Naval Postgraduate School Foundation & Alumni Association

Join us for Cocktails & Conversations in San Francisco! A Naval Postgraduate School Alumni Reception focused on the "Future of AI in Government, National Security and Mobility" September 10 5 to 8 p.m. Pier 5, Suite 101, San Francisco, CA Register: https://lnkd.in/g-rsyKA The event features a 45-minute panel of #AI and #defense experts: ▪️ Col. (Ret) Randy Pugh, Naval Postgraduate School Vice Provost for Warfare Studies and Director of Naval Warfare Studies Institute at Naval Postgraduate School ▪️ Alex Moore, 8VC Partner, ex-Palantir ▪️ Daniel Buchmueller, Ex-SVP Eng - VAST and Co-Founder Prime Air ▪️ NVIDIA (TBD) ▪️ Moderator: Col. (Ret) Todd Lyons, NPS Foundation Vice President This event is co-sponsored by 8VC and the NPS Foundation & Alumni Association. #NPSAlumni #artificialintelligence #AlumniAssociation #professionaldevelopment #networking

The Naval Postgraduate School Foundation & Alumni Association supported a visit by Naval Postgraduate School leadership to Southern California, August 26-27, to grow its #innovation ecosystem by visiting industry and academic partners. Dr. Jomana Amara led the NPS team in the visit. The NPS Foundation provides support for these engagement opportunities to develop and deepen #partnerships that will accelerate capabilities to the Department of the US Navy and the United States Department of Defense and develop the talent required to meet growing and emerging threats worldwide. The visits help NPS envision and articulate the requirements for #collaboration and tech #experimentation at the Naval Innovation Center at NPS. Engagements included visits to the UCI Beall Applied Innovation @ the Cove, Anduril Industries, Rocket Lab and Relativity Space. Each conversation revealed areas for collaboration, a shared sense of urgency, and a deeply felt sense of mission to make things happen. The visits highlighted that continuing to do things the way they have always been done is neither satisfactory nor satisfying. The drive to innovation is existential both for meeting the challenges we face and attracting talent to the defense innovation ecosystem. #NICatNPS #defenseindustry Todd Lyons Ken Beall | Naval Warfare Studies Institute at Naval Postgraduate School | Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School | Office of the Secretary of the Navy | Office of Naval Research

It is with great sadness that we share this tribute to William (Bill) H. Tyler III, NPS Foundation Trustee, who passed away on August 13, 2024. Bill was an enthusiastic and engaged supporter of the Naval Postgraduate School. More importantly, he was enthusiastic about the students and their families and the contributions they make to our national security. Bill joined the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation Board of Trustees in 2016 and remained active in this role until the last few months. As a former pilot and missile project officer in the U.S. Air Force, Bill understood firsthand the importance of the many initiatives of the NPS Foundation & Alumni Association. He was truly committed to the student officers at NPS and enjoyed the many interactions with them during his time with us. In early 2023, Bill supported the creation of The William H. Tyler Award for Innovation in National Security Studies to recognize innovative work by student officers, working individually or as a team, whose research highlights the importance of innovation, collaboration and adoption of solutions related to national security. Bill made it a point to personally present the Tyler Award each quarter that it was presented and to connect with the recipients. The NPS Foundation, administrator of the award fund, is honored to continue presenting the award for Bill who wished for the Tyler Award to be of indefinite duration. With his wife Susanne by his side, the Tylers also supported many other local causes over their years in Pebble Beach. From their impactful support of the Tyler Heart Institute at Montage Health to the Carmel High School Foundation, Carmel Public Library Foundation, and Carmel Bach Festival, Bill and Susanne shared their time and joy for these important local causes. We will miss Bill’s presence at the NPS Foundation functions he so enjoyed. His smile and warm personality always added to the atmosphere of the events. We are certain that his philanthropic spirit will live on through his family and through the many ways he impacted our Monterey and Pebble Beach communities. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Susanne, their children and grandchildren, and their family and friends.

