Defense and Security

Taiwan Security Monitor: Research Project Turns into a Vital Communication Platform for a Threatened Part of the World

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:44:27 +0000

Taiwan Security Monitor: Research Project Turns into a Vital Communication Platform for a Threatened Part of the World Andrew J Schappert Mon, 10/27/2025 - 11:44

A recent map created by Schar School students for the Taiwan Security Monitor: The research platform ‘has evolved exponentially in ways I could not have possibly envisioned when I set off down this path,’ said Michael Hunzeker.

Taiwan lacks its own cable repair vessels, meaning damage to underwater cables crucial to the island nation’s international communications and internet connectivity can take six to eight weeks or more to repair. The lack of repair capabilities is a serious resilience risk and a dire national security concern for a county that is in the crosshairs of China.

That unsettling discovery was made by student researchers at the Taiwan Security Monitor (TSM), a student-driven online research initiative housed at the Schar School of Policy and Government at �鶹��Ƶ.

Directed by founder Michael Hunzeker, a Schar School associate professor and associate director of the Center for Security Policy Studies, TSM functions with a staff of 18 undergraduate and graduate students who learn to use sophisticated mapping and analytic tools to produce research highlighting Taiwan’s vulnerabilities and strengths.

Hunzeker said the web platform began in 2021 as “an informal research project to create an open-source intelligence map of the Indo-Pacific.” The first iteration was created with the help of then-Master of International Security student Sophia Lutz and several volunteer undergraduates.

The project “has evolved exponentially in ways I could not have possibly envisioned when I set off down this path," Hunzeker said.

Last year, with the help of the newly recruited researchers—including PhD, masters, and undergraduate students working collaboratively—TSM relaunched with a higher profile and a social media presence boasting some 10,000 followers on X alone.

“We have had at least two tweets with over a million views,” Hunzeker said, an indication that the platform is being recognized—and taken seriously.

“Over the last few years, we’ve grown from a small team with limited scope to something that compares to think tanks in terms of insight and contributions to discourse on Taiwan,” said Schar School senior Noah Reed, a government and international politics major.

Reed, who is TSM’s research director, has been with the project since coming to George �鶹��Ƶ as a freshman. He was intrigued not only by the research but by the tools that the TSM employs.

TSM uses open-source intelligence (OSINT) to generate data, visualizations, maps, thematic case studies, and other resources for scholars and policy communities. Its updates on arms sales and deliveries, military movements, and maritime and air activity provide accessible information that supports public discourse and informs decision-makers charged with protecting the country from adversaries.

“We also provide tailored data and imagery analysis for private sector companies,” Hunzeker added. “Our work and our researchers have been cited by the Wall Street Journal, Taiwan Plus, CNA/Focus Taiwan, Le Monde, Newsweek, and Taiwan News.”

“We’ve attracted some attention,” said TSM research team lead Joe O’Connor. As a freshman, the international security and law senior discovered the opportunity to work with Hunzeker on the then-incipient TSM project through the Schar School’s Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP). URAP places students interested in learning research methods with faculty mentors who share the same interests.

Monitoring destroyers as they move through the Taiwan Strait and tracking arms sales backlogs for four to six hours a week has inspired O’Connor to pursue intelligence as a post-graduate career, perhaps, “in the public service, in the Pentagon, auditing, something in the policy-making field,” he said.

Reed said TSM teaches its researchers a very unique set of skills not found elsewhere at George �鶹��Ƶ.

“Not only do we learn and teach how to bridge the language barrier while doing research,” he said, “but also we get hands-on experience with things like satellite imagery, geolocation, data visualization, and more.

“That helps in pretty much all your research outside of the project but also gives you experience to do anything, from open-source human rights and arms control verification to supply chain risk management.”

Most of the TSM team is made up of volunteers, he said, while other receive a course credit as they acquire research skills.

“We do it because we enjoy the work and think we’re positively contributing to the research environment on Taiwan’s security,” he added.

If any of this sounds interesting, said Reed, “and you have prior experience researching OSINT or Taiwan, you should consider applying to the project for the spring semester.”

