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TruCon 2024Future Forces
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Future Forces: Building a Diversity of Competitive Tech Talent for Defense

The "Future Forces: Building a Diversity of Competitive Tech Talent for Defense" panel at TruCon 2024 examined the critical importance of fostering a diverse and competitive tech talent pool for defense in an era defined by rapid technological advancements and evolving security challenges. Moderated by Brandi Vincent, Pentagon Correspondent for Defense Scoop, the panel highlighted efforts to upskill tech talent within the intelligence community, national security agencies, and academia, emphasizing the use of real-time data trends to stay ahead in the tech domain.

Panel Takeaways
  1. Early Exposure and Intersectional Data: Dr. Stacey Dixon, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, emphasized the significance of early exposure to intelligence and tech careers for high school and college students. Dr. Dixon highlighted the barriers faced by people in particular demographics and urged professionals to engage with students and inspire future generations. “It’s important to find your network…of allies,” she said. “Not everyone has that, and we want everyone to have the same experience, no matter their demographic.”
  2. Role of Educational Institutions: Dr. Darryll Pines, President of the University of Maryland, underscored the pivotal role of educational institutions in supporting national security. He emphasized the importance of STEM-related programs in high schools and universities as pathways to the intelligence community and the Department of Defense, and announced that the University of Maryland received a contract with a $500 million ceiling from the Department of Defense to support the University’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security, adding that at the University “starting in the fall of this year, every student — there’s 41,000 — will have to take an artificial intelligence class, because we think it’s so transformative that it’ll affect every domain space.”
  3. Supporting Underrepresented Communities: Maynard Holliday, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary for Defense for Critical Technologies at the Department of Defense, highlighted the importance of supporting historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). He addressed funding disparities and emphasized the need for increased investment in HBCUs to foster diversity in STEM fields: “​​When you’re in these environments where you are the ‘only,’ there’s an attraction when you see somebody of color walking around the spaces where normally they are not.” Holliday emphasized that diversity not only enhances innovation but also mitigates biases in technologies like AI that are crucial for national security.
  4. Leveraging Diverse Talent: Dr. Jaret C. Riddick, Senior Fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology, emphasized the need to leverage diverse talent pools to maintain competitiveness in the global tech landscape: “For us in the United States, diversity has always been an asset. And now in this new competition with near-peer adversaries targeting this, we have a new reason to think about how we use this diversity as an asset.” He underscored the importance of robust metrics and investments in underdeveloped areas to address vulnerabilities and promote resilience. Dr. Riddick highlighted legislative mechanisms like the CHIPS Act as critical for amplifying diversity efforts and ensuring national security.

The "Future Forces" panel offered valuable insights and actionable recommendations for building a diverse and competitive tech talent pipeline for defense. By removing barriers, leveraging educational institutions, supporting underrepresented communities, and promoting diversity, stakeholders can ensure America's technological edge in the 21st century.

Written by Alexandria Johnson and Chris Aboukhaled

Our Panelists

Dr. Stacey Dixon

Dr. Stacey Dixon

Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence
Speaker Bio
Dr. Stacey A. Dixon was sworn in as the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI) on Aug. 4, 2021. She currently serves as the sixth Senate-confirmed PDDNI. Possessing 20 years of intelligence experience, Dr. Dixon has led the Intelligence Community at the highest ranks.

Dr. Dixon joined ODNI after serving as the eighth Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) from 2019-2021, where she assisted the Director both in leading the agency and managing the National System for Geospatial Intelligence. From 2018 to 2019, she was the fourth Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), after serving as its Deputy Director from 2016 to 2018.

Before joining IARPA, Dr. Dixon served as the Deputy Director of NGA’s research directorate, where she oversaw geospatial intelligence research and development. She held additional leadership roles at NGA as the Chief of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs and Deputy Director of the Corporate Communications Office.
Dr. Darryll Pines

Dr. Darryll Pines

President, University of Maryland
Speaker Bio
Darryll J. Pines serves as president of the University of Maryland as well as the Glenn L. Martin Professor of Aerospace Engineering.

Formerly the Nariman Farvardin Professor of Engineering and dean of UMD’s A. James Clark School of Engineering, where he has been on the faculty since 1995, Pines amassed a record of academic leadership and research accomplishments that have dramatically elevated the school’s rankings and stature nationally and internationally. In 2019, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his “inspirational leadership and contributions to engineering education.”

As dean for 11 years, Pines instituted sweeping changes to improve the student experience, including revamping teaching in fundamental undergraduate courses; encouraging participation in national and international student competitions; emphasizing sustainability engineering and service learning; and expanding innovation and entrepreneurship activities.
Maynard Holliday

Maynard Holliday

PTDO Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, Department of Defense
Speaker Bio
Mr. Maynard Holliday is Performing the Duties of (PTDO) the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. In this capacity, he oversees investment and capability analysis of the Pentagon's critical technology areas. He has oversight of 10 Principal Directors assigned to those critical technology portfolios and their roadmaps — the comprehensive strategies to manage, provide oversight and guide choices for each critical technology area. These critical technology areas include Advanced Computing & Software; Directed Energy; Human-Machine Interfaces; Hypersonics; Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems; Integrated Sensing & Cyber; Microelectronics; Renewable Energy Generation & Storage; Space Technology; and Trusted Artificial Intelligence & Autonomy.
Dr. Jaret C. Riddick

Dr. Jaret C. Riddick

Senior Fellow at Georgetown University, CSET
Speaker Bio
Dr. Jaret C. Riddick is a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET). Prior to joining CSET, he was the Principal Director for Autonomy in the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), serving as the Senior DOD official for coordination, strategy, and transition of Autonomy research and development.

As Principal Director, he created a DOD-wide initiative on trusted Autonomy, led efforts to advance Autonomy for undersea warfare with allied partners, and provided key strategic analysis to support development of the newest DOD university-affiliated research center (UARC).
Brandi Vincent

Brandi Vincent

(Moderator) - Pentagon Correspondent, DefenseScoop
Speaker Bio
Brandi Vincent is DefenseScoop’s Pentagon correspondent. She reports on emerging and disruptive technologies, and associated policies, impacting the Defense Department and its personnel. Prior to joining Scoop News Group, Brandi produced a long-form documentary and worked as a journalist at Nextgov, Snapchat and NBC Network. She was named a 2021 Paul Miller Washington Fellow by the National Press Foundation and was awarded SIIA’s 2020 Jesse H. Neal Award for Best News Coverage. Brandi grew up in Louisiana and received a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.