The Intelligence Analysis Program is an active participant in a cooperative agreement between the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and JMU. This agreement has resulted in the NGA developing project ideas for students and faculty to work on that are of interest to the NGA, and then arranging for NGA analysts and scientists to directly mentor and advise the students and faculty members working on those projects. In many cases, the results of these student projects have been of great interest to the NGA, and students and faculty have been asked to present briefs on them.

Geospatial Intelligence is a multidisciplinary (political, economic, military, etc.) approach to using the technologies of overhead collection platforms (such as satellites, aircraft, and drones), which carry multiple types of sensors (such as radar and infrared), to help decision-makers in dealing with real and important problems.  Other relevant skills include database management and data visualization.  Geospatial intelligence is increasingly used in many fields, including climate change, disaster response, urban planning, supply chain management, and telecommunications, among many others.  USGIF is the professional organization that brings together people in business, government, the military, and academia to foster progress and cooperation in the field.  USGIF sponsors conferences, workshops, scholarships, and other benefits for both students and faculty.  JMU is one of only 19 universities in the United States accredited to offer USGIF’s Geospatial Intelligence Certificate, which is administered in conjunction with JMU’s Geography Program.

JMU/IA is a founding member of the Intelligence Studies Consortium. The Intelligence Studies Consortium (ISC) was established in 2018 by the National Intelligence University (NIU) to promote communications and cooperation between academic and government organizations. The ISC provides an organized forum for the member universities to work together, exploring issues and engaging in solutions that improve national security. The participating universities have national security focused academic programs and unique relationships with many government agencies; the ISC seeks to develop these relationships and provide an integrated forum to discuss critical intelligence issues.

The College of Integrated Science and Engineering Industry Partners Program seeks to foster a meaningful and sustained partnership between students, faculty, staff, and industry leaders who share a common purpose of improving our world through the cultivation of integrated science, technology, and engineering.

Our faculty currently collaborate with a wide range of private-sector partners, ranging from larger companies like Verizon and MITRE to smaller, local businesses such as Vine and Fig and Trout Unlimited. Most of these collaborations focus on student involvement in addressing the challenges that these companies face. Our students benefit by being able to put their knowledge and skills to work on a real-world challenge, and our partners benefit from our students’ strong academic preparation and their willingness to think creatively yet pragmatically. Learn more about our Industry Partners Program.