Naval Postgraduate School Foundation

NPSFI creates programs and services that reinforce the Naval Postgraduate School’s (NPS) initiatives. As the world leader in naval and defense-related graduate education and research by preparing the intellectual leaders of tomorrow’s national and international security organizations. The Foundation uses private contributions to promote excellence,  in academic accomplishment and research; to enhance the academic and support facilities of the School; to promote the recruitment, retention and recognition of high-quality faculty; and to undertake other projects as deemed appropriate by the NPS President to enhance the operational effectiveness. 

Research

NPSFI is committed to funding research which saves lives by directly assisting our armed forces. Three examples of research that NPS is engaged with include:

Individual Identify Friend or Foe:  A revolutionary Individual Identify Friend or Foe (IIFF) smart patch is currently being developed by students and Professor Nancy Haegel at NPS. The inexpensive, lightweight, waterproof patch is designed to be worn by ground troops. The IIFF smart patch is just one example of many innovative and effective projects taking place at the Naval Postgraduate School that will directly assist our men and women serving in hostile environments.

Improvised Explosive Device Research: IEDs are the leading cause of death and serious wounds in Iraq. For the most part, the munitions come from the vast amounts of conventional armaments that Saddam stored all over Iraq. Despite extensive efforts to find and neutralize these munitions, many thousands of tons remain. The IEDs are triggered by simple electronic devices (such as garage door openers and phones), direct wires, and pressure plates. The death and destruction that these weapons cause are particularly frustrating for our troops because the enemy that places them is not in plain sight. IEDs have a strategic impact because reports and pictures undermine the support for America’s mission in Iraq. NPS research assists our armed forces in developing new strategies and methods to minimize the effects and impact of IEDs on the battlefield.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Research - The Naval Postgraduate School is one of the leading research centers in the world on UAV’s. The military role of UAV’s is growing at unprecedented rates. In 2005, tactical and theater level unmanned aircraft (UA) alone flew over 100,000 flight hours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Rapid advances in technology are enabling more and more capability to be placed on smaller airframes; are spurring a large increase in the number of (SUAS) Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems being deployed on the battlefield. As the capabilities grow for all types of UAV’s, nations continue to subsidize their research and development leading to further advances to perform a multitude of missions. UAV’s tasks are no longer restricted to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, but have expanded. UAV’s now can  provide electronic attack (EA), strike missions, suppression and/or destruction of enemy air defense ([SEAD]/DEAD), network node or communications relay, combat search and rescue (CSAR), and derivations of these themes. These UAV’s range in cost from a few thousand dollars to tens of millions of dollars, and the aircraft used in these systems range in size from a Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) weighing less than one pound to large aircraft weighing over 40,000 pounds.

Faculty and Student Leadership

NPSFI Awards for exceptional research, teaching and leadership include:

The Pat Tilman Award recognizes students who exhibit academic excellence in National Security Affairs

The Astronauts Michael J. Smith and William McCool Astronautics Award is presented to an outstanding
graduate of the Space Systems and Engineering or Space Systems Operations curriculum

The Gary Kildall Computer Science Award is presented to acknowledge outstanding teaching, student’s academic excellence

or distinguished research in the area of computer science.

The Louis D. Liskin Awards honors students and faculty in the School of International Graduate Studies
and the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy

The Richard W. Hamming Award for Excellence in Teaching is presented to an NPS faculty member for innovative
and inspirational teaching.

The Rear Admiral John Jay Schieffelin Award recognizes excellence in teaching by an NPS faculty member.

The Carl and Jessie Menneken Faculty Award honors a junior NPS faculty member for meritorious research
that has significant identifiable impact on Navy or other Department of Defense technology.

The Richard W. Hamming Award for Interdisciplinary Achievement annually recognizes an NPS faculty member
who has made significant contributions in bringing together different academic disciplines in a single noteworthy project.

NPSFI needs resources to:

·        Encourage NPS classroom modernization and outfit NPS laboratories with the latest technology.

·        Increase assistance for NPS academic programs and conferences in support of NPS faculty and students.

·        Assist in funding the NPS Distinguished Speaker Program.

·        Expand NPS faculty and student recognition events.

·        Provide programs and facilities which enrich the NPS educational, cultural, recreational and spiritual experience for the entire campus.

·        Increase support for alumni relations.