Center of Next Speaker Series
The Center of Next: Speaker Series
Edge in the Sky: UAS and the Future of Defense Technology
Thursday, October 23rd, 2025
Program: 4-5p.m.
Reception: 5-6p.m.
Virginia Tech Academic Building One
3625 Potomac Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22305
There is no cost for this event. This event is open to the public. Registration is required for badging purposes.
There’s never been a more important time to ask what’s next for technology, defense, and innovation—and Virginia Tech is stepping up to lead that conversation. The Center of Next Speaker Series, in partnership with Virginia Tech’s new Institute for Advanced Computing, is our new stage for big ideas, bold voices, and forward-looking dialogue that reaches far beyond campus.
Our first session, Edge in the Sky: UAS and the Future of Defense Technology, brings together experts from across academia, industry, and government to unpack one of the most urgent challenges of our time: defending against unmanned aerial systems. We’ll spotlight the newly funded Virginia Tech Counter-UAS Research & Testing Center—a first-of-its-kind hub designed to advance real-world solutions at the cutting edge of defense and security.
Join us to be part of the conversation shaping the future.
Special Guests:
- Jason Bales, Chief Technology Officer, CACI International
- Kirk Cameron, Interim Director, Virginia Tech Institute for Advanced Computing
- Brian Karlisch, Partner, Lunch Pail Ventures
- Tombo Jones, Director, Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership
- Eric Paterson, Executive Director, Virginia Tech National Security Institute
Join us to:
- Engage with Experts – Hear directly from leaders in defense, industry, and academia working on the cutting edge of UAS research and technology.
- Discover New Frontiers – Learn how Virginia Tech’s Counter-UAS Center is positioning the U.S. to address rapidly evolving security challenges.
- Network in a Unique Setting – Connect with innovators, policymakers, and industry leaders at Virginia Tech’s state-of-the-art Academic Building One.
- Connect with Lunch Pail Ventures – Explore how a global community of Hokie founders, investors, and entrepreneurs is fostering high-growth startups and creating new opportunities at the intersection of academia, industry, and innovation.