en.Wedoany.com Reported - Old Dominion University (ODU) has established the ODU National Security Institute (ODU-NSI) to accelerate research and deliver technology solutions addressing pressing challenges in critical infrastructure security, applied artificial intelligence, decision advantage, resilient communications, and autonomous operations in complex dynamic environments.
Dr. Brian O. Hemphill, President of Old Dominion University, stated that the institute will further support research experts and partners in advancing critical research to improve national security and uncover creative solutions in Coastal Virginia.
The new institute will integrate ODU's strengths in artificial intelligence, modeling and simulation, autonomous systems, communications and sensing, maritime and port operations, and advanced technologies into a coordinated, mission-focused research effort. Located in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, which hosts one of the world's largest concentrations of military, maritime, and logistics operations, the university offers researchers unique proximity to real-world operational systems in ports, shipyards, coastal infrastructure, and complex supply chains.
Dr. Kenneth J. Fridley, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, noted that the university already possesses the expertise and partnerships, and this effort connects those capabilities to accelerate interdisciplinary work and deliver solutions relevant to operational environments. A national search for the inaugural Executive Director of ODU-NSI has been launched.
The institute's research teams will study the real-world behavior of systems at the intersection of physical infrastructure, data networks, and human decision-making, organized around four core mission areas: Artificial Intelligence and Modeling & Simulation; Autonomous and Maritime Systems; Cyber, Sensing, and Spectrum Operations; and Advanced Technologies and Human Performance. For example, researchers are using advanced modeling and simulation to understand the impact of network infrastructure disruptions on port operations, or studying the reliability of autonomous systems in challenging marine environments.
This integrated approach enables the university to support a broad range of national priorities beyond traditional defense research, including infrastructure resilience, energy security, supply chain continuity, and next-generation communications. Dr. Fridley emphasized that today's national security challenges require partners capable of connecting the nodes within complex systems, and integrating strengths in modeling, autonomy, communications, and infrastructure helps move national security solutions from research to operational environments.
ODU-NSI will also serve as a gateway for collaboration with federal partners, industry, and other research institutions, driving the translation of university research into applied solutions. As the institute develops, the university plans to expand research partnerships, develop new training opportunities for students, and establish forums to connect researchers with national security stakeholders.
Old Dominion University (ODU), located in Norfolk, is a public doctoral research university with over 23,500 students. As an R1 research institution, the university is nationally recognized for academic excellence, social mobility, and accessibility, and currently contributes $3.8 billion annually to the Virginia economy. Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University was established on July 1, 2024, as the Commonwealth of Virginia's most comprehensive health sciences center. In October 2025, the university partnered with Google to launch MonarchSphere, powered by Google Cloud, the first artificial intelligence incubator of its kind in higher education. The university advances research in strategic focus areas including coastal resilience, health innovation, maritime systems, and national security, amplified by cross-cutting strengths in artificial intelligence and machine learning, autonomous and networked systems, computational and data science, cybersecurity and cyber security, and modeling and simulation.
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