Naval Postgraduate School uses AI and simulation to drive innovation in education and research

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) announced it will use cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and simulation technologies to enhance education and research applications with NVIDIA’s AI Technology Center Program, Dec. 3, 2024.

 

In a ceremony at NVIDIA’s headquarters in Santa Clara, California, NPS President Ann Rondeau, retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, and Ned Finkle, NVIDIA vice president of external affairs, signed a new Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to collaborate on developing AI-based technologies for learning and real-world applications.

 

“Working with NVIDIA represents a major step forward in leveraging cutting-edge AI, machine learning, and the NVIDIA Omniverse platform to address complex challenges,” said Kaitie Penry, director of emerging technology and innovation at NPS, who will oversee the initial projects. “This collaboration will create opportunities for groundbreaking research and education that will drive innovation and enhance capability for the Department of the Navy and will be incorporated into the Naval Innovation Center at NPS.”

 

Trusted AI and autonomy is one of 14 critical technology areas identified in the 2023 National Defense Science and Technology Strategy. This collaboration highlights the importance of integrating AI and industry technology into the advanced education of NPS students to develop their talent as leaders and technically proficient problem solvers.

 

“The Department of the Navy continues to champion rapid development of technologies that accelerate decision-making as part of our maritime advantage,” said Carlos Del Toro, secretary of the Navy. “I’m excited about the work the Naval Innovation Center at Naval Postgraduate School will do to leverage and accelerate AI-enabled outcomes from research projects like this with our industry partners.”

 

The recently released Chief of Naval Operations NAVPLAN 2024 aims to enhance situational awareness, decision-making and rapid planning through AI as an enabling technology. The NAVPLAN also emphasizes that AI-based training and education must keep pace in reliable, realistic and relevant environments for naval forces to succeed.

 

Innovation in live, virtual and constructive (LVC) technologies drives advanced modeling and simulation (M&S) applications. The Navy’s goal is to make LVC training widely available anytime, anywhere, providing the ability to build tactical proficiency. NPS is a leader in advanced M&S education and applied research through its Modeling Virtual Environments and Simulation (MOVES) Institute and will be a hub for collaboration with NVIDIA.

 

Under NVIDIA’s AI Technology Center Program, NPS and NVIDIA will collaborate on research, educational efforts and industry talks. The first project will focus on nonphysics modeling and scenario generation to create a tool for simulation and mission planning specific to naval end-user domain requirements.

 

Technologies based on the NVIDIA Omniverse platform will enable the development of digital twin and physical AI simulation applications across industries. NVIDIA’s program will also provide NPS with AI and M&S education relevant to various operational use cases. This includes digital twin applications, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief contingency planning.

 

“Training the next generation of leaders in AI is crucial for addressing some of the most complex challenges we face, from disaster relief to mission-readiness,” said Jimmie Adkins, director of federal at NVIDIA. “By using NVIDIA technology like NVIDIA Omniverse, the Naval Postgraduate School equips students with cutting-edge tools for real-time collaboration and simulation, empowering them to develop innovative solutions with immediate, real-world impact.”

 

The collaboration between NPS and NVIDIA, which grew from their work on M&S technologies for enhanced learning and training environments, will help keep the Navy at the cutting edge of AI education, research and innovation. It will also enable shared insights for both institutions.

 

These opportunities will help make NPS graduates high-impact and highly sought after, not only for their knowledge but also for their skills and determination as innovative change leaders.

 

“NPS is a catalyst for change, helping keep the naval services at the forefront of future operational concepts and enabling technologies. It is not enough to just provide an education—there must be outcomes and impacts,” Rondeau said at the CRADA signing ceremony. “This collaboration with NVIDIA was born from a desire to advance education and research on AI to solve real-world problems. I look forward to the discoveries and innovative solutions ahead.”

 

NPS students and faculty met with NVIDIA team members at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference in Orlando, Florida, to share current research and kick off discussions on technology applications that will form the cornerstone of the CRADA partnership. Del Toro, an NPS alumnus, met with the NPS-NVIDIA team to hear firsthand about their planned projects, encouraging them to work with a sense of urgency and focus on ways that enable rapid adoption at pace and scale.

 

The mission of the Naval Postgraduate School is to provide graduate education, including classified studies and interdisciplinary research, to advance the operational effectiveness and technological leadership of the Naval service.