Attendees can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs)<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Newcomers |url=https://www.iitsec.org/attend/newcomers |access-date=2026-02-03 |website=www.iitsec.org}}</ref> at the tutorials, the professional development workshops,<ref name=":4" /> and all paper sessions.

== Special Events == Each year, '''I/ITSEC''' hosts a series of special events that reflect emerging topics in [[modeling and simulation]], [[training]] and [[education]]. These special events are developed by the committee members who organize the conference, and participants are invited rather than required to complete the peer-reviewed paper or tutorial submission process.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2026 |title=I/ITSEC Special Events |url=https://www.iitsec.org/agenda/special-events |url-status=live |access-date=March 1, 2026 |website=iitsec.org}}</ref>

In 2025, the conference featured 49 Special Events.<ref name=":3" /> These events are a mix of Signature Events, Floor Events, and Focus Events covering topics such as [[live, virtual, and constructive]] (LVC) simulation; predicting and managing [[Black swan theory|Black Swan]] events; [[artificial intelligence]] for [[social interaction]] simulation; [[transmedia]] learning; [[geospatial]] environment database standards; [[cybersecurity]]; and an [[Ignite (event)]] session featuring invited speakers.<ref name=":4" />

These special events frequently involve panel discussions, often including high-ranking military officers and senior civilian officials as invited panelists. For example, each year the conference includes the “Congressional Modeling and Simulation Event,” during which elected officials discuss modeling and simulation policies. Similarly, the “General/Flag Officer Panel” features active-duty military officers and government civilians from the [[general]]/[[flag officer]] or [[Senior Executive Service (United States)|Senior Executive Service]] (SES) levels, often including service chiefs and/or service secretaries.

== Serious Games Showcase and Challenge == The [[Serious Games Showcase and Challenge]] is a competition and a showcase event that was created to encourage [[video game developers]] to create products that are useful for non-entertainment purposes.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2026 |title=I/ITSEC Serious Games Showcase & Challenge |url=https://www.iitsec.org/agenda/special-events/serious-games |url-status=live |access-date=March 1, 2026}}</ref> The annual event, made its first appearance as an exhibit space at '''I/ITSEC''' in 2006. The event accepts games from universities, businesses, and government organizations as entries in competition for awards prizes. Each year the event awards a Special Emphasis Award, Students’ Choice Award, Best Business Game, Best Student Game, Best Government Game, Best Mobile Game, and finally, attendees at the conference can also vote on the People's Choice Award.

== Awards and Scholarships ==

=== Best Paper and Best Tutorial Awards === I/ITSEC presents annual awards in the following areas: * Best paper per subcommittee * Overall best paper, selected from the best papers from each subcommittee * Best tutorial Below are the Best Paper and Best Tutorial winners for the past 10 years. To see the full archive of winners, see the [http://www.iitsec.org/get-involved/authors/best-papers-archive Best Paper and Best Tutorial] '''I/ITSEC''' page. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Best Paper !! Author(s) |- |2019 |Simulating Augmented Reality Spatial Accuracy Requirements for Target Acquisition Tasks |John Graybeal, Rachel Nguyen, Todd Du Bosq |- |2018 |Understanding Cloud-Based Visual System Architectures |Jeanette Ling |- | 2017|| Human Systems and Instructional System Design for a Simulator of a Robotic Surgical System || Danielle Julian, Roger Smith, Ph.D., Alyssa Tanaka, Ariel Dubin |- |2016 |Human Performance Analysis and Engineering: Novel Process for Developing Metrics that Measure what Police Do |Bryan Vila, Ph.D., Stephen James, Ph.D., Lois James, Ph.D. |- | 2015|| Cyber Operational Architecture Training System (COATS) - Cyber for All || David Wells, Ph.D., U.S. Pacific Command's Cyber War Innovation Center, Derek Bryan |- | 2014|| Institutionalizing Blended Learning into Joint Training: A Case Study and Ten Recommendations || David Fautua, Ph.D., Sae Schatz, Ph.D., Emilie Reitz, Patricia Bockelman |- | 2013|| Medical Holography for Basic Anatomy Training || Matthew Hackett, ARL/HRED STTC |- | 2012 || Making Good Instructors Great: USMC Cognitive Readiness and Instructor Professionalization Initiatives || Sae Schatz, Ph.D., Kathleen Bartlett, Nicole Burley, MESH Solutions; Capt David Dixon, USMC, Kenneth A. Knarr, LtCol Karl Gannon, USMC |- | 2011 || A Game AI Approach to Autonomous Control of Virtual Characters || by Kevin Dill, Lockheed Martin |- | 2010 || Simulated Clinical Environments and Virtual System-of-Systems Engineering for Health Care || Frank Boosman, Robert J. Szczerba, Ph.D., Lockheed Martin |- |}

