USF and defense agencies headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base sign landmark agreement

By Tina Meketa, University Communications and Marketing

The University of South Florida has signed two of its largest defense contracts with U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command - both headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base.

The USF Institute of Applied Engineering is leading a $3.8 million project that brings together interdisciplinary faculty experts from across the university - assisting the U.S. Department of Defense in developing a roadmap to enhance its combat capabilities over the next 5-10 years.

Director of Engineering Peter Jorgensen is working closely with colleagues in the College of Engineering, Muma College of Business, Global and National Security Institute and others, focusing on the many facets of warfare, including its relation to supply chain management, national security and policy.

"The Institute of Applied Engineering is able to leverage intellectual capital from academia, government and industry in order to provide the most well-rounded, independent analysis and range of solutions for our governmental partners," Jorgensen said. "We take pride in being that independent voice to bring the best solution to the warfighter."

This contract is one of nearly 70 projects produced for SOCOM since its $85 million contract was signed in 2020. Now entering its final year, the roadmap project is the largest to be fully led by USF researchers. Other high-profile projects have included faculty from other universities and agencies, such as a study on brain injuries in Special Operations Forces and the creation of the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.

USF has also launched its most significant partnership with the 6th Air Refueling Wing and CENTCOM's J-8 Directorate, which develops strategies for the combatant command. This is part of a series of four similar projects worth more than $1 million that look to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to develop indexes that are based on political, economic and environmental factors in the Middle East. In addition to the Global and National Security Institute and Muma College of Business, this project will also utilize multidisciplinary resources from the College of Arts and Sciences and the USF Libraries, which will conduct literature reviews to help build the indexes using data, structure and formulas.

"The CENTCOM partnership in the area of human dynamics and strategic influence offers an exciting opportunity to engage in cross-disciplinary research and scholarship that educates future leaders and develops the next generation of security professionals to help build a safer world," said Randy Larsen, associate dean in the USF College of Arts and Science's Office of Research and Scholarship.

The SOCOM contract has been so successful, the IAE has increased its engineering staff by 25%, growing from 21 researchers to 27 over the last three years - helping Tampa Bay retain its technical expertise. USF students are actively involved in many of its cutting-edge research projects, obtaining internships with security clearance, many of which have turned into full-time jobs.

USF also recently joined the NATO Communications and Information Agency - which oversees NATO's technology and cyber expertise. As the international agency continues to enhance its technological capabilities and services, it will leverage USF's talent and leadership in solving global challenges. The university will also participate in the NCIA annual conference, which is scheduled to be hosted in Tampa this December.