"Collaboration among allied nations in defense research and solutions is critical for addressing shared threats, optimizing resources, establishing common standards, ensuring technological and operational advancements and #interoperability, and reinforcing alliances that contribute to global security and stability. We can do good things on our own – we can do GREAT things together." In this month's #FacesofNPS interview series, Cmdr. Frode V Mjelde of The Royal Norwegian Navy highlights the Naval Postgraduate School as a critical resource for operationally relevant #navalresearch and education for the US Navy, the United States Department of Defense, and international allies and partners. Mjelde, who earned his MS in Human Systems Integration in 2013, is currently a visiting researcher at NPS tasked to conduct #research and development aimed at enhancing individual and organizational learning with the goal of reducing the likelihood of accidents like the sinking of HNoMS Helge Ingstad in the future. Read his interview to learn more about how his NPS #education shaped his approach to defense challenges, the #collaboration opportunities that are made possible by NPS, and how the warfighting communities, subject matter experts and technologies available at NPS are adding value to his research. https://lnkd.in/evJd99b4 #GlobalSecurity #InternationalCooperation #modeling #simulation #NPSAlumni | Naval Warfare Studies Institute at Naval Postgraduate School | Office of Naval Research | Royal Norwegian Consulate General in San Francisco | NATO

U.S. Army Maj. Scott Rowen discusses new ways to think about blockchain technologies as an enabling capability for Special Operations Forces (SOF) during the Chainalysis Trace DC conference held this past month. Since his graduation from NPS’ Applied Design for Innovation curriculum in 2022, Rowen has established himself as a leading thinker in SOF’s role with digital currency, for counter threat finance efforts as well as other enabling capabilities. “There is and was a general understanding from SOF leaders that it’s important to tackle the financing component of our enemy, but still just a bit unnatural to task SOF tactical guys against it,” Rowen said. “My research and experience diving into blockchain-based cryptocurrency offered another perspective to look at financing so it wasn’t as radical an idea – under the CTF umbrella.” “Rowen was already interested in digital currency and blockchain when he came to NPS,” said Dr. Leo Blanken, an associate professor in the defense analysis department and Rowen’s advisor. Most of the SOF discussion on these technologies focused on counter threat finance (CTF), but Rowen “was looking past this to the next ridgeline, as to how these technologies could enable global SOF efforts,” Blanken said. “Now that he is back in the force, he is being recognized as a real thought leader on a critical emerging tech issue and its implications for special operations forces,” Blanken added. “This is exactly what the Applied Design for Innovation curriculum was created to enable.” Chainalysis, a blockchain analytics company, invited Rowen to speak at its Trace DC event, a public-sector focused program that shares innovative concepts related to cryptocurrency with inter-agency partners and explores ways to modernize financial intelligence tools and payment platforms. • More about Defense Analysis at NPS: https://nps.edu/web/da • Explore NPS’ Applied Design for Innovation curriculum: https://lnkd.in/g9mDHYCn US Navy | United States Marine Corps | USSOCOM | US Army | Chainalysis #NPSalumni #innovation #blockchain #blockchaintechnology

One Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) alumnus relieved another during the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) change of command at its San Diego headquarters, Aug. 9. During the ceremony, 2001 space systems engineering graduate Rear Adm. Seiko Okano relieved Rear Adm. Doug Small, who graduated with a doctorate in physics from NPS in 1996. The ceremony also marked Small’s retirement following nearly 40 years of military service. He was presented with the Distinguished Service Medal for exemplary leadership in delivering the U.S. Navy with leading technology systems that advance the warfighting capability of the Fleet. Vice Adm. John Wade, Third Fleet commander and an NPS graduate through the information systems technology program, presided over the ceremony. • Read more about the change of command: https://lnkd.in/gCRbBTzg US Navy | United States Marine Corps | NAVWAR | Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet #NPSalumni #USNavy #leadership

See you in #Annapolis on August 27! Join fellow Naval Postgraduate School alumni and supporters and partners of the NPS community at our next #NPSAlumni Reception for networking and socializing while enjoying hosted refreshments. Tuesday, August 27 5 to 7 p.m. Fluegel Alumni Center (301 King George St., Annapolis, MD) RSVP at https://lnkd.in/gAg92sG United States Naval Academy | U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation | Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School | Naval Warfare Studies Institute at Naval Postgraduate School

