\u201cWe also are on the cutting edge of innovation: drones, AI, autonomy, robots. That\u2019s where the future is headed in terms of what our military capabilities need to be,” McCormick said.<\/p>\n
McCormick spoke in a panel discussion with Governor Josh Shapiro and the presidents of two defense manufacturing companies: Hanwha Defense USA and General Dynamics. <\/p>\n
Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi moderated the discussion and touted the university\u2019s ongoing relationship with the U.S. Department of Defense.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Penn State University, (out of) $1.45 billion of research, 30% is from defense, from the DOD,” Bendapudi said. “And we are in the top three universities for what we do for R&D for DOD.\u201d <\/p>\n
The university recently signed a new ten year agreement with the U.S. Army<\/a> to provide environmental, architectural and engineering support services. <\/p>\n So far this year, a Penn State spokesperson says the Department of Defense has awarded the university more than $500 million. Most of it is going to the university\u2019s Applied Research Lab<\/a>, which is one of 15<\/a> DOD designated University Affiliated Research Centers in the country. <\/p>\n Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi (left) moderated a panel discussion Wednesday, July 15 at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit in Carlisle.<\/p>\n “There are a number of institutions over the years that have been reluctant to engage on the defense side, and I don’t think that problem exists at all in Pennsylvania,” said Danny Deep, the president of General Dynamics.<\/p>\n Deep said Pennsylvania’s higher education institutions, like Penn State and Carnegie Mellon University<\/a>, should double down on U.S. defense partnerships and start training students sooner. <\/p>\n![\"Penn](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784575569_810_.jpeg\"\/)
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