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Best Tutorial !! Authors |- |2019 |Superforecasting: Proven Practices for Leveraging Human Ingenuity |S.K. Numrich, Ph.D. |- |2018 |The Science of Thrills: M&S in the Entertainment Industry |Kevin F. Hulme, Ph.D, CMSP, Emmanuel Torres Gil, Chistopher Hendrick, Shathushan Sivashangaran |- |2017 |The Essential Guide to Cyberspace Training |David Wells, Ph.D., U.S. Pacific Command's Cyber War Innovation Center, Derek Bryan |- |2016 |Virtual Reality: Challenges and Solutions for Useful Simulation Training |Thomas Talbot, M.D., Skip Rizzo, Ph.D., USC Institute for Creative Technologies |- | 2015 || Elevate your Instruction: Practical Methods to Maximize Military Learning || Sae Schatz, Ph.D., Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) |- | 2014 || Bridging the Gap: How to Build Effective Game-based Training || Cannon-Bowers, Ph.D., Clint Bowers, Ph.D., Katelyn Procci, Skilan Ortiz, Jennifer Loglia, Budd C. Darling, III, Cubic Advanced Learning Solutions |- | 2013 || Model Verification and Validation Methods || Mikel D. Petty, Ph.D. University of Alabama in Huntsville |- | 2012 || Distributed Simulation Fundamentals || by Margaret L. Loper, Ph.D., Georgia Tech Research Institute |- | 2011 || Why Games Work—The Science of Learning || by Curtiss Murphy, Alion Science and Technology |- | 2010 || Return on Investment (ROI) || by Edward J. Degnan, Ph.D., LTC USA Ret, Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation |- |}

=== Outstanding Achievement Awards === The NTSA confers professional achievement awards at the I/ITSEC conference to individuals, organizations, or project teams that have made significant contributions to the M&S discipline. These include the following categories: training, analysis, acquisition, cross-function (multiple uses), and individual/lifetime achievement.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NTSA Awards |url=https://www.ntsa.org/awards |access-date=2026-02-03 |website=www.ntsa.org}}</ref>

=== I/ITSEC Fellows === The NTSA established a Fellows recognition award in 2010. Conference leaders bestow the "I/ITSEC Fellow" title to an influential person whose contributions have fundamentally shaped contemporary simulation and training capabilities. Individuals receive this recognition by being nominated and meeting conference leadership's standards for merit; consequently, the number of Fellow awards varies by year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=I/ITSEC Fellows |url=https://www.iitsec.org/awards/iitsec-fellows-awards |archive-url=https://www.iitsec.org/awards/iitsec-fellows-awards |archive-date=2016-04-15 |access-date=2026-02-03 |website=www.iitsec.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=I/ITSEC Fellows by year. |url=https://www.iitsec.org/-/media/sites/iitsec/agenda/2026/iitsec-past-fellow-winners.pdf |access-date=2026-02-03 |website=www.iitsec.org}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ I/ITSEC Fellows ! Year ! Name |- | 2025 || Robert Sottilare, Ph.D. |- | 2024 || Winston “Wink” Bennett, Ph.D. |- | 2023 || James Wall, Ph.D. |- | 2022 || Warren Katz |- | 2021 || LTC Frederick E. “Fred” Hartman, USA (Ret.) |- | 2019 || Richard Fujimoto, Ph.D. |- | 2018 || S.K. “Sue” Numrich, Ph.D., CMSP |- | 2017 || Henry C. “Hank” Okraski |- | 2015 || Duncan (Duke) Miller, Ph.D. |- | 2014 || Andy Ceranowicz, Ph.D. |- | 2013 || Colonel James E. Shiflett, USA (Ret) |- | 2011 || General Paul F. Gorman, USA (Ret) |- | 2010 || Colonel Jack Thorpe, USAF (Ret), Ph.D. |- | 2010 || Paul K. Davis, Ph.D. |}

=== Postgraduate and Undergraduate Student Scholarships === Since 1990, the conference has awarded academic scholarships to graduate students. In 2019, the conference started to award scholarships to undergraduate students as well.

== Outreach == During I/ITSEC, the NTSA conducts outreach to students and teachers, primarily from the [[K-12]] [[STEM fields|Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)]] fields. Outreach programs include the following: * [http://www.iitsec.org/education/students-and-teachers/americas-teachers America's Teachers Program]: Sponsors the travel and conference attendance for K-12 teachers and school administrators * [http://www.iitsec.org/education/students-and-teachers/future-leaders-pavilion Future Leaders Pavilion]: Exhibit hall venue for secondary school students to demonstrate technical projects they have developed in modeling, simulation and training topics * [http://www.iitsec.org/education/students-and-teachers/student-tours Student Tours]: Guided tours of the conference, designed for school field trips

== See also == * [[Simulation]] * [[Model (conceptual)|modeling]] * [[Military Simulation]] * [[Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization]] * [[MORS]] * [[Operations Research]] * [[NDIA]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://iitsec.org/ I/ITSEC Web Site]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Interservice Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference}} [[Category:Military simulation]]