13th Annual Hume Center National Security Colloquium

About the Event

You are invited to join us for the 13th Annual Hume Center Colloquium on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the Squires Student Center on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia.

This signature event brings together students, faculty, industry leaders, and government partners for an afternoon of meaningful engagement and knowledge exchange. The program will showcase dynamic poster presentations from our graduate and undergraduate students, highlighting innovative research and experiential learning initiatives conducted throughout the academic year. Featured topics include artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, autonomy, secure communications, and other emerging technologies critical to the intelligence and defense communities.

In addition to student presentations, the colloquium will include interactive roundtable discussions led by industry and government professionals, providing valuable opportunities for dialogue, mentorship, and collaboration.

We are especially honored to welcome Mr. George C. Barnes, former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency, for a fireside chat as part of our keynote address. 

Event Itinerary at a Glance:

• Roundtable Sessions: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (scheduled based on availability)
• Poster Session: 2:30 PM – 4:45 PM (Commonwealth Ballroom)
• Keynote Address: 5:00 PM (Haymarket Theater)

For additional information, please contact the Hume Center for National Security and Technology at humecenter@vt.edu.