National Defense Society
501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization
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National Security Day
November 14, 2025
STEW202, Stewart Center​
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National Security Day focuses on educating the Purdue community about the complexities and importance of the national security industry, emphasizing the critical need to innovate and adapt in order to stay ahead of emerging global threats.
9:00 AM | STEW202 | Opening Remarks
Ms. Armand Destin, Former National Defense Society Treasurer and Defense Civilian Training Corps Scholar
9:10 AM | STEW202 | Overview of National Security Complex
Dr. Ken Patel, Sandia National Laboratories
9:30 AM | STEW202 | Distinguished Speaker Addresses
Ms.Tyfani Lanier, Engineering Director and Chief Engineer, Pantex Plant
10:15 AM | STEW202 | NNSA National Laboratories Panel
Dr. Dan DeLaurentis, Executive Vice President for Research, Purdue University (Moderator)
Dr. Patricia Falcone, Deputy Director for Science & Technology at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Dr. Patrick Fitch, Deputy Lab Director for Science, Technology, & Engineering at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Dr. Doug Kothe, Associate Lab Director and Chief Research Officer at Sandia National Laboratories
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11:30 AM | STEW202 | Cyber Deterrence Panel
Dr. Sorin Matei, Purdue College of Liberal Arts, Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Studies (Moderator)
VADM Aeschbach, USN (Ret), Former Commander of NAVINFOR
Mr. David Luber, Former NSA Director of Cybersecurity
Distinguished Speakers
Dr. Patricia Falcone
Deputy Director for Science and Technology at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
Dr. J. Patrick Fitch
Deputy Laboratory Director for Science, Technology, and Engineering (DDSTE) at Los Alamos National Laboratories.
Dr. Douglas Kothe
Associate Laboratories Director (ALD) for Advanced Science and Technology and Chief Research Officer at Sandia National Laboratories.​​
Ms. Tyfani Lanier
Engineering Director and Chief engineer at PanTeXas Deterrence, LLC​​
Cyber Deterrence Panel Members
VADM Kelly Aeschbach, USN (Ret)
VADM Aeschbach most recently served as the Commander of Naval Information Forces (NAVINFOR). Her previous roles include Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence and Director, National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Strategic Command, in Omaha, Neb., and Deputy Director of Intelligence at Headquarters, Resolute Support, Afghanistan. She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for SAIC.
Mr. David Luber
Mr. Luber served for over 37 years in myriad roles to include Director of Cybersecurity. Deputy Director of Cybersecurity, Executive Director (EXDIR) for U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), Director of NSA Colorado, Program Director within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, and Chief of NSA’s Remote Operations Center, Tailored Access Operations, and Computer Network Operations.
Dr. Sorin Matei (moderator)
​Dr. Sorin Matei holds several roles at Purdue including the College of Liberal Arts Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, FORCES Executive Director. In these roles, he designs and manages strategic initiatives for forward-looking institutional projects and grant programs in social science research with a focus on national defense, security, and international strategy.