Noah Reed: ‘Not only do we learn and teach how to bridge the language barrier while doing research, but also we get hands-on experience with things like satellite imagery, geolocation, data visualization, and more.’

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A one-woman team puts many eyes in the skies

Nathan Kahl — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:37:27 +0000

A one-woman team puts many eyes in the skies Nathan Kahl Wed, 10/01/2025 - 15:37

Fatima Majid, a �鶹��Ƶ senior majoring in cyber security engineering, was not just the only one-person team in the top 10 award winners at a recent National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) cyber competition, she was the only student team. Majid placed ninth out of 51 teams, most of them comprising industry experts.

“I went in, and they were all professional teams, like from Lockheed Martin. I thought, ‘I want to go home,’” said Majid with a laugh, describing her initial cold feet. “But I told myself I could do it. It helped that it was hosted at George �鶹��Ƶ, and I had professors there giving me support.”

Her project focused on how the Department of Defense (DoD) can protect critical U.S. infrastructure against low-cost drone attacks at scale, informed by Ukraine’s “Operation Spiderweb,” which used 117 drones to attack Russian air bases in June 2025.

Majid spent the summer in Richmond during a public policy internship. Photo provided

Majid’s lightbulb moment came with a flash as bright as a Virginia speed camera catching a lead-footed driver. Considering the significant network of traffic cameras in the commonwealth, she conceived SkyEyes. This applies an artificial intelligence (AI) model to the live feed of the Virginia 511 camera network, which provides real-time traffic information to citizens and transportation officials. SkyEyes demonstrated how a low-cost, AI-enabled surveillance layer could differentiate threats from non-threats, employing geofencing logic to define safe versus threat zones around sensitive sites.

“I understand how drones work because of what I’ve done at George �鶹��Ƶ’s MIX lab—and since I know how to build it, I also know how to jam it. I trained the AI model on a data set provided from a contest sponsor, and that data set had drone imaging and drone prototyping,” she said. “The camera feeds can find objects flying, but what if it’s an Amazon drone, for example? Then I added geofencing and threat analysis to observe the behavior of the drone—if it's a drone at 2 a.m., for example, maybe that's sketchy. So, the model gets smarter.”

Majid said that to access the cameras, all she had to do was make a phone call to the right person and explain her project. She cited time spent this summer at the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine in the Undergraduate Policy Program (VASEM UPP) in Richmond as giving her confidence and exposure to how government works.

K. L. Akerlof, an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at George �鶹��Ƶ, said, “The VASEM UPP is a unique opportunity for undergraduates to learn about opportunities in science policy at the state level. The immersive experience of spending a week in Richmond visiting the General Assembly and state agencies, while getting a crash course in how research evidence relates to public policy, can open new doors and career pathways.”

Majid said the strong showing gave her tremendous exposure to influential professional contacts. She fielded several questions about her simulation and future professional plans from a man she only later realized was Retired Brigadier General and NDIA Executive Vice President Guy Walsh.

“Because he showed interest, after he walked away, a crowd of people gathered around to ask me questions. It was very validating.”

She also had a long conversation about her project with Harley Stout, acting chief digital and AI officer at the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Majid is still pleasantly shocked by her top-10 finish. She is working with Mohamed Gebril, an associate professor in Cyber Security Engineering, on expanding the research. She is confident that such a cost-efficient solution for critical infrastructure protection against drone attacks will attract more funding opportunities.

She credited the supportive culture at �鶹��Ƶ—and her family—for keeping her grounded and encouraging her throughout, saying their support made the accomplishment even more meaningful.

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George �鶹��Ƶ faculty drive national momentum in defense and security research

Colleen Rich — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:54:55 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ faculty drive national momentum in defense and security research Colleen Rich Fri, 09/26/2025 - 12:54

�鶹��Ƶ faculty are leading groundbreaking work in defense and security research, bringing deep expertise from across the university’s colleges, schools, and specialized centers to address some of the nation’s most pressing security challenges. Faculty leaders in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), College of Science, Antonin Scalia Law School, and the Schar School of Policy and Government—together with researchers in the Center for Secure Information Systems and the C4I and Cyber Center—are advancing capabilities in integrated sensing, advanced communications, cybersecurity, space, and artificial intelligence.

FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty was the keynote on day 2 of the ISAC Strategy Summit. Photo by Jon Fleming Photography

These efforts position George �鶹��Ƶ as a vital partner to the Department of War and the broader national security community with George �鶹��Ƶ faculty are emerging as national leaders in defense and security research. Their work is supported by administrative enhancements in secure computing, facilities, and infrastructure at Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square, creating an ecosystem where innovation thrives.

Supporting and amplifying this faculty-driven innovation is Sarah Campbell, associate vice president of research for defense and security initiatives. Campbell serves as the connector who ensures George �鶹��Ƶ faculty expertise is linked to the right national partners, guiding collaborations and forging relationships with influential organizations such as the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, MITRE, NGA, DARPA, and the Office of the Secretary of War, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD R&E).

“George �鶹��Ƶ has the talent, the technology, and the partnerships to be a driving force in advancing our nation’s defense capabilities,” Campbell said. “By working at the intersection of research, innovation, and application, we are paving the way as pioneers in the academic space by working with the government and industry to build solutions that matter.”

Faculty contributions are already shaping national strategy. Last year, George �鶹��Ƶ secured an inaugural Department of War contract to convene the first-ever academic workshop on Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC), a transformative field that merges advanced sensing technologies with next-generation communications. Led by Campbell, faculty from CEC, the Rapid Prototyping Research Center, and the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative worked alongside government and industry experts to identify national research priorities, producing a report that is featured on the USD R&E website and is informing current federal strategy.

First-ever academic workshop on Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) was held at �鶹��Ƶ Square in August 2025. Photo provided

That momentum carried into 2025, when the university hosted a 300-person ISAC Strategy Summit. Faculty from across disciplines showcased expertise that aligned with the Pentagon’s Future G and Golden Dome initiatives, which aim to integrate sensing, communications, and defense systems into a unified protective architecture.

The event—supported by corporate partners such as Nokia, AT&T, Ericsson, and Lockheed Martin—underscored George �鶹��Ƶ’s ability to convene thought leaders and highlight faculty capabilities. In her keynote, FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty emphasized the importance of access to the full spectrum of wireless frequencies and ISAC in securing U.S. technological leadership.

“There is a serious gap in the ISAC talent pipeline—not only is there no dedicated curriculum or formal field of study, but the knowledge base is scattered across separate disciplines that need to be integrated,” Campbell said. “This creates an opportunity for George �鶹��Ƶ to build an interdisciplinary program that develops the next generation of ISAC experts creating a community for this nascent technology. Our partnership with the War Department and the work that follows highlight the university’s strength across the full spectrum of sensing capabilities.”

As for the future, Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact Andre Marshall emphasized the importance of George �鶹��Ƶ’s commitment to investing in faculty-led research in integrated sensing, advanced communications, artificial intelligence, space, and cybersecurity and positioning faculty as national thought leaders. He noted that by deepening collaborations with federal laboratories, strengthening partnerships with defense contractors, and pursuing major research investments, the university will remain both a pioneer and a leader in advancing critical defense priorities.

“George �鶹��Ƶ’s Defense and Security Program exemplifies the university’s ability to align world-class research with national priorities,” Marshall said. “These initiatives not only expand our impact in defense and security but also elevate the university’s reputation as a premier research institution delivering solutions that matter.”

Marshall said what sets George �鶹��Ƶ apart is its ability to bring interdisciplinary teams together—engineers, data scientists, policy experts, and security specialists—to tackle the complex challenges facing our nation. “As we engage with initiatives like ISAC and the Golden Dome, we are preparing to shape the next generation of defense technologies, while also training the workforce that will carry them forward,” he said. “This is the type of innovation ecosystem that ensures George �鶹��Ƶ remains a trusted partner to the War Department for years to come.”

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Sit! Stay! Buzz?

Jennifer Pocock — Thu, 29 May 2025 14:56:51 +0000

Sit! Stay! Buzz? Jennifer Pocock Thu, 05/29/2025 - 10:56

These �鶹��Ƶ students are short-circuiting voice commands, dog whistles, and clickers.

