Kettering University Joins Statewide Consortium to Strengthen National Security Research
Oct 20, 2025
Kettering University has partnered with Michigan’s leading universities to launch an initiative aimed at advancing U.S. national security through cutting-edge research, technology development, and workforce training.
This Consortium, ratified under an agreement with state and federal partners, will deliver mission-essential research in autonomy, energy resilience, advanced manufacturing, cyber-secure operations, and warfighter performance. In addition to research, it will serve as a pipeline of technical talent for the federal workforce—preparing students and faculty to address the nation’s most pressing defense challenges.
“This Consortium is a bold step toward positioning Michigan universities for University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) designation,” said John T. Gutierrez, Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), Executive Director of the Office of Defense & Aerospace Innovation at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “UARC status would bring stable, long-term federal investment, expanded research opportunities, and high-paying technical jobs to the state.”
By aligning Michigan universities around a shared mission, the Consortium establishes the collaborative foundation necessary to pursue UARC designation, positioning the state among a select group of institutions nationally recognized by the Department of Defense for sensitive, high-priority research.
At Kettering, that work is already underway. The university brings one of the nation’s strongest employer networks to the Consortium, with more than 570 Co-op partners worldwide, including aerospace and defense leaders such as General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon.
“Kettering’s model uniquely prepares students to contribute to national security research by immersing them in both rigorous academic study and extended, hands-on professional experience,” said Dr. Scott Grasman, Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Unlike traditional programs where experiential learning is often limited to short-term internships, Kettering students spend nearly half of their undergraduate career embedded in industry settings. This model produces graduates who are not only technically proficient but also adept at problem-solving in complex, high-stakes environments, skills directly transferable to the demands of national security research.”
That pipeline is reinforced through the Michigander Scholars program, a statewide MEDC initiative in which Kettering plays a leading role. With its largest cohort to date, the program not only incentivizes graduates to remain in Michigan but also now includes Aerospace and Defense companies as partners, providing direct pathways into sectors aligned with the Consortium’s mission. To date, more than 150 Kettering students and alumni have been named Scholars, strengthening both Michigan’s defense economy and the nation’s security workforce.
“Retaining Michigan-trained engineering talent in the state is critical for both the Consortium and national security because it ensures that the investments made in education, training, and applied research continue to strengthen local innovation ecosystems,” said Grasman. “Michigan is already a hub for mobility, manufacturing, energy technologies, and defense industry partnerships; keeping highly skilled graduates in the region amplifies this advantage by building a concentrated talent base with specialized expertise.”
Together, these connections, academic rigor, industry collaboration, and state-backed workforce development position Kettering University to expand defense-related research opportunities, accelerate the transition of innovations from lab to field, and prepare the next generation of engineers and scientists to serve the nation’s most pressing security needs.
