Avalon Research & Design Group
The Avalon Group of the Fourth Fleet Advanced Research & Design Bureau encompasses dozens of different Institutes and hundreds of different projects taking place at Avalon Fleet Yards and across the Avalon System. Meant to be the tip of the spear in scientific, engineering, and medical research for the Fourth Fleet, this group’s interdisciplinary and highly collaborative nature brings the best and the brightest minds together to solve problems and develop innovations.
Leadership
The Avalon Group is led formally by the Commander of Avalon Fleet Yards, though their day-to-day oversight of the group is minimal. Day-to-day decisions are made by individual institute, project, and team leaders. The leaders of institutes and independent projects meet regularly as the Avalon Group Board to share status updates and make collective decisions about allocating space and resources to each of their projects. The Avalon Group Board is chaired by either the Commander or Deputy Commander of Avalon Fleet Yards. In turn the Avalon Group reports to the Fourth Fleet Advanced Research and Design Bureau, with individual institutes and projects also reporting to the appropriate Starfleet Science, Starfleet Engineering, and/or Starfleet Medical Bureaus.
Organization
The Avalon Group is divided into institutes, projects, and teams, all of which are interdisciplinary research and development units. Institutes are multi-project teams that occupy a dedicated shore facility or several full levels aboard a station or research module. Projects are either sub-units of institutes or smaller independent research teams, which have several interconnected lab facilities. Teams are either sub-units of projects or institutes or are new initiatives in their early stages of formation under the Avalon Group, typically having just one lab or similar facility. The leaders of institutes, projects, and teams must regularly meet with one another to share ideas and resources, as well as status updates.
Institutes
Institutes are large, multi-project teams that encompass either their own planetary facilities or a major research module on one of Avalon’s many space stations. Institutes are led by fleet captains and above and often consist of a half-dozen or more projects with hundreds of scientists, engineers, and/or doctors.
Institute for Experimental Rehabilitative Medicine (IERM)
The Institute for Experimental Rehabilitative Medicine (IERM) is a medical research agency. Led by Vice Admiral Linda Knox-Stanton, this institute was founded to explore new therapies to help patients recover physically, emotionally, and spiritually from traumatic injuries. Occupying a complex within Sato City on Avalon III, the Institute has in-patient facilities for forty patients who are participating in about a dozen different research projects.
Genetronic Nanocybernetics Project
The Genetronic Nanocybernetics Project (Codename: Hephaestus) is a project operating under the auspices of the Institute for Experimental Rehabilitative Medicine to study the combination of genetronic replication and nano-scale cybernetics to treat patients with severe spinal cord injuries. Started after his success with a procedure conducted on the Risian Lieutenant Zaos Sarcaryn, this project is being led by Captain Alenis Anjar.
Nanocybernetics Team
The Nanocybernetics Team is one of the teams under Project Hephaestus, developing nano-scale cybernetics that can help regenerate or replace the connections between nerves. Primarily an engineering team rather than a medical team, this team has experts in cybernetics, nanotechnology, and microphysics.
Institute for Advanced Impulse Engine Design
The Institute for Advanced Impulse Engine Design (IAIED) is an engineering research agency studying advancements in sublight propulsion technologies. While the basic design of Federation impulse engines has remained fundamentally the same since the twenty-second century, this institute is focusing on small scale improvements to their general functioning. This institute occupies the entirety of Research Module A on Tucker Station.
Phase 7 Impulse Manifold Project
One of the projects under the Institute for Advanced Impulse Engine Design, the Phase 7 Impulse Manifold Project is studying enhancements to the current standard of Starfleet impulse manifolds (so-called Phase 6), which are the component of an impulse engine assembly that direct energized drive plasma from multiple fusion reactors through to the subspace driver coils and ultimately the engine exhaust. This team includes engineers and physicists hoping to make this system more efficient. This project works out of the IAEID space on Tucker Station.
Fusion Reactor Enhancement Team
Working under the Phase 7 Impulse Manifold Project, the Fusion Reactor Enhancement Team is a team of engineers and physicists looking to improve the efficiency and power generation potential of Starfleet's fusion reactors. In particular, this team's focus is on the type of reactor currently in use on the fleet's Reliant-class frigates, many of which are built at Avalon Fleet Yards. This team works out of the IAEID space on Tucker Station.
Institute for Observational Cosmology
The Institute for Observational Cosmology (IOC) is a scientific research agency studying the nature of the universe through observable means. In particular, they are developing new deep space scanning protocols to be used across Fourth Fleet ships. This project has obvious intelligence and tactical implications, but it is being led exclusively by scientists and engineers. This institute occupies the entirety of Research Module B on Tucker Station.
New Deep Space Telescope Project
The New Deep Space Telescope Project is a design group under the Institute for Observational Cosmology focused on developing the next generation of subspace telescopes for the direct observation of the universe. One telescope being developed and built by this project is the Darren Array at Overwatch Station in the Alpha Quadrant, and another is slated for construction closer to Avalon Fleet Yards. This project works out of the IOC space on Tucker Station.