Covert Dog Comms Team Leader Paul J. Wyche displays their finished prototype at the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) Celebration. Photo by John Boal

If you’ve had a puppy, you probably know the patience it takes to train them in basic commands, and it can be a noisy affair involving begging, pleading, and some yelling. Working dogs like those in police and military K9 units need to learn so much more.

Sometimes, they need to obey without hearing a word.

Rescue situations can be chaotic, with so much going on that a command gets lost in the noise. Sometimes, a team of dogs need to hear many different commands, and competing voices are confusing. Other times, operation teams need to go radio silent and any noise at all will give their positions away.

Enter Team Covert Dog Comms. This pack of cybersecurity seniors at George �鶹��Ƶ, all of whom graduated in May, sniffed out a way to direct dogs without barking commands.

Together, they became the dream team that was the envy of anyone who has ever worked on a bad group project—and proof that great leadership combined with a passionate team yields amazing results.

“Working with this team has been a very positive experience. One key factor that made it successful was the balance of specialized skill sets,” said team leader Paul J. Wyche, who also recently spoke at his College of Engineering and Computing graduation. “While some of our backgrounds overlapped, each team member had a distinct area of expertise, allowing us to overcome any obstacle and collaborate effectively.”

Those members were Maxime Bonnaud, who specialized in the vest’s wireless and cryptographic security; Jonathan Perry, who designed the hardware; and AJ Hoepfner, who set up testing standards and regulations, along with assisting Wyche with project management.

“Mostly, what made this team great was good execution on the fundamentals,” said Bonnaud. “Everyone showed up, communicated well, and looked for areas they could work on instead of having to be assigned work.”

The end result was a securely encrypted working prototype of a vest that can be programmed with three different vibrating pattern commands that a dog can be trained to obey. While they were unable to find a working dog to test on, the team tested the vest on themselves and found it to work as intended.

When asked whether the team planned to patent or commercialize the vest, Wyche said that they wouldn’t rule it out. “We haven’t formally discussed commercializing the project. However, if the opportunity arises and we receive the necessary support, we may explore those possibilities.”

Until then, they achieved their goal of making “a fully operational haptic vest that could be refined for real-world use in special operations.”

And that is something to howl about.

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AI4Defense develops DoD-driven smart solutions

Nathan Kahl — Fri, 23 May 2025 11:20:18 +0000

AI4Defense develops DoD-driven smart solutions Nathan Kahl Fri, 05/23/2025 - 07:20

Kammy Sanghera, executive director of global engagements and tech talent development and a professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology at �鶹��Ƶ, received a grant from the Griffiss Institute to lead the AI4Defense program—an innovative incubator that empowers high school and early undergraduate students to explore artificial intelligence (AI) applications in national defense.

Funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the grant supports AI4Defense, a month-long, hands-on experience designed to immerse students in real-world problem-solving. Participants collaborate with mission partners—including the Department of Defense (DoD) and agencies such as the Space Force and the Defense Digital Service—to develop AI-driven solutions to national security challenges.

The Griffiss Institute, a leading STEM accelerator for the DoD and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), help expand the program's reach and impact. “A very important element happened last year,” said Sanghera. “DIU joined forces with the same mindset—build the talent pipeline, engage mission partners to solve real-world problems, and use AI to create efficient and secure solutions. These three elements were perfect for the design of the program.”'

Students at the 2024 AI4Defense event. Photo provided.

With support from academic and industry mentors, the program has grown into a public–private partnership that Sanghera and her team aim to scale further this summer. Students not only gain technical and communication skills but also engage in customer discovery—working directly with mission partners to define problems and tailor AI solutions accordingly.

In 2024, one student team developed a proof-of-concept AI agent for the U.S. Air Force to automate the creation of Self-Assessment Checklists (SACs). Traditionally a manual and time-intensive process due to regulatory complexity and frequent updates, the AI solution was able to extract key phrases from regulations and generate relevant questions, significantly improving the speed, accuracy, and consistency of SAC creation.

Sanghera emphasized the program’s multilevel impact: George �鶹��Ƶ undergraduate and graduate students served as mentors to high school participants, gaining leadership experience and exposure to the defense innovation ecosystem.

“Many of our graduate students are international students, so it was also a valuable opportunity to work alongside early undergraduate students and with unclassified data and explore career pathways in the defense sector,” Sanghera said.

The Defense Department strategy for AI adoption. Photo credit Department of Defense.

The program was promoted across Fairfax County, Arlington County, and Loudoun County public schools and culminated in a final symposium. Students pitched their AI solutions to a panel of judges, received feedback, and were recognized with awards. Several teams chose to continue collaborating with their mission partners beyond the summer program.

This year's program began in June, and Sanghera is enthusiastic about the possibilities. “We’re excited to see what creative, impactful solutions students bring forward.”

Associate Professor Mihai Boicu—Co-PI with Sanghera on the AI4Defense initiative—lead efforts to guide students in presenting their work through a continuing research lens. He also oversees the development of peer-reviewed publications based on students’ projects, which will be cataloged as part of the program’s scholarly output and shared broadly to promote AI learning and innovation in future cohorts.

Sanghera and Boicu will continue collaborating with Caitlin Bowers, a Defense Innovation Faculty Fellow at George �鶹��Ƶ. Together, Sanghera’s strategic vision, Boicu’s research expertise, and Bowers’ experience in defense innovation projects form a strong team that will provide students with the opportunity to gain practical skills and apply them to real-world challenges relevant to the defense sector.

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Chemistry PhD receives U.S. Department of Defense SMART Scholarship

Katarina Benson — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:23:09 +0000

Chemistry PhD receives U.S. Department of Defense SMART Scholarship Katarina Benson Mon, 04/14/2025 - 12:23

A'Laura C. Hines, a physical chemistry PhD candidate at �鶹��Ƶ, has been awarded the prestigious U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) SMART Scholarship. The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program provides full tuition, an annual stipend, and a summer internship at a DoD facility.

The program emphasizes hands-on learning and mentorship to prepare scholars for careers in defense technologies after graduation, supporting them with financial resources while they study and gain practical experience.

"It is incredibly humbling to be recognized for my hard work," said Hines, reflecting on the honor. “The offer for full funding allows me to focus on accelerating my research progress.”

For Hines, the comprehensive support offered by the DoD SMART Scholarship was a major draw. In addition to funding her graduate degree, the scholarship guarantees a government civil servant job upon graduation, providing both job security and an exciting career path in the defense sector.

Hines's journey in science began at George �鶹��Ƶ, where she earned her BA in chemistry in 2013. As an undergraduate, Hines spent time researching synthesized cooking oils as an alternative to diesel fuel using mass spectroscopy. She also studied the mechanism of methanol ice formation using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to simulate ice formation in interstellar environments.

Hines in the lab. Photo provided

Currently, as a PhD candidate, Hines is actively involved in George �鶹��Ƶ’s Clayborne Research Group where her graduate research initially focused on nanoscale aluminum clusters using density functional theory (DFT). Inspired by her participation in NASA’s Dragonfly Guest Investigator Program, her current work explores computational studies of molecular co-crystals in astrophysics and astrochemistry.

The Dragonfly Guest Investigator Program facilitated Hines's collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she participated in a Planetary Science Summer Internship. This program pairs students with NASA scientists to bolster early career opportunities in STEM fields. During her internship, Hines investigated the behavior of complex mixtures of organic and aqueous ices pertinent to Titan's conditions, directly contributing to NASA's exploration objectives.

"The program has been transformative, providing me with hands-on experience and expanding my scientific horizons," said Hines.

Hines said that her George �鶹��Ƶ mentors, including Gerald Weatherspoon, College of Science’s associate dean for undergraduate and graduate student affairs, have been a source of encouragement and inspiration. Her research advisor, acting associate dean of faculty affairs in the college and chemistry professor Andre Clayborne, introduced her to computational chemistry and has been instrumental in helping her understand and explore new areas of research.

Hines offers this advice to aspiring STEM students: "Believe in yourself and follow your dreams. Build connections and seek research opportunities early." She encourages all eligible students to consider applying for the DoD SMART Scholarship.

Looking ahead, she envisions a career as a research scientist, leveraging her experience to continue making discoveries and collaborating with top scientists in her field.

