Naval Postgraduate School Foundation & Alumni Association

𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 + 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐏𝐒   Read the latest from the Naval Postgraduate School community, including Joint Interagency Field Experimentation (JIFX), where operators, industry and researchers evaluate emerging technologies, generate direct user feedback and iterate in the field, and engagement at NVIDIA GTC 2026, what it signals for how artificial intelligence is evolving and being applied.   This month’s roundup also includes updates on AI integration across naval logistics and operations, joint and allied exercises strengthening interoperability, faculty research recognized for its operational impact, and ongoing contributions from NPS experts and alumni across national security, defense and government.   🔗 Read the full monthly roundup: https://lnkd.in/gdr4Bu7U   NVIDIA | United States Marine Corps | #NPSalumni #DefenseInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence #NationalSecurity #JointForce #AIinDefense #ResearchAndEducation #DefenseTechnology 

Last week, following the Naval Postgraduate School 2026 Winter Quarter Graduation ceremony, the NPS Foundation hosted a reception to recognize and celebrate the graduating class. This quarter, more than 180 advanced degrees were awarded across defense-focused disciplines, including to a cohort of international military officers representing countries around the world. Students, faculty, staff, and families gathered to mark this achievement, connect with one another, and celebrate the graduates as they completed a rigorous and operationally relevant education at NPS. 📖 View the full gallery: https://lnkd.in/gviieNfB #NavalPostgraduateSchool #NPSGraduation #MilitaryEducation #DefenseStudies #AdvancedDegrees #MilitaryOfficers #InternationalCohort #GraduationCeremony #NPSFoundation #OperationalEducation

Two Naval Postgraduate School alumni will lead Artemis II, the first crewed mission to travel around the Moon in more than 50 years, currently expected to launch on April 1. The 10-day, 500,000-mile mission will test the systems and operations required for future lunar missions and long-duration spaceflight. “As someone who has worked at NASA for so many years, it’s wonderful to see this mission led by two NPS alumni,” said Michael Hesse, NPS’ Vice Provost for Research and Innovation and former director of the science directorate at NASA Ames Research Center. “For a school that has educated so many astronauts and so many others who are involved in the science, technology, and applications of space programs across the globe, it’s a tremendous honor to have this connection as humankind finally returns to the Moon.” From leading the Shuttle to ground control in Houston to space systems research at NPS’ Space Systems Academic Group in Monterey, #NPS continues to contribute directly to the people and capabilities behind missions like this. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gkZxh9yz #NPSAlumni #NavalPostgraduateSchool #ArtemisII #NASA #SpaceExploration

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐏𝐒 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐰! This month’s issue, Faces of NPS: Connecting Technology to the Mission, highlights how the Naval Postgraduate School is advancing the application of emerging technologies through research, education, and direct engagement with industry and the Naval and Joint Force. From NVIDIA GTC 2026 to ongoing AI and autonomy efforts on campus, NPS continues to expand its ability to evaluate and apply new capabilities in operational environments. The newsletter also features perspectives from students and alumni working at the intersection of technology and mission execution, as well as NPS’ continued impact in space, with alumni leading NASA’s Artemis II mission around the Moon. 📩 Subscribe now to stay informed. #FacesofNPS #NavalPostgraduateSchool #NPSFoundation #NPSCommunity #ArtificialIntelligence #MissionImpact #NationalSecurity | NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration | NVIDIA | MITRE

At #NVIDIAGTC 2026, it was clear that as barriers to building AI systems decrease, advantage is moving toward organizations that can apply them effectively, quickly and responsibly. The Naval Postgraduate School and NPS Foundation were there, with the Foundation supporting student and faculty participation and direct engagement with the teams building and deploying systems like NemoClaw for secure, agent-based AI and cuOpt for large-scale optimization. Through that direct engagement, hands on training and early access to emerging tools, NPS is getting ahead of these technologies and developing leaders who can evaluate and apply them in complex operational environments. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gqT3Ek9s #AI #Autonomy #NVIDIA #NPS #Innovation #NationalSecurity #NPSstudent #NPSresearch

At #NVIDIAGTC 2026, it was clear that as barriers to building AI systems decrease, advantage is moving toward organizations that can apply them effectively, quickly and responsibly. The Naval Postgraduate School and NPS Foundation were there, with the Foundation supporting student and faculty participation and direct engagement with the teams building and deploying systems like NemoClaw for secure, agent-based AI and cuOpt for large-scale optimization. Through that direct engagement, hands on training and early access to emerging tools, NPS is getting ahead of these technologies and developing leaders who can evaluate and apply them in complex operational environments. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gqT3Ek9s #AI #Autonomy #NVIDIA #NPS #Innovation #NationalSecurity #NPSstudent #NPSresearch

The success of any acquisition reform is tied to the caliber and readiness of the professionals executing it. Join us online on May 6 & 7 for Accelerating Warfighting Capabilities: NPS 23rd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium & Innovation Summit... ...and discover how the Service Directors of Acquisition Career and Talent Management are working to develop the Department’s most critical asset: its people. 👉 Chaired by Bob Marion, LTG USA, (ret.), this session is titled Empowering the Professional: Shaping the Future of Acquisition Talent and features these speakers: ✴️ Ronald R. Richardson, Jr., Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center and DACM ✴️ Renee King, Acting U.S. Navy Director, Acquisition Talent Management (DATM) ✴️ Ruben Rios, U.S. Air Force Director, Acquisition Career Management (DACM) ✴️ Otis Lincoln, 4th Estate Director, Acquisition Career Management (DACM) (Invited) Panelists will explore how to synchronize efforts to build a modern workforce capable of accelerating warfighting capabilities in a complex global environment. See the full program and complete your registration here: https://lnkd.in/g3tynYPs #acquisition #defense #innovation Naval Postgraduate School Foundation & Alumni Association| Naval Postgraduate School | Naval Warfare Studies Institute at Naval Postgraduate School | Department of Acquisition, Finance, and Manpower at Naval Postgraduate School

It’s almost time for this quarter’s NPS Mix & Mingle! All new and current students, faculty, staff, and their families are invited to kick off the Spring Quarter with an afternoon of connection at the Naval Postgraduate School. 📍 Roman Plunge 📅 Thursday, April 16 🕓 4:30–6:30 p.m. Enjoy food, drinks, and kid-friendly activities, including a bouncy house, in a relaxed setting near the space between the Hotel Del Monte and the tennis courts. 🔗 Learn more and register at: https://ow.ly/Hoow50YyfS8 #NavalPostgraduateSchool #NPSCommunity #RomanPlunge #NPSMixAndMingle #NPSStudents #NPSFaculty #NPSFamilies #CampusEvents #StudentLife #CommunityConnection

“𝐍𝐏𝐒 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝟓𝐆, 𝐀𝐈, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬.” LT Berk Cekli's, MS in Network Operations and Technology ’26, research at Naval Postgraduate School focuses on how 5G-enabled communications, edge computing, and AI-enabled systems can support sensing, targeting, and decision support in distributed maritime operations, particularly in contested environments. Cekli is leading a Monterey Bay experiment in partnership with AT&T and Ocean Power Technologies to evaluate 5G performance in maritime conditions. 📖 Read his full interview: https://lnkd.in/gxjcB9Qf #FacesOfNPS #NavalPostgraduateSchool #NetworkOperations #5G #DefenseInnovation #MaritimeOperations #EmergingTechnologies #5GTechnology #EdgeComputing #MilitaryTech #ArtificialIntelligence #TechInDefense