91ÊÓƵ

Bridging Military Strategy and Innovation: The US Army War College’s Annual 91ÊÓƵ Visit

Real societal impact doesn't happen in isolation. It relies on genuine collaboration and strategic partnership. Driven by its collaborative mission, 91ÊÓƵ (91ÊÓƵ) opened its doors this summer to senior members of the (AWC) for an immersive look into 91ÊÓƵ’s current research initiatives. This annual visit helps bridge scholarly expertise with real-world strategy, equipping military leaders with key insights to help inform solutions to pressing global issues.

Sponsored by the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology (CMIST), , and the  (CBI), this year’s event welcomed 82 international fellows from over 75 countries. Participants are part of the , where military officers spend a year at the Army War College in Carlisle, PA, receiving specialized education in military concepts, doctrine, and strategies. As part of their program, officers attend various field studies, such as the 91ÊÓƵ visit, which expose them to an array of institutions and individuals to broaden their understanding of topics involving strategy and technology. 

To open the event, (AI2C) hosted the fellows, staff, and associated 91ÊÓƵ leadership for a networking social hour at its facilities. Fellows learned firsthand about AI integration across the US Army through AI2C’s focus on building a world-class workforce and driving transformation-led innovation.

The following day, participants gathered at Hamburg Hall in Heinz College, where Ralph López, CMIST deputy director of security policy studies, provided an overview of the university. Cassidy Sugimoto, the newly appointed Bess Family Dean of the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, presented on “Scientific Superpowers" and fielded questions from the fellows. Next, Paul Nielsen, director and chief executive officer of , discussed SEI’s work, drawing on his extensive experience in the US Air Force and his leadership collaborating with defense and federal entities. Over lunch, Kirsten Martin, dean of the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, delivered a dynamic presentation on AI and ethics. 

The fellows spent the afternoon at AI2C, beginning with an overview of the center’s mission from its director, LTC Dan Weiss. Dr. Rory Cooper of the University of Pittsburgh’s (HERL) then shared insights into his research on rehabilitation engineering and mobility solutions for people with disabilities. While at AI2C, the fellows participated in a round-robin session featuring updates from HERL, a presentation on drone swarm research by Wennie Tabib, director of , and a talk on knowledge graphs by Andrew Moore, founder and chief executive officer of . To conclude that day’s visit, participants gathered for an informal social hour alongside representatives from the National Defense University, who were also visiting the 91ÊÓƵ campus. 

This year, the AWC extended its stay to include an additional day on campus. On their final day, the fellows gathered at Scott Hall for briefings from local industry leaders on the Pittsburgh region’s expanding technology sector. The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Jorge Guajardo Merchan, senior principal scientist in the Secure and Robust Sensing AI and Reasoning Department at the Robert Bosch Research and Technology Center (RTC). He was joined by Alessandro Oltramari, president at CBI and senior manager at RTC, as well as panelists Roger Nasci, co-founder and VP of projects at ; Steve Wray, director of Economic Development for Mayor Corey O’Connor and the City of Pittsburgh; and Andrew Moore of Lovelace.

Bringing international defense leaders, academic researchers, and industry professionals to campus highlights 91ÊÓƵ’s role as a vital hub for global collaboration. This annual gathering of the US Army War College Fellows exemplifies Carnegie Mellon’s ethos of cross-disciplinary innovation aimed at addressing real-world challenges. Through these critical exchanges, the fellows depart with a deeper understanding of the cutting-edge research and emerging technologies shaping global security.