RAMS® 2026 General Chair’s Message

As the General Chair of RAMS® 2026, it is my honor to welcome you to the 72^nd Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium. This year’s event will be held January 19–22, 2026 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Miramar Beach, Florida (note: one week earlier than our traditional schedule). RAMS® is proudly sponsored by eight professional societies and is organized entirely by a dedicated team of volunteer professionals from those societies. Together, we have worked tirelessly to create a symposium that offers a comprehensive, enriching experience across the full spectrum of reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety disciplines. I extend a warm welcome to RAMS® 2026 and invite you to join us for this exceptional experience.

RAMS® has long been a gathering point for top-tier experts in R&M, drawing participants from government, industry, and academia. You will find attendees and contributors from diverse sectors – including defense, automotive, aerospace, medical devices, and more – all coming together to share knowledge and advance the state of the art. The symposium serves as a nexus for collaboration, fostering dialogue between practitioners, researchers, and leaders, and providing ample opportunities for networking with fellow professionals. It is one of the most effective ways to educate yourself and your colleagues, with content that caters to everyone from newcomers to seasoned experts in the field.

The theme for RAMS® 2026 is “Optimizing Reliability, Maintainability and Data Analytics for Safe & Successful Outcome.” This theme underscores the crucial role of R&M, enhanced by cutting-edge data analytics, in achieving safe and successful results across all domains. In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, optimizing reliability and maintainability through data-driven decision-making is more important than ever. Industries rely on these practices to minimize downtime, reduce costs, and ensure product safety and excellence. Academia continues to push the boundaries with new methodologies and analytics techniques, while government agencies depend on highly reliable and maintainable systems to safeguard public safety, national security, and critical infrastructure. Our theme invites us to explore how leveraging data analytics – from big data to AI and machine learning – can drive improvements in reliability and maintainability, ultimately leading to better outcomes in all endeavors. Throughout the week, you will see this theme reflected in many of our papers, tutorials, and discussions.

The response to our Call for Papers and Tutorials was outstanding. Our Program and Tutorial Committees designed an impressive agenda that truly reflects the breadth and depth of the R&M field. The comprehensive program includes:

• Six technical tracks covering the wide expanse of R&M topics, ensuring a focused yet diverse exploration of current challenges and solutions.
• 20+ tutorials (from fundamental to advanced levels) led by expert instructors, qualifying for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and contributing to the RAMS® Tutorial Certificate Program. These tutorials provide an invaluable opportunity for continuing education and professional development.
• 120+ peer-reviewed technical papers organized into about 30 sessions, showcasing cutting-edge research findings and practical case studies. Each accepted paper has been rigorously peer-reviewed and will be published in the IEEE Xplore digital library – a publication opportunity equivalent to a journal paper, underscoring the high quality of our technical program.
• 6 interactive panel discussions featuring industry, government, and academic experts sharing insights on important topics. Highlights include our popular “DoD Reverse Panel,” which flips the traditional format: panelists begin by presenting their perspectives on current practices, then engage the audience by posing questions for attendees to answer. New this year are two additions: “Developing the Next Technical Talent” and “R&M in the Medical Industry.” A dedicated Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE) preparatory class offered in partnership with ASQ, to help those pursuing their ASQ CRE certification. This track is a fantastic resource for attendees looking to certify their expertise.
• An Exhibits program featuring 20+ corporate sponsors and patrons. You can explore the latest reliability tools, software, and services from leading companies, aligned with the technical content of the symposium. The exhibit hall, along with refreshment breaks and social events, also provides great opportunities for networking and peer-to-peer learning.

The variety and depth of this program ensure that whether you are a first-time attendee or a veteran of RAMS®, there is something for everyone. From fundamental tutorials to advanced research papers, from theoretical developments to hands-on case studies, the content is designed to deliver valuable insights for all experience levels. We especially encourage you to take advantage of the networking opportunities – connect with experts from different domains, exchange ideas, and build relationships that can continue long after the symposium.

