The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the University of Maryland (UMD) have jointly opened the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) on the College Park campus.

Located in the University of Maryland’s Discovery District, ARLIS is one of 14 designated Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) in the nation. The UARC aims to solve intelligence and security problems using research and science through a long-term, strategic relationship with academia.

Dr. Kathleen Hicks, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, said the United States faces advanced, dynamic and persistent threats from state and non-state actors. “ARLIS will meet this challenge by taking a human-centered approach to security and intelligence matters,” she said.

ARLIS offers engagement with the broader academic community through the Intelligence and Security University Research Enterprise (INSURE) consortium. INSURE enables responsiveness to emerging needs and access to specific expertise through partnerships with other U.S. academic institutions, including those traditionally underrepresented in DoD contracting such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

ARLIS is also committed to workforce development through the Research in Intelligence and Security Challenges (RISC) intern program, which offers undergraduate and graduate students a chance to apply their knowledge to real-world problems and provides a pipeline to careers in the intelligence and security fields.