“I have found nearly every aspect of my coursework to be directly applicable to my position as a principal for safety for acquisition programs,” said NPS systems engineering student John Handrigan. “I have been applying tools and techniques learned from class immediately and it has helped me and my team to better manage our work.” Handrigan is an engineer with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, and was recently honored with the 2024 National Safety Council Rising Stars of Safety Award. While working full-time for NUWC Newport’s Undersea Warfare Platforms and Payload Integration Department, Handrigan is also advancing his education via NPS Online, and is in the final quarter of his master’s in systems engineering management – a perfect fit for his mission at NUWC, he says. “I would recommend the systems engineering management curriculum to anyone planning on taking a leadership role in systems engineering,” he said. “The curriculum is nearly essential to being successful in that role, as you need the supporting skillsets in project management, cost estimation, mathematics, simulation design, etc. to effectively lead teams.” Handrigan’s final team capstone project explores the feasibility, design considerations, and operational advantages of utilizing airship technology for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions in defense of the economic exclusion zone of the U.S. continental west coast. As with his coursework, Handrigan says, the skills developed are immediately of use. “My capstone project heavily involves Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and has helped me to get much more comfortable with those processes and tools,” he noted. “As more and more of my professional projects involve MBSE in some way, I now feel much more comfortable and confident with making meaningful contributions to reviews and decisions.” Attending NPS via distance learning “allowed for some much-needed flexibility in scheduling my schoolwork around professional time and family time,” Handrigan added. “And NUWC has been very supportive in providing some duty time each week for lectures and providing support for meeting coverage.” The Rising Stars Award honors up-and-coming safety professionals, who have a track record of demonstrating leadership, innovation and involvement in their organization's safety culture, while promoting continuous safety improvement in the workplace. • For more information on distance learning at NPS, check out: https://online.nps.edu/. • More about systems engineering at NPS: https://nps.edu/web/seet/. US Navy | United States Marine Corps | Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) | Naval Undersea Warfare Center | Naval Undersea Warfare Center Newport | National Safety Council #distancelearning #NPSonline #awardwinning

"To prevent the new cold-war competition from escalating into a hot war, we need to innovate as if the free world depends on it. This path forward requires substantial investments in technology and an infrastructure built for innovative national-security research and education. Failure to act risks not only our strategic position but also our future stability and influence on the global stage. The answer lies within incentivizing our Force to innovate rapidly." National security is a shared responsibility, requiring interdisciplinary and collaborative work across industry, academia and government. In his recent op-ed, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and member of the Defense Innovation Board retired Admiral Mike Mullen, Chair of the NPS Foundation's Advisory Council, underscores the urgent need to reform the Department of Defense's incentive structures to foster a culture of innovation. At the NPS Foundation, we empower the Naval Postgraduate School to connect active-duty students, top researchers, and subject matter experts to understand global threats, develop new capabilities, and deliver solutions. Our commitment extends to developing agile leaders who can drive the adoption of these new capabilities within the DOD. By fostering collaboration between military, academic, and industry experts, we ensure that NPS remains a powerful innovation accelerator, bridging the gap between private sector ingenuity and the specific needs of the DOD. "In the face of a clear and present danger, there is no room for hesitation. Leaders must lead." Read more from Adm. Mullen: https://lnkd.in/gv2EEKnu

Stationed in Hawaii? Need to know more about strategic planning, AI applications, or operations analysis? NPS Hawaii has you covered! Sign-up for our summer series of in-person short courses held at the Makalapa classroom located in building 261: • Aug. 13-16 – Deterrence the Western Pacific, Strategic Planning, and Emerging Technology • Sept. 10-12 – Artificial Intelligence • Sept. 16-20 – Operations Analysis in Naval Operational Planning • Sept. 23-25 – AI-based Path Finding These intro courses are free and designed for mid- to senior-level naval officers and civilians, but are open to all joint U.S. forces and DOD civilians. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/gaRey8Ua. US Navy | United States Marine Corps | U.S. Pacific Fleet | U.S. Indo-Pacific Command #NPSonline #NPSHawaii