More than 100 Naval Postgraduate School students and faculty and Department of Navy partners participated in a virtual Artificial Intelligence executive briefing hosted by Dell Technologies and the NPS Foundation on April 29.
Dan Carroll, Dell Field CTO & Solutions Manager, opened the event with an overview of the AI landscape, highlighting commercial, government and national security application, and the capabilities that Dell and NVIDIA are providing. Retired Vice Admiral Ann E. Rondeau, NPS President, and Todd Lyons, NPS Foundation Executive Vice President, spoke to vital role of the Naval Postgraduate School in driving AI adoption across the DOD and the new capabilities coming to NPS that will enable faculty and students to collaborate with industry partners in an outsized way.
Following the opening remarks, participants learned more about leveraging the Dell AI Factory and then broke out into three groups led by Dell and NVIDIA technologists focused on Modeling & Simulation and Omniverse, Automation, and 5G.
The event closed with a fireside chat featuring Carroll and Ryan Simpson, NVIDIA Engineering Chief Technologist. The conversation focused on responsible deployment of AI, highlighting the need for trust and transparency. They pointed to tools like NVIDIA cuOpt and Omniverse as ways to connect simulation with operational impact and emphasized the role of strong partnerships in getting it right.
NPS Energy Academic Group, International Fellow Add Expertise to Black Sea Maritime Forum
Experts from the Naval Postgraduate School contributed their insights and leadership to the Black Sea Maritime Forum hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR/NAVAF), engaging directly with senior defense leaders on regional security, energy resilience and allied interoperability.
• International Fellow Retired Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Adm. Ryo Sakai shared strategic insights from Japan’s defense modernization and maritime strategy connecting them to Black Sea security challenges.
• Dr. Brenda Shaffer and Lt. Col. Lawrence Walzer briefed on adversary energy disruption tactics, infrastructure resilience, and the national security risks of unreliable energy systems.
• U.S. Navy Adm. Stuart Munsch visited NPS following the forum to discuss research aligned with regional capability needs and coalition operations.
By contributing to high-level strategy discussions, NPS is ensuring its research and education stay tightly connected to the challenges U.S. and allied forces are facing right now. Read more.
NPS student delivers decision-support tool for maneuver commanders
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Ryan Helm came to NPS with a goal to build the decision-support tool he wished he had in the field. With support from NPS faculty, the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific Fellowship, and the Operations Research curriculum, Helm turned that idea into a deployable capability through his thesis work.
• Helm developed ARES (Augmented Reconnaissance and Estimate of the Situation), a tool that compresses hours of manual combat planning into seconds.
• ARES integrates with TAK-based systems to use their date to create a mission brief that helps leaders make decisions.
• The tool is available and in use, with further development supported by the Office of Naval Research and Marine Innovation Unit to expand its capabilities.
ARES is saving time, reducing the chance for human error, and helping Marines respond faster and more effectively in high-pressure environments.
Acquisition Research Symposium and Innovation Summit Addresses Rapid Tech Integration for the Warfighter
The 22nd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium and Innovation Summit, hosted by the Acquisition Research Program at the Naval Postgraduate School, gathered key leaders from the Department of Defense, industry, and academia, May 7-8.
This year, the focus of the symposium and summit addressed the pressing challenge of accelerating the transition of technology to the warfighter. Each session over the two days emphasized the need for a more agile, innovative, and responsive defense acquisition process that meets the fast-paced demands of modern warfare.
The NPS mission, which is rooted in education and research, supports the broader goal of acquisition reform by preparing the next generation of leaders to effectively transition technologies from research and development into real-world capabilities for the warfighter. A critical component of these efforts lies in workforce development and the reduction of bureaucratic inertia. Read more.
