UT in DC forum to foster collaboration between higher ed and defense community

A University of Texas System forum in Washington D.C. will spotlight the vital role academia – and specifically UT institutions – can play in addressing the nation’s defense and national security challenges.

The “What does Texas Think? A UT in DC Dialogue with the Defense Community” will be held Oct. 25 at the Hogan Lovells Conference Center, 555 13^th Street NW, and will bring together higher ed, government and industry leaders from the intelligence, health and biosecurity sectors.

The day-long forum will kick off at 8 a.m. with opening remarks by UT System Chancellor William H. McRaven, a retired U.S. Navy four-star admiral and the former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command.

UT institutions currently have more than 40 centers and institutes focusing on cybersecurity, bioterrorism, policy and statecraft and other national security issues. In addition, institutions of higher education are training the next generation of national security experts, McRaven noted.

“This dialogue is imperative because we need to ensure that advance stage research and innovative initiatives at institutions of higher education are fully integrated into national security solutions,” McRaven said. “Because they are part of one of the nation’s largest university systems, University of Texas institutions are committed to a national conversation to give greater insight into how academic partnerships can be better leveraged to protect our nation.”

Panel discussion topics will cover cybersecurity, health and biodefense sciences, crisis management, workforce needs and more. Speakers represent a wide array of agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Homeland Security, the Army Research Laboratory and the Office of Naval Research.

In addition, experts from UT institutions will be featured, along with the presidents of UT Dallas, UT Rio Grande Valley, UT Permian Basin, UT San Antonio, UT Tyler, UTHealth in Houston and UTMB in Galveston. A full list of panels and speakers can be found here.

Media who would like to attend the forum should email Karen Adler at kadler@utystem.edu and check in at the registration table to receive credentials.

About The University of Texas System
Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking basic, applied and clinical research, and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. With 14 institutions and an enrollment of more than 234,000 students, the UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates approximately two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public institutions in Texas. The UT System’s operating budget for FY 2018 is $18.3 billion, including $3.6 billion in sponsored programs funded by federal, state, local and private sources. With more than 20,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and many members of the National Academies – and nearly 80,000 health care professionals, researchers, student advisors and support staff, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.