Deep Space Scanning Team
The Deep Space Scanning Team is part of the New Deep Space Telescope project and is working on enhancing computer algorithms for processing deep space sensor sweeps. This team is composed of engineers and scientists and works out of the IOC space on Tucker Station.
Institute for the History of Starfleet Warfare
The Institute for the History of Starfleet Warfare (IHSW) is a historical research agency led by Commodore Magnus Blackwood. This institute was founded to further research and analysis of the history of Starfleet conflicts, dating back to the period immediately before the Federation’s founding. The IHSW occupies a complex north of Sato City, where it conducts and manages archival and archaeological research, historical analysis, and museology. Its projects each take an interdisciplinary approach to assigned eras of history, with teams providing expertise in their respective disciplines. The IHSW studies historical Starfleet conflicts to understand how to avoid potential future ones, considering strategy, tactics, and technology, but also the role of Starfleet's organisational policy, psychology, and culture.
Cardassian Wars Project
The Cardassian Wars Project is a historical research project operating under the Institute of the History for Starfleet Warfare to gather and maintain records and conduct analysis of the Federation-Cardassian conflicts of the mid-24th century. Officially, they are responsible for analysing any engagements and conflicts dating back to first contact with the Cardassian Union until the signing of the 2370 armistice, with its aftermath considered formally part of the events leading up to the Dominion War. As much of this conflict occurred within living memory, the project’s work includes gathering records from multiple governments and organisations and recording survivors' lived experiences. The project is led by Commander Edmund Locke and works out of the IHSW complex.
Archival Collections and Research Team
The Archival Collections and Research Team is part of the Cardassian Wars Project. It is responsible for all archival research undertaken by the project, including acquisitions for the IHSW's libraries, establishing access to archives beyond Avalon, and the study of records in these collections. It is headed by Lieutenant Commander T'Falith.
Independent Research Projects
There are many research projects under the Avalon Group that do not report to an institute, often because the project is still at an early stage and it will later mature into an institute once initial research has been completed. These independent projects may also have affiliations with more than one institute, thus making them better suited to remain independent. Projects are led by commanders and captains and can consist of several dozen scientists, engineers, and/or doctors.
We Are Starfleet Project
At the dawn of the 25th century, the We Are Starfleet project applies the frameworks of practical philosophy to ask moral, legal and political questions about the suitability of Starfleet's role in the Federation. Following the research team's critical evaluation of the prime directive, the scope of the project was expanded to consider Starfleet's overarching missions, general orders, and day-to-day culture. The project has taken up laboratories in the social sciences wing of Brahms Station. In the wake of Starfleet's recent isolationist period and Frontier Day, the project has begun to ask new questions. Is Starfleet serving the purpose it intends? Where will Starfleet's vision need to evolve so that it can persevere into the next century?
Independent Research Teams
As with independent research projects, some research teams under the Avalon Group are not part of any one project or institute, either because their work is still in its early stages or because their work is affiliated with more than one project. They may later mature into projects of their own. Teams are led by lieutenants and lieutenant commanders.
The Avalon Group In-Play
- The Avalon Group was created as a way of allowing members to write higher ranking characters with important research assignments that might not fit into either Starbase Bravo or into their personal commands. Indeed, it's not particularly logical for characters higher than fleet captain to be regularly assigned to field operations, so these characters need a home for when those members are no longer on staff. The purpose of this component of Avalon Fleet Yards is thus to allow you to write content that deals with politics, bureaucracy, and higher-level concepts, rather than the slice-of-life theme on Starbase Bravo.
- An example of this work in canon is Vice Admiral and then Admiral Owen Paris's leadership of the Pathfinder Project and Operation Watson, during which he was also presumably the leader of the Starfleet Communications Research Center, which is akin to the institutes here.
- As explained in the Avalon Fleet Yards Guide, you are allowed to write up to your fleet rank in the Avalon Group, with larger teams becoming available to you at the ranks of lieutenant, commander, and fleet captain. For instance, as a fleet captain you can have your own "Institute" while at lieutenant you can have your own "team."
- Teams fit into projects which fit into Institutes, but Teams and Institutes can also be independent. You can grow your team into a project and then into an institute as you increase in rank. You can also speak to the members who have institutes to see if it would be OK with them to add your team or project to their institute. Many folks would be happy to have you!
- The Institute for Advanced Impulse Engine Design and the Institute for Observable Cosmology are available for you to add projects, teams, or team members onto, as they are not run by any one member.
- Most of the research facilities are located either on Avalon III or one of the Avalon Fleet Yards stations in orbit. Generally speaking, researchers will live either on Brahms Station or on Sato City and commute via shuttle or transporter, so members of the Avalon Group will have plenty of opportunities to socialize even if their workplaces are spread out.
- There are always reasons to work with researchers in other teams, projects, and institutes, as science is inherently collaborative. Maybe you have a friendly rivalry with someone else in a similar discipline and you're competing for resources. Maybe they have a piece of equipment that's hard for you to acquire and you need to convince them to share. Maybe they have expertise that you lack. The possibilities are many.