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"Courage—Be Unafraid of the Impossible": Stu Shea Inspires Honors College Students

rstaffo2 — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 21:11:51 +0000

"Courage—Be Unafraid of the Impossible": Stu Shea Inspires Honors College Students rstaffo2 Mon, 02/03/2025 - 16:11

As the inaugural Honors College Executive-in-Residence, national security leader Stu Shea inspires inspires �鶹��Ƶ students to imagine the future.

Executive-in-Residence Stu Shea (center) meets with Honors College students. Photo provided

“In the Honors College, we imagine the future,” began Zofia Burr, dean of the Honors College, opening the first event of the Honors College Executive-in-Residence series.

Stu Shea, who retired from his role as president and CEO of Peraton in August 2024, serves as the Honors College’s inaugural Executive-in-Residence, inspiring Honors College students to ask: how might we imagine the future of national security?

Shea, who was George �鶹��Ƶ's 2022 Spring Commencement speaker, began working with motivated Honors College students last fall. This month, Shea returned to campus, calling on students to imagine their own futures and aspirations, challenging them to go beyond what already seems possible and to orient themselves towards transformational career paths in national security.

Shea described his own journey into national security leadership in ways that inspired aspirational thinking, courage, and embracing the unknown.

“If you want to become a leader, follow the leaders.” —Stu Shea

From his early education studying geology through his early career in cutting edge cartography and computer-assisted intelligence, Shea was constantly building his skillset and the breadth of his knowledge: “Every time I did something, it piqued my interest in something else—and I did it,” said Shea, underscoring the importance to cultivating a lifelong “desire to learn.”

Honors College junior Avery Shippen, a conflict analysis and resolution major in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, observed: “Many of the opportunities he became involved in resulted from following a path based on his interests, rather than what was expected of him.”

Eventually, he explained, this habit of taking on the greatest challenges available enabled him to rise to the highest levels of the national security field. He shared stories drawn from his leadership at many of the national security companies and institutions that students aim to join, from Peraton to Leidos, SAIC, Northrop Grumman, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

“I work really, really hard to understand what the problem is, to understand what’s available, and to not be afraid that the problem is not solvable. […] What I’d like to do in this dialogue is to tease out the things that challenge you most.”

—Stu Shea

Students shared with Shea the challenges they face pursuing their dreams, leading to a far-reaching conversation that touched on a range of important national security subjects, including contemporary cybersecurity in the era of AI, the balance between ubiquitous surveillance and civil liberties, the role of the United States and China in Africa, and the intersections between public diplomacy and education.

Shippen said that sharing aspirations and challenges was particularly valuable because Shea “constantly questioned why we felt the way we did,” encouraging participants to approach challenges and opportunities with an “open mindset.” One of Shea's key insights was that students should embrace their challenges—and even their failures.

"Failure is just a dry run for future success" —Stu Shea

Berk Kasimcan, an Honors College graduate in the accelerated MS in bioengineering, said students are especially receptive to programs like this because they are “eager to learn how to take the first steps toward making a meaningful impact.” He added that signature Honors College experiences like the Executive-in-Residence program help students become “more innovative and adaptable leaders.”

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Wargame Prepares Students for the Next International Security Crisis

Andrew J Schappert — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 20:07:18 +0000

Wargame Prepares Students for the Next International Security Crisis Andrew J Schappert Mon, 02/03/2025 - 15:07

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Ellen Laipson

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“When we decided to close the Suez Canal, everyone else in the room had to change their plans, especially the United States.”

George �鶹��Ƶ alum Jerad Harper (far left), an associate professor at the U.S. Army War College, leads students in the Middle East crisis simulation. Photo provided

So commented one Schar School of Policy and Government student who represented Egypt during a Middle East crisis simulation hosted by �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Security Policy Studies (CSPS).

One year after the beginning of fighting in Gaza, CSPS trained students to anticipate the next crisis and how countries might respond. This simulation, which took the form of a daylong matrix board game, was part of an annual series held by the Schar School, including a defense and security research forum and a Gettysburg battlefield tour.

