Dr. Mikel Petty, director of the Center for Modeling, Simulation and Analysis at UAH, has contributed to a new Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standard for distributed simulation as Drafting Group editor of the Product Development Group. Distributed simulation systems offer more flexible computational power that can work in larger systems that evolve rapidly. "Using the new standard will reduce the overall effort required to develop complex simulation systems involving multiple architectures," Dr. Petty said. "It will also increase the interoperability, which is the ability to communicate within and be reused in different systems, of individual simulation applications developed according to the standard."