DIU’s Doug Beck discusses how to move solutions to the warfighter faster
On day two of the Acquisition Research Symposium & Innovation Summit, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)'s Doug Beck joined Naval Postgraduate School President Ann Rondeau for a fireside chat on the next stage of DIU’s development. Beck shared how DIU has built bridges to industry and proven the efficacy of Commercial Solutions Openings (CSO) ability to move quickly from proposal to prototype. Now, DIU has shifted focus to leveraging the services as engines for scaling technology.
During the chat, Beck and Rondeau agreed on two areas for future efforts that build on the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding between NPS and DIU: using NPS as a testbed for new capabilities that DIU is helping prototype, and building a workforce that is “fluent” in the languages of technology, warfighter and acquisition. Watch here.
Emerging Tech Companies advance capabilities at Joint Interagency Field Experimentation
“What’s really great about the NPS JIFX event is it being austere by design. It lets us get out here in the dirt, it lets us collaborate with other experimenters … and those kinds of partnerships with the ability to do those kinds of tests on a range like this, in an austere expeditionary environment, is really invaluable for a startup like us,” said Adam Warmoth, founder and CEO, Chariot Defense
Watch the video from DCI Next here
Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education supports tech transition for the warfighter
Spencer Koroly, an engineer at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, has successfully executed a transition of his technology to a commercial partner, Chicago Additive. This affords acquisition professionals from all Services an expeditionary 3D Printer to accelerate the adoption of advanced manufacturing for the joint force. The Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education (CAMRE) at NPS incorporated Spencer and his AMOS printers early in its development into numerous joint exercises, speeding up his innovation cycle through rapid, real-time feedback and delivering warfighters direct access to a high-performance polymer additive manufacturing capability for the most challenging environments.
Ann Rondeau: Leading with Honor, Courage and Commitment
Local publication “Carmel Living” conducted an interview with NPS President retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau for their May 2025 issue, discussing her many years of naval and public service, thoughts on leadership, and giving back to the community.
“NPS is not only a special place, it has an essential mission and I am honored to have the privilege to lead the institution along with the deeply committed faculty and staff who are dedicated to the mission of educating our leaders and solving real world problems. I am very grateful to the entire community for their support of NPS and our students.”
Evolving Undersea Warfare Education to Meet Fleet Needs
Rear Adm. Mark Behning, Director of Undersea Warfare (OPNAV N97), visited the Naval Postgraduate School on April 17–18 to conduct a comprehensive review of its Undersea Warfare (USW) program. The visit included student briefings on classified research, curriculum evaluations, and discussions on future directions such as distance learning and industry collaboration. Dr. Doug Horner, Chair of the USW Academic Group, emphasized the importance of aligning the program with evolving Navy requirements to maintain its relevance and effectiveness. Read more.
NPS Earns Regional Recognition for Innovators and Influencers
The Naval Postgraduate School was honored with the Higher Education Award by the Monterey County Business Council at its 2025 Annual Gala and Economic Development Awards on April 25. This recognition highlights NPS' cutting-edge research, commitment to academic excellence, significant contributions to national security and profound impact on the Monterey County community.
Strengthening Global Ties: International Day at NPS
The Naval Postgraduate School’s 180 international officers representing 40 allied nations shared a meaningful exchange of culture, tradition – and great food – with their fellow NPS students, faculty, staff and families, during its annual International Day celebration. With nearly 2,000 attendees, the event reinforced NPS’ role in advancing global security and cooperation through shared experiences and partnership.
