On a recent Friday afternoon, Marine Corps General and U.S. Congressman Jake Auchincloss positioned himself at the forefront of a packed MIT classroom in Building 1 and advocated for the modernization of America’s armed forces to address the challenge posed by China. Part of his argument included reallocating resources from the U.S. Army to strengthen the Marines, Navy, and Air Force.
When the session turned to questions, numerous hands were raised. One individual expressed disagreement with Auchincloss’ vision for the Army, although he acknowledged that his perspective was shaped by his active role in the Army’s Special Forces. Another participant inquired about the future of wartime technology. This questioner also had relevant experience, as he serves on the board of a Ukrainian drone manufacturing firm. Following that, an MIT student posed an inquiry on artificial intelligence.
Course 15.362/6.9160 (Engineering Innovation: Global Security Systems) diverges from the standard MIT curriculum. It instructs students on the most urgent global security challenges and encourages them to construct viable prototypes within a dynamic semester. Throughout the process, participants hear from senior military officials, MIT faculty, government representatives, startup entrepreneurs, and more, learning about the realities of warfare and effective methods for developing innovative solutions.
“To my knowledge, this is the only class globally that operates in this manner,” states Gene Keselman MBA ’17, a lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves who helped establish the course. “Although other classes may attempt something alike, they rely on intermediaries. In this course, the Navy SEALs are present in the classroom, collaborating directly with students. By educating students in this fashion, we are providing exposure to experiences they wouldn’t encounter elsewhere.”
At the start of the semester, students divide into interdisciplinary teams comprising both undergraduate and graduate participants. Each team is paired with mentors possessing extensive military backgrounds. From this point, students learn how to identify a problem, outline potential solutions, and present their prototypes to active service members they aim to assist.
They receive critiques on their concepts and refine them as they progress through various presentation benchmarks during the semester.
“The results are twofold,” notes A.J. Perez ’13, MEng ’14, PhD ’23, a lecturer within the MIT School of Engineering and a research scientist with the Office of Innovation, who developed the engineering design curriculum for the course. “There are the prototypes, which could tangibly impact warfighters, and the knowledge students acquire from navigating the process of problem definition and prototype creation. The prototype itself is significant, but the class’s methodology cultivates skills applicable across diverse fields.”
The course organizers assert that although this is only the second iteration of the class, it resonates with MIT’s extensive history of collaborating with the military.
“MIT has established remarkably productive relationships with the Department of Defense since World War II,” Keselman explains. “We created advanced radar systems that contributed to winning the war and initiated the military-industrial complex, which includes institutions like the MIT Lincoln Laboratory and MITRE. It’s part of our ethos, embedded in our culture, and serves as yet another facet of our commitment to lead in challenging technology and address the world’s toughest issues. This class couldn’t exist at any other university in this country.”
Harnessing student enthusiasm
Similar to numerous initiatives at MIT, the class originated from a hackathon. For several years, college students enrolled in the U.S. Armed Forces’ Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program gathered at MIT for a weekend hackathon aimed at addressing specific military challenges.
Last year, Keselman, Perez, and their colleagues decided to establish the class to provide MIT’s ROTC cadets additional time to focus on their projects while allowing them to earn academic credit. However, when Keselman and Perez announced a course dedicated to tackling issues within the armed services, numerous non-ROTC MIT students enrolled.
“We recognized there was considerable interest in national security at MIT beyond the ROTC cadets,” Keselman elucidates. “National security is undeniably significant to many individuals, presenting compelling challenges not found elsewhere. I believe this attracted students from across MIT.”
Approximately 25 students participated during the inaugural year, addressing a challenge that impeded U.S. Navy SEALs from safely carrying lithium-ion batteries onto submarines. This year, the organizers, which include senior faculty members Fiona Murray, Sertac Karaman, and Vladimir Bulovic, found themselves unable to accommodate everyone interested, leading to an expansion into room 1-190, a larger lecture hall. They also introduced graduate-level credits and were better prepared for heightened student interest.
More than 70 students registered this year from 15 various MIT departments, as well as Harvard College, Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Kennedy School. Student teams comprise undergraduates, graduates, engineers, and business scholars, many of whom have military experience, with each group having access to mentors from organizations such as the Navy, Air Force, Special Operations, and the Massachusetts State Police.
“Last year, a student remarked, ‘This class is unusual, and that’s precisely why it needs to endure,’” Keselman recalls. “It is unusual. It’s atypical for so many disciplines to converge, with a Congressman present along with Navy SEALs and personnel from the Army’s Delta Force, all sharing the same space. Some are active-duty students, some serve as mentors, but it creates an extraordinary blend. I believe it reflects the very essence of what MIT represents.”
Transforming projects into military initiatives
This year’s class assignment challenges students to devise countermeasures for autonomous drone systems, whether they operate in the air or at sea. Throughout the semester, teams have developed solutions focused on early drone detection, categorization, and responses. These solutions also have to integrate AI and take domestic manufacturing capabilities and supply chains into account.
One group is employing sensors to identify the acoustic signature of airborne drones. In a live demonstration during class, they showcased a system that would only alert on a potential threat once it detected a specific consistent pitch associated with the electric motor of an airborne drone.
“Nothing drives MIT students quite like a real-world problem they understand to be of genuine significance,” Perez states. “At the core of this year’s challenge is how we safeguard individuals from drone attacks. They take the process earnestly.”
Last year, the military allocated a $2 million program to further develop one student’s project for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
“Students acquire vital skills to become product design engineers,” Perez states. “The tangible outcomes include inventions, prototypes, academic publications, and proposals aimed at furthering technological advancements.”
Organizers have also discussed extending the course into a year-long program, allowing teams to evolve their projects into tangible products in collaboration with entities at institutions such as Lincoln Laboratory.
“This class is cultivating collaboration between academia and government,” Keselman asserts. “It represents a genuine partnership rather than merely a funding initiative. Government representatives visit MIT, engage in classroom activities, and witness what truly unfolds here — they consistently express admiration for the impressive nature of the work being done.”