Retired General Paul Nakasone, who was named as the founding director of the Vanderbilt Institute for National Security earlier this year, received the 2024 William Oliver Baker Award, given in honor of the former president of Bell Labs and a longtime Presidential science advisor.
Nearly 700 intelligence, defense and national security professionals gathered at a Washington, D.C. dinner in June to celebrate Nakasone’s contributions as former commander of U.S. Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service.
“This recognition is more than a personal milestone. It is a testament to the collective effort, dedication and brilliance of those I’ve had the privilege to work with throughout my career,” Nakasone said in remarks at the award dinner. “The landscape of global security is evolving at an unprecedented pace, presenting us with complex and multifaceted threats. China, cybersecurity, and the generational change in our workforce are just a few of the pressing issues that require our immediate and sustained attention.”
Previous recipients of the award have included numerous intelligence and political luminaries, such as former CIA Director George Tenet; longtime U.S. Senator John Warner; and former U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. The award was established in 1984 and is given annually by the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, a nonprofit focused on public discourse and education about intelligence and national defense.
In addition to his leadership role at the Institute, Nakasone is Distinguished Research Professor of Engineering Science and Management and special advisor to Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier.