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University's counterintelligence work earns federal award

Virginia Tech was among five out of more than 10,000 eligible organizations in the United States to receive the 2023 Jack Donnelly Award for Excellence in Counterintelligence.

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Virginia Tech National Security Institute spearheads project to strengthen wireless security

Researchers are collaborating with Northrop Grumman engineers to tackle some of the intelligence community’s most pressing challenges in data security.

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Coastal Security at Risk as Sinking Land Threatens Thousands by 2050

One in 50 people living in two dozen coastal cities in the United States could experience significant flooding by 2050, according to Virginia Tech-led research.

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Defense Civilian Training Corps accelerates student opportunities in the Department of Defense

30 Virginia Tech students are taking part in the pilot Defense Civilian Training Corps program, which provides defense-related coursework and activities, as well as exposure to professionals working in the field.

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Students in Defense Civilian Training Corps pilot program with program leadership. Photo by Isabella Rossi for Virginia Tech.

Rigorous mathematical approaches could help protect military personnel

Virginia Tech researchers Doug Bowman and Brendan David-John are a part of a multi-institution Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program to improve the security of the U.S. military against “cognitive attacks” in mixed-reality environments.

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Jan Michalak interacts with a swarm of drones in an augmented reality environment for a scenario focused on status. Photo and illustration by Rodney Kimbangu for Virginia Tech.

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Security Research Experts

From disaster resiliance to computer network security, Virginia Tech researchers are working to meet needs of the nation’s intelligence and defense communities and addressing global environmental changes.

Laura Freeman

Luiz de Silva

Eric Paterson

Daphne Yao

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Security News

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New industry-university collaboration to pioneer future wireless networks , article
The National Science Foundation Industry-University Research Center led by Virginia Tech has funded 10 projects to advance the next generation of wireless networks.
Date: May 21, 2025 -
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New research center aims to elevate nation’s drone defense , article
Supported by a $5 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense and led by the Virginia Tech National Security Institute and the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, the Counter UAS Research and Testing Center will include an unparalleled ecosystem of drone research.
Date: May 21, 2025 -
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Commonwealth Cyber Initiative unites Virginia universities to advance AI and cybersecurity research , article
The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative awarded 18 seed grants to nine Virginia public universities for a total of $1.61 million to address cybersecurity issues in artificial intelligence.
Date: Apr 29, 2025 -
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'Curious Conversations' podcast: Brendan David-John talks about the dangers of gaze data , article
David-John explores the potential for gaze data to reveal personal information and related security implications, especially in a military context, and shared the projects he’s currently working on to better mitigate this threat.
Date: Mar 31, 2025 -

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