The Defense & Diplomacy Lab is an interdisciplinary research space dedicated to solving national security, defense, and foreign policy challenges. By working with the government, the military or mission-driven private sector organizations and NGOs, students and faculty help solve wicked or pressing problems that are facing the nation and world at large.

Our Programs

Hacking for Defense (H4D) is an educational initiative that employs design thinking and the Lean Startup model to solve intricate problems within the defense and intelligence sectors. Transdisciplinary student teams engage in weekly interviews with numerous users and experts, constantly refining and prototyping solutions. Originating from Stanford University, the H4D program is now adopted by 20 universities across the US, including Georgia Tech and Georgetown University. Notably, JMU stands as the first institution to exclusively offer this class to undergraduate students. Learn More

A partnership with Stanford University, Hacking for Diplomacy (H4Di) employs innovative research methods to address real-world challenges transcending national borders and posing complex solutions. In this course, student teams tackle actual foreign policy dilemmas using Lean Startup principles such as Mission Model Canvas, Customer Development, and Agile Engineering. They iteratively build prototypes to test their understanding of the problem and proposed solutions, fostering close collaboration with officials from the US Department of State and other civilian agencies. Learn More

Established in 2013 by the US Department of State, Diplomacy Lab is a collaborative effort between the State Department and JMU. It seeks to harness the expertise and passion of students and faculty from universities nationwide to address research pertaining to foreign affairs. This initiative empowers students to directly contribute to the foreign policy-making process while enabling the State Department to engage with a diverse array of academic disciplines. At JMU, students from all majors can participate in projects offered under this initiative. Learn More

Illicit Trade & Geopolitics Executive Institute is a one-week residential executive course teaches illicit trade in a holistic and practical manner, combining both essential theoretical knowledge with real-world practitioner insights and contemporary investigation skills. Participants will...  Learn More