Penn State's National Security Institute marked its official launch with an Aug. 28 event that brought University and institute leadership together with representatives from government and industry. Karen Thole, Evan Pugh Professor and the inaugural director of the National Security Institute, outlined the institute's vision and key areas of focus moving into the first semester of full-capacity research operation.
The National Security Institute is the ninth and newest addition to Penn State's ecosystem of interdisciplinary research institutes. This ecosystem provides experts with the resources to pursue solutions for some of the nation's most pressing needs and challenges. The institute will complement the work of the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State, a program established in 1945 at the request of the U.S. Navy. ARL is a Department of Defense-designated University Affiliated Research Center that supports all the U.S. Armed Forces and other government agencies.
"National security has been and will continue to be a priority and a key area for investment and growth for Penn State, because this work is not just our legacy, it is also our future," said University President Neeli Bendapudi. "Our commitment to national defense is woven into our DNA, and the National Security Institute is an expansion of that legacy. By partnering from the beginning of the research and innovation process, the National Security Institute will serve as a convening place to bring together the perspectives, capabilities and resources needed to shorten the distance between an important idea and a capability that is mission ready."
Allison Beese, professor of materials science and engineering, of mechanical engineering and senior associate director of the National Security Institute, reinforced that the Institute's primary mission will be to transition laboratory research into national security solutions. The National Security Institute will support scientists and engineers spearheading work spanning a breadth of security-related topics, including but not limited to space resiliency, cybersecurity, electromagnetics and quantum, biotechnology, robotics, autonomy, aeronautics and advanced manufacturing.
Rep. Glenn Thompson, a Penn State alumnus who represents Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District, emphasized Penn State's long-standing commitment to national security innovation. In support of the launch, Thompson shared remarks which were included in the official Congressional Record.
"For decades, Penn State has remained focused on addressing the challenges facing our country's security," Thompson said. "The launch of the National Security Institute is proof that the university is a trusted adviser for keeping the United States safe and secure. This Institute doesn't just impact Penn State - it reaches people across the state, the country and the military personnel that rely on these technologies."
Scott F. Kaslusky, vice president of Aerospace Technology at RTX, was joined by Andrew Read, senior vice president for research, for a discussion about the role that collaborations play in supporting both the research and workforce development needs not just of industry, but of the wider U.S. security apparatus.
"As industry partners, we can bring deep insight into the hard, important problems that federal partners are looking to invest in, in the interest of improving national security," Kaslusky said. "Universities provide infrastructure and an environment where these problems can be approached uniquely - Penn State's willingness and investment toward bringing people across disciplines to work together is extremely powerful and one of the key factors of success in our previous partnerships."
Read emphasized that interdisciplinary collaboration is critical to addressing complex problems at the pace and scale needed to support national security.
"With the National Security Institute, we are going to power research that would not happen with single professors working in their own departments in their own disciplines," Read said. "No single agency, university, or company can solve the challenges of national security going forward, so we plan to leverage the intellectual and infrastructure capacity of the entirety of Penn State to convene in various critical and unique research areas."
Several other industry and government representatives attended the event, including Jason Cornelius of Perseus Defense, Venke Sankaran of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Mike Baylor of Lockheed Martin Corporation, who participated in a panel session discussing how the formulation of the National Security Institute will help to further support the critical needs of their organizations and the country at large.
In addition to industry, representatives from various federal organizations were in attendance, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Department of Energy (DOE); U.S. Air Force; U.S. Army; Office of Naval Research; among other security partners. Gary Brito, a retired U.S. Army general, who will serve as the inaugural chair of the Strategic Advisory Council for the National Security Institute, shared perspective on the criticality of the research partnerships supported through the new institute.
"I have the privilege of looking at the challenges we face through the military lens of several decades, and I see a changed world and a changing world," Brito said. "With this institute, we have an opportunity to utilize the intellectual capacity at Penn State to contribute to national security initiatives that support both civilians and those in uniform."
The event ended with a luncheon featuring speaker Robert Kehler, a retired U.S. Air Force general and commander at U.S. Strategic Command. According to Thole, connecting with partners to accelerate and develop projects that support the needs of federal and industry partners will be the key focus of the institute.
"The United States has extraordinary scientific and technological capabilities," Thole said. "Our challenge is not whether we can discover something, but whether we can go from discovery to development, from development to demonstration, from demonstration to deployment at the speed national security demands - that is where I believe Penn State, through the National Security Institute, has an opportunity to make a real difference in many different critical research areas."
