Kathleen Clark

On Friday, Nov. 7, Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security and the Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NROTC) Alumni Association partnered for the first time to host a full day of programming celebrating leadership, service, and pragmatic solutions to national security challenges—culminating in the 15th Annual National Security Symposium in… Read More

Character and leadership took center stage at Vanderbilt University as retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal joined retired Gen. Paul Nakasone, founding director of the Institute of National Security, for the institute’s speaker series Monday evening. Vanderbilt welcomed McChrystal to a packed Langford Auditorium for a fireside chat hosted by the… Read More

The Vanderbilt Institute of National Security, in partnership with Dialogue Vanderbilt, will open its Fall 2025 Lecture Series on Monday, September 29 with a fireside chat featuring two of the nation’s most respected military leaders: General Stanley McChrystal (Ret.) and General Paul M. Nakasone (Ret.). Read More

On September 16, the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security welcomed a full house to the Studying National Security Launch, an evening event marking the official debut of Vanderbilt’s new Minor in National Security—and signaling the university’s growing commitment to preparing students for leadership in a… Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2025 Contact: Kathleen Clark Director of Communications Vanderbilt Institute of National Security kathleen.clark@vanderbilt.edu 615-343-6328   NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt Institute of National Security will release nearly 400 pages of primary source documents at 6 a.m. CT today that formed the… Read More

The Vanderbilt Institute of National Security’s Wicked Problems Lab has released a new policy paper that calls for a bold rethinking of America’s nuclear posture in response to today’s fast-moving technological threats. Titled “Restoring Nuclear Deterrence in the Modern Age,” the paper examines how the long-standing doctrine of Mutually Assured… Read More

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn praised Vanderbilt University for convening leading voices in military, intelligence, and technology during a fireside chat at the 2025 Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats.  “I am thrilled that Vanderbilt is doing this,” playing a key role in advancing national… Read More

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool—it’s a strategic imperative, according to Lakshmi Raman, director of the CIA’s Office of Artificial Intelligence. During her keynote address and fireside chat at Vanderbilt’s fourth annual Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats, Raman described how the CIA is adapting to… Read More

Drawing on his military background and role as chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. Rep. Mark Green offered a frank assessment of artificial intelligence and its implications for the future of national security during the 2025 Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats. … Read More

Over two days of expert panels at the 2025 Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats, one theme emerged as the clearest unifying thread: As AI systems become more powerful and more autonomous, the role of human judgment has never been more crucial.   Across discussions on… Read More