Paulo Shakarian, the K.G. Tan Endowed Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Syracuse University, has been selected as a member of the Defense Science Study Group (DSSG), a prestigious fellowship program that connects the nation’s leading science and engineering academics with U.S. national security challenges.
DSSG is administered by the nonprofit Institute for Defense Analyses and sponsored by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology. Founded in 1986, the program selects members from a pool of more than 150 highly qualified nominees, with criteria including academic excellence, breadth of interests and geographic distribution.
Shakarian, who joined the College of Engineering and Computer Science in 2025, directs the Leibniz Lab, a research group focused on neurosymbolic AI, temporal logic programming and metacognition. His work spans the intersection of artificial intelligence and security – areas with direct relevance to national defense.
“I am honored to be selected for the DSSG and looking forward to engaging with our senior military leaders on their technical problems,” says Shakarian. I think at Syracuse we are well-positioned to develop the next set of critical technologies to support the warfighter, and we can further build on our strong defense relationships through the DSSG.”
Shakarian brings a combination of academic achievement and military service to the fellowship. He served as a U.S. Army major from 2002 to 2014, completing two combat tours in Iraq and earning the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal for valor. He previously held faculty positions at West Point and Arizona State University, where he earned tenure and served as research director of the School of Computing and AI.
His academic record includes more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, four best-paper awards, 12 issued patents and eight published books. He has secured more than $7 million in grant funding and his AI-based vulnerability prediction research was commercialized through a startup that raised more than $8 million in venture capital before being acquired in 2022.
“Syracuse University has long been a leader in artificial intelligence research and engagement with critical national security challenges, while also maintaining a strong commitment to veterans’ education and service,” said Alex Jones, Chair of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department. “Dr. Shakarian’s appointment to the Defense Science Study Group further solidifies his standing as a recognized leader among leaders in AI, cybersecurity and defense innovation. We are proud to have him serving in this prestigious role as a member of our Electrical Engineering and Computer Science faculty and look forward to the impact his participation will have for both the university and the broader national security community.”
DSSG members participate in a two-year program that includes visits to military installations, intelligence agencies and defense laboratories, as well as meetings with senior Pentagon officials, members of Congress and White House staff. Members also produce original research studies on national security topics of their choosing.
Shakarian’s selection adds to a series of high-profile recognitions in recent months, including a featured emerging trends presentation at the 40th Annual Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence Conference in Singapore in January 2026 and a contract award through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to develop cybersecurity solutions for hospital systems.