“We offer these ‘out of the classroom’ opportunities,” said Ellen Laipson, director of CSPS and the school’s Master of International Security program, "because they help students move from conceptual thinking and scholarly writing to actually imagining what it would be like to operate in a crisis decision-making environment.”

Ellen Laipson, director of the Schar School’s Center for Security Policy Studies

Reflecting on her extensive career, which includes time as vice chair of the National Intelligence Council and on the staff of the National Security Council, Laipson believes that these simulations can help participants better understand what careers suit them.

“Some people are more suited to being the analyst, with deep knowledge of different world regions, or of specific political and military issues,” she said. “Others enjoy the ‘gaming’ of weighing different policy options; those who think more in terms of ‘now what do we do?’”

George �鶹��Ƶ alumni Lee Roberts, PhD Political Science ‘22, an adjunct professor and U.S. Army strategic intelligence officer, and Jerad Harper, PhD Political Science ‘20, an associate professor at the U.S. Army War College, led the simulation in which three years had passed since the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon ended in a ceasefire. They painted a picture in which the new leadership of Fatah and Hamas had formed a united front against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and were demanding a full withdrawal to the 1967 “Green Line.” Students were then divided into eight teams representing the United States, the European Union, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, and given packets describing their countries’ respective goals and interests.

Meredith Hutchens, CSPS fellow and international security master’s student, helped facilitate the simulation.

"Designing and facilitating exercises like this gives us an opportunity to merge our experience as practitioners with the curriculum," said Roberts. "Seminar discussion is great, but it can't really recreate the pressure of prioritizing limited resources, options, and time against multiple urgent challenges. We compress that sensation as best we can into the game and the students report that it makes the concepts much more tangible to them."

During the simulation, each team took turns during which they could take any action incorporating one of the “instruments of national power” identified by the Defense Department’s DIME framework (i.e., diplomatic, informational, military, or economic). They then had to defend the viability of their preferred action. Every other team was given the option of either arguing in favor of or against that action's chances of success. The adjudicator—Roberts or Harper—then used dice to determine whether that team was successful. The relative strength of the arguments for and against the proposed action determined the threshold that the dice roll must reach for the action to be successful.

“It's really great to see how quickly people get into their roles,” said Meredith Hutchens, a CSPS fellow and international security master’s student. “Most people are not timid about stepping into the role, regardless of which country they’ve been assigned.”

As a CSPS fellow, Hutchens volunteered to help facilitate the simulation and was able to observe how her peers navigated the scenario. She was especially intrigued by the negotiations that took place as groups of teams sought to coordinate their actions to achieve common goals and outmaneuver other groups.

“Your decision and your actions can have a lot of consequences, and if you choose to leave someone out of your action plan, that really impacts the game,” she said.

The Schar School’s security studies graduate programs are ranked No. 4 by U.S. News & World Report and include degrees in biodefense and international security as well as a national security track in the master of public policy program and an emergency management and homeland security concentration in the master of public administration program.

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Driving Innovation: DELTA-FORCE steers army vehicles into the digital future

Nathan Kahl — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:58:03 +0000

Driving Innovation: DELTA-FORCE steers army vehicles into the digital future Nathan Kahl Wed, 01/29/2025 - 13:58

The U.S. Army relies on numerous ground vehicles for successful operations, requiring vehicles that can navigate a variety of terrains and allow soldiers to be effective and safe. This creates a challenging set of requirements for new vehicle design, engineering, and operations that must be cost-effective.

Ali Raz. Photo by Creative Services

�鶹��Ƶ is now an important contributor for researching novel approaches and development of new vehicles, thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences under Digital Enterprise Technology for Maintenance and Sustainment Improvements—Phase II effort, sponsored through the Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center.

The George �鶹��Ƶ project, called DELTA-FORCE (Digital Environments for Life-Cycle Test and Evaluation For Off-Road Combat VEhicles), is a joint effort between the College of Engineering and Computing’s (CEC) Center for Excellence in Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Cyber, and Intelligence and the College of Science’s Center for Collision Safety and Analysis. Ali Raz of the Systems Engineering and Operations Research (SEOR) Department is the principal investigator (PI) and Steve Kan, a professor in �鶹��Ƶ Science, is the co-PI.

