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[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw7yLyt1AlM]

The ���񱦵� is offering a new class this semester that has a unique twist for its students. The class, called “Hacking for Defense”, is the result of a partnership between CU and the Rocky Mountain Region of MD5, which is the liaison between the U.S. Department of Defense and ���񱦵�. 

Twenty-five students were selected to help solve national security problems using entrepreneurial approaches. Federal agencies pose different problems to each group, and throughout the semester, groups will meet with different companies to develop a product or system that will solve their assigned problem. 

“We all independently kind of ranked which problems and which projects we wanted to work on and then the professors or our mentors kind of mapped out who should work on what based on our background and understanding,” MBA student Tucker Ash said.

Tucker is a member of one of the five teams working together this semester. His team is focused on proposing a solution to the asymmetric warfare group, working to learn how to detect and map underground tunnels. Another team is focusing on finding a way to detect autonomous drones. 

The teams are responsible for presenting their research and partnerships to their mentors in class, and eventually demonstrating their results to federal agencies.

Professor Dan Massey, a former program manager for Homeland Security, said, “If you’re looking for a class that’s a challenge, this is for you. We’re going to make you work and push you out of your comfort zone constantly.” 

Massey will offer this class in future semesters, and he said he looks forward to working with the talented students who plan on applying. “Hacking for Defense” is open to students of all majors and levels, but applicants should be aware that the class requires hours of personal time and commitment. According to Tucker, the dedication is worth the opportunity to connect with various companies and federal agencies around the nation.