Supporting research, collaborative programming and education across disciplines to address the most pressing challenges to national security.
The Vanderbilt Institute of National Security is an academic proving ground for future national security leaders and a hub for innovation and pragmatic solutions鈥攁dvancing national security and making the nation safer today. We offer the national security community access to top student talent and fresh thinking from a university rooted in open debate, radical collaboration, and real-world impact. The Institute also provides a trusted space to convene leaders, experts, and students for conversations about the pressing challenges facing our nation and the world.
The Vanderbilt Institute of National Security is led by , former Director of the National Security Agency and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, and , Vanderbilt鈥檚 Daniel F. Flowers Professor of Engineering and a national expert in systems resilience.
Together, they bring unparalleled experience in defense, cyber, and engineering to guide students through service-driven, real-world training for careers in national security. Learn more about the full leadership and advisory council shaping the Institute鈥檚 future.
Undergraduate teams nationwide are invited to rethink how military personnel, drones and autonomous systems can work together to accomplish complex missions. The challenge officially launches at our inaugural Convening in the Capital: Autonomy at Scale on November 18, 2026, when the operational scenario will be revealed. Teams will compete for $20,000 in prizes and the opportunity to defend their strategies before national security experts at the 2027 Asness Summit.
We provide a trusted, neutral space outside the Beltway for national security leaders to engage in open, honest debate on the challenges shaping the nation and the world. Grounded in Vanderbilt University's commitment to free expression and academic excellence, our events build durable partnerships across government, industry, and academia. Explore our upcoming events and be part of the conversation.
As part of its Wicked Problems Lab,听the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security has released The GoLaxy Documents鈥攁n archive in Mandarin revealing how a Chinese firm uses artificial intelligence, mass data collection, and bot networks to shape global political narratives.
Featured in The New York Times, this research shows how GoLaxy profiled more than 2,000 American political figures and thought leaders, as well as 117 members of Congress, and supported influence operations in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The security landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace and in unknown directions. To meet these challenges, it is imperative that we approach them in a highly interdisciplinary way.
To achieve our objectives, the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security will focus on four primary initiatives.听