Virginia Tech has been recognized for its prominent role in the nation’s counterintelligence efforts, earning the 2023 Jack Donnelly Award for Excellence in Counterintelligence. This is the second time in five years that the university has received this award, given out annually by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.
The award recognizes companies and institutions with the best counterintelligence results and cooperation in support of the U.S. government’s efforts to detect and stop foreign entities from stealing national security information. John Talerico III, director of the Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance and university facility security officer, said that this award is validation that what they’re doing matters and is working.
Dan Sui, Virginia Tech’s senior vice president and chief research and innovation officer, emphasized the university’s commitment to supporting the counterintelligence community through robust security and counterintelligence programs and deep collaborations with government partners.
Counterintelligence Excellence: Virginia Tech Earns Federal Award
Virginia Tech has been recognized for its outstanding contributions to counterintelligence efforts, earning the 2023 Jack Donnelly Award for Excellence in Counterintelligence. This prestigious award, given by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, acknowledges the university’s exceptional results and cooperation in supporting the U.S. government’s efforts to detect and prevent foreign entities from stealing national security information.
The award is a testament to Virginia Tech’s commitment to protecting its personnel, intellectual property, and ultimately, the country. The university has established robust security and counterintelligence programs, fostering deep collaborations with government partners such as the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, FBI, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service. These partnerships have been instrumental in developing the university’s suspicious contact reporting program, which enables researchers to contribute their expertise to the national security landscape.
University-Wide Commitment to Counterintelligence
Virginia Tech’s senior vice president and chief research and innovation officer, Dan Sui, emphasized the university’s dedication to supporting the counterintelligence community. “We have worked hard to earn a national reputation for our university-wide commitment to supporting the counterintelligence community,” Sui said. This award further reflects Virginia Tech’s robust security and counterintelligence programs, as well as its deep collaborations with government partners.
The Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance plays a critical role in this effort, providing ongoing education and outreach efforts to ensure that faculty, staff, and students are equipped to navigate the complex landscape of counterintelligence. Since January 2023, over 740 individuals have attended one of the 30 education sessions required biannually for those involved in restricted research.
Education and Outreach Efforts
The Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance’s education and outreach efforts are designed to keep the Virginia Tech community informed about emerging threats and counterintelligence implications. These initiatives aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the national security landscape, including legislative developments that impact research security.
John Talerico III, director of the Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance and university facility security officer, emphasized the importance of these efforts. “We’re keeping up with the national landscape, what’s happening on the legislative end, and what’s impacting our ability to do our jobs in the research security space at large,” Talerico said.
Advancing Counterintelligence Efforts
On July 29, the Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance will host a briefing with Luke Baxter, Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency’s cyber counterintelligence special agent for the mid-Atlantic region. This event marks an important step in advancing Virginia Tech’s counterintelligence efforts, providing insights into emerging cyber threats and their counterintelligence implications.
The briefing will cover topics such as artificial intelligence, big data surveillance, post-quantum cryptography, and the increasing vulnerability of personal electronic devices. The event is open to the Virginia Tech community, with both in-person and virtual participation options available. This initiative is expected to be the first in a series of similar sessions that will take place throughout the coming academic year.
By fostering a culture of awareness and education, Virginia Tech is poised to continue its leadership in counterintelligence efforts, protecting its research community and contributing to national security initiatives.
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