News

The Vanderbilt University Institute of National Security is proud to welcome its second cohort of National Security Fellows. These distinguished leaders bring deep expertise across military operations, intelligence, cybersecurity, defense innovation, technology, journalism and global security. The Fellows program connects Vanderbilt students with accomplished practitioners whose careers… Read More

The Vanderbilt University Institute of National Security has been awarded a $2.5 million, two-year grant from the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation to support the Institute’s Wicked Problems Lab and its expanding research portfolio, including the development of the Synthetic Information Filtering Testbed (SIFT)—a first-of-its-kind research initiative designed… Read More

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, Sir Richard Moore, former Chief of the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and former UK Ambassador to Turkey, joined Paul M. Nakasone, founder of the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security, for a wide-ranging conversation on intelligence, diplomacy, and leadership. Held in Langford Auditorium ahead of… Read More

Michael “Erik” Kurilla, retired United States Army General and former Commander of U.S. Central Command, will deliver a keynote address at the 2026 Asness Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats, hosted by Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security. The Summit will take place April 23–24,… Read More

Washington, DC – January 14, 2025 – Portrait of Gina Raimondo, United States Secretary of Commerce taken at the Herbert C. Hoover Building, headquarters of the United States Department of Commerce. (Photo by Jay Premack/USPTO) Gina Raimondo, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Distinguished Fellow at the Council on Foreign… Read More

Official Portrait of the 22nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine. (DOD Photo by Benjamin Applebaum) The Vanderbilt University Institute of National Security is honored to announce General Dan Caine, the 22nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will headline the Asness Summit on Modern… Read More

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

A transformative gift from Vanderbilt parents Laurel and Cliff Asness of Greenwich, Connecticut, to the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security and the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation will have a significant impact on the future of national se... 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