Guided nation’s responsible advancement

From its inception, GSI has positioned itself as a leader in national security research and solutions. The initiative’s broad recognition at the national level is reflected in the fact that GSI faculty are regularly appointed to national bodies dedicated to advancing technology for societal good.

GSI’s Executive Director Nadya Bliss has been involved in multiple National Academies efforts focused on technology for national security, and has been involved in the Computing Community Consortium for over seven years, stepping into the role of chair in 2024.

The CCC council is a national group of over 20 computing experts from academia, industry and government advancing computing research in socially responsible ways.

Throughout her time on the council, Bliss has engaged extensively in national efforts around technology research, design and development, often discussing ways to more deliberately anticipate potential harms and mitigate their consequences before they take root in society.

“Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, yet security often remains a secondary consideration, despite all the examples we have of unforeseen harms stemming at least partly from new technologies,” Bliss said. “We need to prioritize security alongside capabilities, and that goal is really at the core of my national service commitments.”

In 2020, Bliss and fellow GSI faculty member Nancy Cooke were appointed to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Information Science and Technology Study Group.

The group brings the brightest scientists and engineers in the country together to identify new areas of development in computer and communication technologies and to highlight potential future research directions to DARPA.

During her terms as vice-chair and chair of the DARPA ISAT Study Group, Bliss has focused on emphasizing interdisciplinary research, fostering more inclusion in DOD research initiatives and enabling more collaborations with partners.

Nancy Cooke, senior scientific advisor for the GSI Center for Human, AI and Robot Teaming, studies humanmachine teaming, a key priority for DARPA as the DOD incorporates more machines and artificial intelligence into its daily and mission operations.

”Being involved in predicting surprise for DARPA through collaborations with very bright scientists and engineers is incredibly rewarding,” Cooke said. “The collaboration helps to move my thought processes forward and provides me an opportunity to branch out into areas that are new to me.”

Scott Ruston, former director of GSI’s Center on Narrative, Disinformation and Strategic Influence, also had the opportunity to lend his expertise to improve national defense.

Rear Adm. Ruston, who balanced his responsibilities at GSI with those as an officer in the U.S. Navy reserves, departed GSI in 2023 to direct a new Navy initiative called Get Real, Get Better. The program helps the Navy’s more than 340,000 active-duty sailors and 100,000 reservists identify strengths and shortcomings and use that analysis to improve performance.

“How do we structure the delivery of this initiative in a way that comports with people's identity as sailors and aligns with the missions we're trying to achieve and the values of the Navy?” Ruston asked. “It’s one of the things I'm looking forward to, and I think there's quite a bit of my research background that I can bring to bear to be positive and successful.”

GSI has the opportunity to further amplify its voice in national conversations around security and defense thanks to the Ambassador Barbara Barrett and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Washington Center.

Since opening the center in 2018, ASU has brought a multitude of its innovative programs to the heart of the country. GSI joins other centers and initiatives in the strategic location just two blocks from the White House, where it can lend a valuable research perspective to think tanks, federal research agencies, policy councils, nonprofit organizations and national associations.