History

In 2009, alumnus Thomas (Ted) Hume ‘74 and his wife Karyn funded the Hume Endowment to launch programs at Virginia Tech that would prepare students for careers in national security and build a sustained pipeline of mission-ready talent for defense and intelligence organizations. As a result, Virginia Tech established the Ted and Karyn Hume Center for National Security and Technology, supported by a faculty position provided for its director by the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In tandem, Virginia Tech and Howard University received a grant as an Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence, securing funding for student outreach and national security curriculum development. These efforts culminated in the formal launch of the Hume Center in April 2010, with Jeff Reed serving as interim director and Charles Clancy as associate director. Reed now works as the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative’s chief technology officer (CTO) and the Willis G. Worcester Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, while Clancy is the general manager of MITRE Labs and the senior vice president and chief futurist at MITRE. The Hume Center held its official kickoff ceremony in August 2010.

After its launch in 2010, the Hume Center began its search for a director. During its first year, the center operated under limited resources while partnering with multiple intelligence agencies to develop several foundational programs, such as the RTX Fellowship and MITRE workforce development programs. In mid-2011, Charles Clancy was named director, and Bob McGwier joined as director of research to lead expanding research programs in Blacksburg, Virginia. McGwier now serves as the founder and chief technology officer (CTO) of Harmony Energy, LLC. In October 2011, a major partnership with L-3 Communications was executed, accelerating the Hume Center’s early growth. From 2011-2013, the Hume Center grew tenfold, adding Mark Goodwin as deputy director, and deepening its relationships with key intelligence agencies.

In late 2013, the Hume Center was reorganized under the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Sciences (ICTAS), gaining the resources needed to scale, including expanded facilities, staffing, and research infrastructure. In October 2014, the center launched an education partnership with Science Applications International Corporation, expanding undergraduate engagement, scholarship opportunities, and both curricular and extracurricular programming.

In July 2017, the Hume Center was designated as a university center reporting directly to the Vice President for Research and Innovation. This transition included a revised budget model and the design and construction of a dedicated facility in the Blacksburg Commercial Research Center to support its expanding programs. In 2019, Rolls-Royce Commonwealth Professor and head of the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Eric Paterson, was appointed interim executive director.

In fiscal year 2020, Virginia Tech's research enterprise reached $550 million in expenditures and recorded a 15% increase in sponsored awards. The Department of Defense remained the university's largest federal sponsor, contributing approximately $50 million that year. Virginia Tech began bringing together transdisciplinary researchers, programs, and resources from across the university, including the Hume Center and the Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation (VT-ARC), to integrate student learning with cutting-edge research at a scale unmatched by peer institutions. In September 2021, Virginia Tech formally announced the creation of the Virginia Tech National Security Institute, with the ambition of becoming the nation's preeminent academic organization at the intersection of interdisciplinary research, technology, policy, and talent development.

Since 2021, VTNSI has grown into one of the nation’s most mission-focused institutes, serving the defense and intelligence communities. Research activity has expanded significantly, with major advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), cyber resilience, spectrum operations, undersea autonomy, and systems engineering. Investments in secure facilities, new research infrastructure, and strategic hiring have strengthened our core capabilities and positioned us at the forefront of national security challenges. Additionally, programs such as the Defense Civilian Training Corps, our Deloitte AI Academy partnership, and a growing network of industry and government initiatives support students as they prepare for careers in defense and intelligence.

Together, these efforts have established VTNSI as a national leader in combining cutting-edge research with hands-on talent development that advances Virginia Tech’s mission to serve the nation through innovation, education, and collaboration.