Hume Seminar Series: Emerging Technology at Leidos

About the Event:

Get an inside look at how Leidos is using cutting-edge technologies, particularly those powered by NVIDIA, to transform the way mission-driven applications are developed and deployed. Students will gain insight into real-world approaches to building and optimizing models for operational environments, including GPU-accelerated training and strategies for efficient model deployment.

This event will also dive into practical tradeoffs between on-premises and cloud-based computing infrastructure, offering a grounded perspective on how Leidos makes critical technology decisions in high-stakes settings. Leidos will introduce evolving developer workflows enabled by tools like Nemo, NemoClaw, and OpenClaw, highlighting how these innovations are reshaping collaboration, speed, and capability in national security contexts. 

About the Speaker:

Mr. Cedric A. Bernard is a Senior AI Engineer with the Leidos AI Accelerator.

He focuses on developing and deploying advanced machine learning solutions for mission-driven applications. His work spans model optimization, GPU-accelerated training, and the integration of emerging technologies to support real-world national security challenges. Prior to his current role, Cedric contributed to autonomous systems development as a software engineer, building software for fully autonomous maritime surface vessels.

Cedric earned his Master of Engineering in Computer Science and Applications from Virginia Tech in 2023, where he further developed his expertise in artificial intelligence and applied computing. With a strong foundation in both research and applied engineering, he brings a practical, systems-oriented perspective to the evolving role of AI in national security.