Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Director Stephen Winchelladdressed graduates, faculty and leadership from the U.S. Naval War College (NWC) and Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) during a jointly hosted event on April 20, 2026, in National Harbor, Maryland.
The reception took place alongside the Navy League of the United States’ Sea-Air-Space Exposition.
“This was an extraordinary opportunity for our leadership team and our talented faculty members to connect – or reconnect – with many of our alumni in the DC area,” said NWC President Rear Adm. Darryl Walker. “Our team stays engaged with our graduates all over the world, continuing to not only provide guidance and training through our operational programs, but also staying plugged in to what these accomplished military officers are seeing in the war rooms and on the front lines. Our faculty and our academic leaders keep our curriculum current and relevant, in part, by incorporating the latest lessons learned by our alumni in the fleet.”
Winchell, an NPS graduate, took over as DARPA director in May 2025. He previously led the artificial intelligence and autonomous systems portfolio for the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office and served as chief engineer for its Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team, commonly known as Project Maven.
“It is an honor to share DARPA’s perspective and our commitment to create technological surprise to transform today’s battlefields and dominate future battlefields,” said Winchell. “Like others here, I benefited from educators who inspired relentless exploration and focused on delivering decisive advantage to our warfighters. Based on my meeting with students earlier today, I’m excited by the next generation of creative problem solvers.”
A former submarine officer in the U.S. Navy, Winchell has also been a Presidential Innovation Fellow at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity and taught as a faculty member in the electrical and computer engineering department at the U.S. Naval Academy.
“DARPA is on the cutting edge of military innovation, developing the type of next-generation technology that our adversaries cannot imagine or plan for,” said Walker. “Director Winchell's remarks were informative and motivating for all of us. This is the type of interaction that truly benefits our faculty and alumni alike, as we're able to gain insight into the battlespace of the future, and take another step toward preparing our warfighters to be successful there.”
NPS is located in Monterey, California, and provides defense-focused graduate education, including classified studies and interdisciplinary research, to advance the operational effectiveness, technological leadership, and warfighting advantage of the naval service. Established in 1909, NPS offers master’s and doctorate programs to Department of War military and civilians, along with international partners, to deliver transformative solutions and innovative leaders through advanced education and research.
Established in 1884 in Newport, Rhode Island, NWC informs today’s decision-makers and educates tomorrow’s leaders by providing educational experiences and learning opportunities that develop their ability to anticipate and prepare strategically for the future, strengthen the foundations of peace, and create a decisive warfighting advantage. NWC offers multiple master’s degree track programs, as well as Joint Professional Military Education Phase I and Phase II certifications, fleet maritime operations center certifications and senior officer leadership development courses.