Establishing Gordian Knot Center at Stanford University
Abstract
ABSTRACTApproved for Public ReleaseThe U.S. military is at risk of being disrupted as cutting-edge technologies change the nature of armed conflict and our adversaries invest in asymmetrical capabilities designed to erode the traditional basis of American military might. Americas defense establishment faces a critical inflection point - it must adapt to and internalize innovative 21st century technologies and management best practices or risk losing Americas edge to authorit the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation (GKC) at Stanford University to help confront these challenges and expand t he talent pool and resources America draws on to bolster national competitiveness. GKC will harness the extraordinary technical tale nt and culture of innovation at Stanford and the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem it is situated in to promote cutting-edge train ing, education, and policy outreach in support of priority national security goals and objectives. We will draw on the resident expe rtise and convening power of one of Americas premier universities to bridge the DoD s organizational silos, help build the Navy and DoDs capacity to innovate, and develop solutions to our most pressing national security challenges. GKC will support Navy and DoD priorities through three main lines of effort: 1) national security innovation education; 2) training in national security and exper iential learning crafting real-world solutions; and 3) insights, integration and policy outreach.National Security Innovation Educat ion. GKC will develop national security curricula and educate some of the most creative and imaginative minds in the world through c ourses related to technology, innovation, and national security.Training and Experiential Learning with Real-World Problems. GKC wil l provide competitively selected students stipends and support to encourage STEM focused exploration of emerging national security c hallenges. Additionally, GKC will design and offer experiential learning and training in national security skills and knowledge sets ; the results of these trainings will enable students to contribute solutions to real-world problems. GKC will emphasize areas that are priorities for the Navy while broadly defining the scope of national security topics broadly to range from conventional security threats to the resiliency of our economic supply chains, energy security, and climate change. GKC will place special emphasis on su pporting military and veteran students training through its Defense Innovation Scholars Program. GKC affiliated faculty will mentor students seeking opportunities to serve and contribute to the Navy, DoD, and USG national security ecosystem and assist them on pat hways to public service. Insight, Integration and Policy Outreach. GKC will support priorities outlined in the National Defense Stra tegy, Tri-Service Maritime Strategy, and other key government documents to help build the innovation capacity of the Navy, USMC, and the DoD. To achieve these objectives, GKC will convene national security problem solving workshops for a diverse group of experts a nd stakeholders from government, academia, and the private sector aimed at developing actionable policies and recommendations. Addit ionally, GKC will host an annual summer executive program for Flag/SES level participants. Leaders in the Silicon Valley technology sector and venture community along with senior government officials will engage with this select group of emerging senior defense ex ecutives to build relationships and help develop the perspectives needed to be change agents and build innovation capacities across the services.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 03, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112889
Entities
People
- Michael McFaul
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Stanford University
- United States Navy