Vanderbilt Institute of National Security launches fall lecture series

Vanderbilt University is vying to become one of the top sources of national security research and expertise in the country.

Why it matters: Administrators want their fledgling Institute of National Security, which launched last year, to rival more established centers at Harvard, Georgetown and Stanford universities.

The latest: Gen. Stanley McChrystal is coming to campus to kick off the institute's fall lecture series with an event on Sept. 29.

• He is a retired four-star general and a heavyweight in national defense.

Driving the news: Federal agencies have struggled to recruit qualified candidates for national security jobs, especially in technical fields like cybersecurity.

• "Our nation desperately needs more cyber talent," a Biden administration official said last year, adding that "there are approximately half a million open cybersecurity positions across the country."

Zoom in: Vanderbilt cited those remarks while touting the launch of its institute last year along with the ambitious goal of becoming "the most trusted university ecosystem for national security solutions."

• The institute is led by Gen. Paul Nakasone, retired commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency.
• His stature is another factor lending credibility to the new effort.
• The institute offers a minor in national security, internships and research opportunities for students across the university.

Reality check: Top competitors have had a decades-long head start to build expertise, and Vanderbilt will need to work harder to establish and maintain crucial connections in Washington.

The intrigue: The institute has already made progress.

• This year, media outlets like the New York Times and CBS News cited its research exposing an information warfare campaign by Chinese AI firm GoLaxy.
• Vanderbilt also hosted a national security summit this year that attracted top U.S. elected officials, global policymakers and leading AI executives.

Between the lines: The institute is part of Vanderbilt's engineering school and combines the efforts of other programs including medicine, business, law and computing.

• Administrators said multidisciplinary collaboration between some of Vanderbilt's top programs could set them apart.

Zoom in: The lecture by McChrystal follows the release of his new book "On Character: Choices That Define a Life." He commanded U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan following 9/11 and led the Joint Special Operations Command.

• After the lecture, McChrystal will be joined by Nakasone for a fireside chat on leadership, modern conflict and national security issues.

If you go: The free event takes place Sept. 29 at Lanford Auditorium from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

• Registration to attend must be done online by Sept. 24.