Conducting applied research to strengthen national defense is something the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have in common. Building upon a long history of collaboration between the two institutions, NPS and LLNL have fortified their mutual collaboration by entering a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that establishes a cooperative framework to advance the academic and scientific capabilities of the two institutions as they address future national defense challenges.
With overlapping and complementary areas in research and application – enhanced by a geographic proximity of less than 100 miles – both institutions are in a position to provide enhanced and sustainable education and research benefits for NPS students and LLNL employees.
According to the MOU, LLNL intends to provide interested NPS faculty, staff and students broader access to educational courses offered by institutions that partner with the national lab, and more opportunities for NPS faculty and students to work with scientists and researchers at LLNL.
“Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is one of the premier institutions in the U.S. National Laboratory complex,” said NPS President retired Vice Adm. Ann Rondeau. “Our now formalized partnership between NPS and LLNL is intended to further strengthen the historic ties between our two institutions. Dozens of NPS master and Ph.D. students have completed their dissertation and thesis research in close collaboration with LLNL, and now, we have a firm foundation for collectively enhancing our applied research and education that will help solve the toughest naval and national challenges.”
Paralleled with NPS having broader access to Lawrence Livermore’s resources, the university will coordinate hybrid in-residence and distance learning master and Ph.D. programs for LLNL employees.
“This new agreement will strengthen and expand upon the research collaborations between our two institutions,” said NPS Dean on Research Dr. Jeff Paduan. “It recognizes the great technical capabilities within the laboratory, and the great benefits of involving our defense-focused faculty and operationally-experienced students in joint projects. We all look forward to creating and executing more of these projects.”
Dr. Craig Smith, NPS Research Professor of Physics who assisted in the MOU’s development, says NPS students who have the opportunity to participate in research at LLNL will benefit greatly from those experiences.
“LLNL has important mission drivers related to national security and defense,” noted Smith. “The involvement of NPS students and faculty in research initiatives in these areas bring to LLNL a unique base of first-hand experience and military perspectives that can contribute significantly to the resulting research. Also, the potential for LLNL employees to participate in NPS academic programs and the enhanced level of communications between LLNL staff and NPS students and faculty are also important factors in making this partnership more effective.”