The hidden side of national security

Contrary to popular belief, national security is not about building fighter planes or nuclear arsenals. When done right, it protects citizens and reduces artillery on the ground without any fanfare. 

On a recent episode of "Lab Coat Optional," host Pete Zrioka is joined by Nadya Bliss, executive director of the Advanced Capabilities for National Security Institute at Arizona State University. With over 25 years of experience working in the intersections of intelligence, defense and research, Bliss argues that when national security is done well, we aren’t supposed to hear about it.

In this Q&A, Bliss delves into the hidden side of national security and what ASU is doing to bolster our defenses. 

Note: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity.

Question: When most people hear the phrase “national security,” what do you think they picture and what is really missing from that image? 

Answer: I imagine people think about armed conflict. But I would actually say that's like a teeny-tiny tip of the iceberg. I think one of the biggest things that people don't quite connect to national security is the amount of foundational research that ended up leading to transformations in our day-to-day lives. So things like artificial intelligence, social media, online existence, etc. — all of that kind of comes back with its roots to the national security research community. 

Q: We're at a university, and I think some people might wonder how universities fit into the national security picture alongside defense contractors and military labs. Can you explain how we fit into that?

A: There's a number of different ways. But universities play a vital part in developing the most advanced capabilities for the U.S. intelligence community. So things like the internet, GPS, stealth, Siri, vaccines and prosthetics. People often don't think about it, but the Department of War funds I think almost as much basic research as NSF.

Q: I would love if you gave me kind of a snapshot of some of your focal areas and also the type of people who are working on them. 

A: I think ASU is particularly uniquely positioned as an interdisciplinary research powerhouse to address the most complex problems in national security. We do have computer science aspects of cybersecurity and aerospace engineering. But we also have folks that think about psychology, political science and emerging trends in economic security. So all of those capabilities I think are incredibly important. 

Watch the full episode below, or listen on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.