The Navy Must Lead the Small and Medium USV Era
By Lt. Cmdr. Jordan Spector, MS in Engineering Acoustics ‘21
Modernization as Readiness in the U.S. Marine Corps
By Lt. Col. Scott Humr, MS in Information Sciences '13 & PhD of Philosophy in Information Sciences '23, Deputy for the Intelligent Robotics and Autonomous Systems Office
GUEST BLOG: Changes in naval warfare -- AI and unmanned systems at WEST 2025
By Rear Adm. Doug Small, USN (Ret.), PhD in Physics '97
Special Operations Forces Need Less-than-Lethal Options for Competition
By Gunnery Sgt. Jacob Hopper, MS in Defense Analysis ‘24
Strategic Implications of North Korea’s Expanding Naval Ambitions
By Jihoon Yu, MA in National Security Affairs ‘06
Livestream: Diving Into Digital Transformation with Kevin L. Jackson
By Kevin L. Jackson, MS in Computer Engineering ‘94
Critical Followership: Thinking, Failing, and Leading
By Dr. Siamak Tundra Naficy, Senior Lecturer, NPS Department of Defense Analysis
The Connected Officer: LAPD Integrates Mobile Tech to Help Meet the Demands of Modern Policing
By Jonathon Lewin, MA in Security Studies ‘12
CSIS Congressional Panel Calls for Changes in Defense Acquisition
Quoted – Sen. Mark Kelly, MS in Aeronautical Engineering ‘94
Episode 14: Storm Proofing. Preparing Armies for a Future War [Podcast]
Featuring Leo Blanken, PhD, Associate Professor, Defense Analysis
Obstacles to Integrating Deterrence
By Jeffrey A.Larsen, Research Professor, National Security Affairs, and James J.Wirtz, Professor, National Security Affairs
Fire Service Veteran Adapts Military Tech to Boost Border Rescues in YumaFeaturing Alvin Luedtke, MA in Security Studies ‘22
Trump, Iran, and the Power of Seeing Things as They Are
By Siamak Naficy, Senior Lecturer, Defense Analysis
Caplan's Experience of Mainstream Economists and My Students' Surprise
By David Henderson, Emeritus Professor, Economics, NPS
Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center Holds Change of Command
Capt. Dan Hemminger, MS in Mechanical Engineering ‘05
Fields Assumes Command of Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath
Capt. Joshua Fields, MS in Mechanical Engineering ‘02
655th ISRW welcomes new commander during change of command ceremony
Col. Jennifer Mulder, MA in National Security Affairs ‘04
Panama City contracting officer impacts littoral, mine systems warfighting readiness
Anna Belle Tiller, NSWC PCD Littoral and Mine Systems Contracts Division contracting officer, MS in Contract Management ‘23
Jatmiko selected as the Head of the Wargaming Center at Indonesion Naval Command and Staff College
Cmdr. Bagus Jatmiko, MS in Strategic Studies and Irregular Warfare ‘14 and PhD in Information Sciences ‘24
Tony Encinias to Lead Peraton’s Citizen Security and Public Services Sector
Tony Encinias, MS in Information Technology ‘95
Aretum Names Tino Pania, John Lauer as New Business Development Directors
John Lauer, MS in Management ‘91
Tenet Appoints Cecil Haney to its Board of Directors
Adm. Cecil Haney (Ret.), MS in Engineering Acoustics and MS in Systems Technology ‘87
VisionSafe Welcomes Aviation Veterans Jim Zanino and Kristen Richmond to Leadership Team
Jim Zanino, MS in Aeronautical Engineering ‘95
Duck Creek Technologies Appoints General Daniel Hokanson, USA, Ret. to Board of Directors
Gen. Daniel Hokanson (Ret.), MA in International Security and Civil-Military Relations ‘00
Velo3D Announces Changes to Its Board of Directors
Rear Adm. Jason Lloyd, (Ret.), MS in Mechanical Engineering ‘98
Aaron Levy Joins International Code Council as VP of Government Relations
Aaron Levy, CHDS Executive Leaders Program ‘19
GOP funding boost targets Golden Dome, high-tech fighters and ships
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang warns China is ‘not behind’ in AI
Head Navy officer lists top tasks for service, eyes 2027
Hegseth orders ‘comprehensive transformation’ of US Army, merging offices and cutting weapons
New Pentagon program to speed up software acquisition set to launch May 1
DIU barrels ahead with tri-regional expansion plans
‘Make American Ships Again:’ On Heels of Shipbuilding EO, Lawmakers Re-Introduce SHIPS Act