For those arriving early, we also offer pre-conference learning opportunities on Sunday, January 18, 2026 (the day before the official start of RAMS® 2026). The University of Maryland will conduct a specialized Reliability Engineering Seminar. These optional sessions are a great way to kick-start your week, allowing you to deepen your knowledge and skills even before the main program begins.

In line with our theme of leveraging data and innovation, we are excited to introduce a new AI-powered feature at RAMS® 2026 to enhance your symposium experience. We will be providing detailed AI-generated summaries for each technical paper and session, accessible through our digital program and mobile app. In addition, an intelligent itinerary planning tool (powered by AI) will help you identify the sessions and events most relevant to your interests and schedule. This innovation is aimed at optimizing your time at the conference – you can quickly grasp the content of each paper, plan your personalized agenda, and ensure you don’t miss the presentations that matter most to you. We believe this AI-driven assistant will be a game-changer in how attendees navigate the rich offerings of RAMS, and we are proud to be among the first conferences to offer such a feature.

Another highlight of RAMS® 2026 is our lineup of distinguished speakers who will deliver the keynote and banquet addresses. We are honored to welcome Rachelle Putnam, Chief Information Officer of General Dynamics Land Systems, as our Keynote Speaker. Ms. Putnam will present “Garbage In = Generative Garbage Out”, a compelling talk emphasizing the importance of high-quality data in the age of generative AI. In her role at GDLS, she has seen first-hand how data integrity and reliability directly impact the success of advanced AI and analytics initiatives. Her keynote will underscore why having trustworthy, well-curated data is essential to achieving safe and successful outcomes – a message perfectly aligned with our conference theme of optimizing R&M through good data practices.

At our Wednesday evening Banquet, we will hear from Krishna Anumalasetty, Principal Group Product Manager at Microsoft. Mr. Anumalasetty spearheaded the development of Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service, growing it into a $2 billion platform that underpins cutting-edge tools like Bing Chat and Microsoft 365’s AI Copilot features. He will share insights from this journey of innovating and scaling AI solutions. In particular, his talk will delve into how reliability, maintainability, and data-driven optimization played a role in turning a novel technology into a robust, enterprise-grade product. This promises to be an inspiring story of leadership and technical achievement, offering lessons on building reliable AI systems and fostering innovation within a large organization.

We are thrilled to be returning to Miramar Beach, Florida for this conference. The Hilton Sandestin Resort offers not only top-notch conference facilities but also a wonderful environment to relax and enjoy the beautiful Emerald Coast. From the sugar-white sandy beaches and turquoise waters to the excellent amenities on-site, the venue provides a perfect backdrop for learning and connecting. For those traveling with family or spouses, the arrangements committee has suggestions for enjoying the local area’s attractions, so you can mix professional development with a bit of Florida sunshine! Also, reserve your hotel room early, there are a limited number of junior suites available on a first come first served basis at the at the attendee rate with bunk beds that sleep six.”

Putting together an event of this scale is truly a community effort. RAMS® is organized by volunteers from our eight sponsoring societies, uniting expertise from IEEE, ASQ, SAE, SRE, IEST, IISE and other professional communities. I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to the entire RAMS 2026 Management Committee, the Program and Tutorial committees, our session chairs, reviewers, panel moderators, and all volunteers who have invested countless hours to make this symposium possible. I also thank our authors and presenters for sharing their work, and our patrons and sponsors for their generous support. It is this collective dedication that makes RAMS® such a special event year after year.

Finally, I’d like to thank you – the attendees – for being part of the RAMS® community. Whether you are here to learn the fundamentals or to discuss the latest breakthroughs, to earn continuing education credits or to gain new professional connections, your participation is what truly brings this symposium to life. I am confident that you will find invaluable knowledge, inspiration, and camaraderie over the course of the week.

On behalf of the organizing committee, welcome to RAMS® 2026! I look forward to personally greeting you in Miramar Beach and sharing an exciting week of learning and collaboration. See you at RAMS® 2026!

Dmitry Tananko, Ph.D.

RAMS® 2026 General Chair