ECU connects military, industry and academia to strengthen partnerships

ECU connects military, industry and academia to strengthen partnerships

East Carolina University is strengthening its role as a partner in defense innovation and workforce development by leveraging its faculty expertise in artificial intelligence, logistics and research to solve real-world challenges facing the military and related industries.

ECU's close proximity to several military installations makes it a natural partner to connect faculty, students and professionals that benefit our region and the nation.

"This was a strong example of what an effective partnership looks like," said Dr. Amy McMillan, College of Business associate dean for research and regional transformation. "It's a good reminder that these opportunities only work when there's clear intention behind how they're structured."

The course at ECU is built on IDB's long-standing mission of developing leaders who drive impactful change across defense and industry. This one-week immersive program helps the participants tackle real-world logistics challenges while gaining exposure to cutting-edge practices in data, AI and innovation.

COB faculty members and members of the COB's Office of Expert Services, Dr. John Kros and Dr. John Drake, director of the Center for AI in Business, shared their expertise for the class. The participants brought a problem from their organization in order to fix. After learning about what some of the problems were before the week began, ECU faculty tailor-made the lectures to fit specific needs.

"That doesn't always happen," said John Giltz, retired Marine and program director for IDB. "That was a really powerful approach to this week and was noticed by me, and more importantly, by the participants, that [the professors] really took the time to do that and they didn't have to - didn't ask them to. They did that because they thought it was the right thing to do."

Department of War civilian Tracy Gomes-Robinson works in logistics. She said her favorite part was all of the artificial intelligence information.

"[AI is] where everything is turning, and my mind said, 'bad, bad, bad - it's going to push us out of jobs.' But learning here is how to make me more proficient in my job by using it. So, it is a good tool to have," Gomes-Robinson said. "I don't wish it to take away positions, but I do wish it to lead us into the next step of our generation."

The participants also learned from faculty with the distribution and logistics program in the College of Engineering and Technology about overcoming the unique logistical challenges faced by the defense industry. As part of this, the participants heard from current ECU students from both the COB and CET. In fact, several of the participants gave their best recruitment pitches to the ECU students and shared contact information.

"It could be a win, win, win all the way around," Giltz said. "It was really cool to see that."

"To be able to integrate with the students on campus and see what they're doing and how well they speak to senior leaders in the Department of War and in the military - they were all confident in what they do," said Dr. John Hrabar, retired soldier and current management and program analyst for the Defense Commissary Agency. "It was just great to see and be able to interact with them with the projects that they're currently working on."

Hraber said the Defense Commissary Agency has 235 grocery stores on military installations across the world. He said he really enjoyed the virtual glasses and scanner that ECU students use in the distribution and logistics lab that supports food storage for the Purple Pantry, ECU's food pantry for students experiencing food insecurity.

"I've never seen anything like it - it was really innovative," Hraber said. "I think the AI portion of it with the heads-up display would definitely be able to speed up our warehousing."

On top of the direct education the participants received, they also took time to learn about the expanding defense and aerospace industry in the region. Participants visited with regional partners to see how firsthand how the collaboration between the university and industry translates to the real-world applications of logistics, sustainment and infrastructure integration that directly support Department of War-relevant mission sets.

The group visited and witnessed demonstrations at the N.C. Global TransPark in Kinston and gained valuable insights into aviation-focused logistics and industrial operations through site visits with flyExclusive and Draken International. These engagements strengthened understanding of how private industry partners drive efficiency, innovation and readiness within complex logistics environments.

To organizers, this program could just be the beginning.

Wheeler expressed tremendous appreciation for the strong relationship with IDB, stating, "This on-campus ECU immersion wouldn't be possible without the trust and confidence of IDB leadership we've developed over three years. They've been dedicated innovation partners and collaborators in expanding programming for us to reach learners we haven't in the past."

"What ECU is doing is something to be very proud of," Giltz said.

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