This project aims to develop a comprehensive digital engineering methodology for new vehicle concepts. “It's a very unique opportunity for George �鶹��Ƶ in that we're going to be building a complete digital environment for life cycle testing and analysis," Raz said. "Life cycle elements have their own domain-specific models, and analysis tools that are not linked. We are building a digital environment to connect them.”

Steve Kan. Photo by Creative Services

The different phases of the vehicle life cycle, from conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design, manufacturing, and maintenance, each have their own models and analysis tools that do not “talk” to one another. A key aspect of this project is creating an ontology and model-based systems engineering (MBSE) foundation that will connect the different domain-models, providing a common language for integrating the models and building interfaces in a digital environment.

“In order to produce new advanced complex systems, we need to transition into digital environments; the Department of Defense has been laying the groundwork for that for five years or so,” said Raz. “So essentially we will build a digital twin for modeling the off-road vehicle and environments, that is connected to a physical twin via reverse engineering.”

Kan said that “This project will enable us to work in the digital engineering field in a holistic way by integrating different system-level requirements, design, and performance, to the physics level of materials and geometry using reverse engineering technologies. In this project, we build upon our expertise in automotive and aerospace safety engineering and collaborate with colleagues in both CEC and �鶹��Ƶ Science at George �鶹��Ƶ to develop this digital engineering platform.”

Raz added that DELTA-FORCE will provide an opportunity through new undergraduate courses for George �鶹��Ƶ students to get hands-on experience in building digital twins and conducting analysis.

Although this effort is sponsored by the Department of Defense, its content does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the government; no official endorsement should be inferred..

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Advancing sensor tech for foggy situations

Nathan Kahl — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 13:15:50 +0000

Advancing sensor tech for foggy situations Nathan Kahl Mon, 01/13/2025 - 08:15

Devices that rely on sensors to accurately navigate and perceive the world around them are more and more commonplace, from drones to autonomous vehicles to ground robots on rescue missions. Parth Pathak, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at �鶹��Ƶ, is working to ensure the sensors have 20/20 vision.

From left, Rezoan Ahmed Nazib, Parth Pathak, and Ahmad Kamari with a rescue robot that can "see" through smoke and fog. Photo provided

Pathak received $660K in funding from the Army Research Office (ARO) for this work, some of which is done in collaboration with colleagues at the University of California, Davis, where he did his post-doc.

“Conventional sensors rely on cameras or LiDAR (light detection and ranging) to pursue objects around them, but they don't work very well when there's smoke, fog, or generally a visually degraded environment,” said Pathak. “But the mmwave wireless radar sensors that we are working on don't get affected by that. If there is dirt on the sensor, well, that's okay. They can see through things and see around things."

Imagine a rescue robot going into a building filled with smoke, trying to navigate with little to no visibility, Pathak said. "These wireless sensors can enable them to perceive the environment and even self-localize without cameras, LiDARs, or other positioning systems.”

Another positive aspect of the devices is that while they can sense…they don’t sense too much, which is important for privacy concerns. The disadvantage, of course, is that when a sensor depicts an object such as a car, the resolution is not particularly good, and the images are “noisy.” Pathak is not just improving navigation and perception, but using multiple robots, for example, cooperatively. In a rescue mission, a swarm of robots can share their data, allowing them to collectively “see” a better picture.

Photo provided

“They can self-localize based on what they see, like how our brains work. But the robots only have wireless sensors to rely on, so part of the work is developing very good signatures of what they see from these very low resolution and noisy images,” said Pathak. “We can build 3D models of a room by scanning it through the wireless sensors and using machine learning to capture and recreate every minute detail. This is something that these sensors were never designed for. We are developing custom-tailored deep learning models of wireless sensing, essentially pushing the limits of what they can perceive using wireless signals.”

In addition to the research, ARO’s funding also supports testbed-to-prototype development and solution evaluation.

Pathak and colleagues published this research at the Association for Computing Machinery’s ACM Mobicom conference and have submitted it to other conferences for potential publication. Two PhD students from his team, Ahmed Kamari and Rezoan Ahmed Nazib, are working actively on the project, along with three high school students who participated in prototyping over the summer as part of George �鶹��Ƶ's Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program.

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