Once again, senior American defense leaders are taking note of the research destination Mississippi has become. I recently hosted the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology, Aprille Ericsson, in Vicksburg.

Together, we visited the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers innovation headquarters, called the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). The trip was a chance for Mississippians to introduce senior Pentagon staff members to the dynamic research ecosystem we have created in our state.

Showcasing Mississippi’s Assets

In Congress, one of my priorities is to make sure the Department of Defense (DOD) understands and taps into Mississippi’s national security contributions. Our meetings at the ERDC facilities lived up to that goal.

Assistant Secretary Ericsson and I witnessed demonstrations by researchers who are developing tools to support our warfighters. We received an update on robotics development and water purification projects. ERDC staff described tests they are running on state-of-the-art simulators. One of those tests is built to study the effect of explosives on buildings, and another evaluates the success of scale-model ship designs in water. All of these initiatives benefit service members stationed abroad as well as public works projects here at home.

Connecting Mississippi Universities With Defense Leaders

During our visit, I also hosted a meeting between DOD officials and leaders from many of Mississippi’s higher education institutions. The group included both our Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as well as our larger research schools. In their conversations, military and university leaders discussed ways to increase their teamwork.

Amazing breakthroughs can emerge when academia collaborates with the DOD. This month’s discussion at ERDC built on the success of an event I organized last year, which brought educators together with representatives from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The timing of our visit coincided with another encouraging development. This week, a group of leaders met at the University of Mississippi to make progress on a National Center for Narrative Intelligence. This center is a one-of-a-kind institution. It has been attracting the best and brightest from private industry, military, and higher education. Together, they will use technology to analyze ways governments – including some of our most dangerous adversaries – manipulate mass digital communications.

In last year’s national defense legislation, I included language calling for an institution like this to be established, and I am encouraged to see it coming to life.

I have also been working to find other ways to facilitate stronger connections among academia, business, and our armed forces. Last year, I introduced bills to support research activity at HBCUs. I have also passed legislation supporting the development of unmanned aerial and maritime systems along the coast and at several universities around the state – an effort which relies on coordination among those groups.

Every year, federal officials distribute research funding to American universities. They have too often overlooked institutions in the heartland. In 2022, when Congress was debating the CHIPS and Science Act, I began changing that. I secured more grant money for colleges and universities in states like ours. As my meetings at ERDC demonstrated, Mississippi can perform at the highest levels when given a chance.

In Congress, I serve as the highest-ranking Republican on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. My role allows me to put Mississippi’s skills and potential on full display at the federal level. I intend to continue shining a spotlight on our state’s resources so that we are given even more of these opportunities. This work creates jobs, attracts talent, and makes our nation safer – all at the same time.