The University of Rhode Island (URI) is excited to announce the CYPHER Integrated Project Team (IPT) Meetings 2026—an invitation-only forum designed to advance cyber-physical security and resilience for naval and defense-relevant systems by connecting U.S. Navy problem holders with solution developers across government, academia, and industry.

CYPHER IPT 2026 will be held June 15–18, 2026, featuring invitation-only sessions hosted at URI and Rite-Solutions, an Arcfield Company. The preliminary schedule includes:

• June 15 (afternoon) – Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) discussions (Rite-Solutions [Middletown, RI])
• June 16-17 – CYPHER IPT 2026 Open Sessions (URI, [Kingston, RI])
• June 18 (morning) – CUI discussions [Middletown]; lab demos and collaborative project discussions [Kingston]

This invitation-only format combines focused CUI discussions with Open Sessions to support both deep technical alignment and wider collaboration—advancing cyber-physical security and resilience outcomes that deliver tangible benefits for the Navy.

Organizations interested in participating in CYPHER IPT 2026 can request an invitation and receive updates at: [https://web.uri.edu/cypher/].

Accelerating Naval Cyber-Physical Solutions through Cross-Sector Collaboration

The central focus of the CYPHER IPT Meetings is to address U.S. Navy mission capability related to shipboard systems, shipbuilding, power and energy infrastructure, and manufacturing resilience. The IPT format creates a trusted environment where Navy and government stakeholders can articulate real operational challenges, while academic and industry partners work alongside them to generate ideas, align on priorities, and advance practical solutions.

Building on this mission, CYPHER IPT 2026 follows the successful inaugural CYPHER IPT Meetings held July 16–17, 2025, at URI. The 2025 meeting established a strong foundation for a recurring collaboration model centered on real-world outcomes, technical exchange, and workforce development in areas directly applicable to Navy and shipyard operations.

Achievements from the Inaugural 2025 IPT Meetings

The inaugural CYPHER IPT Meetings convened leaders from the Naval Research Enterprise, shipbuilding, defense, and manufacturing industries, national laboratories, and universities for two days of focused engagement. Participants brought expertise spanning cyber-physical security, power and energy systems, artificial intelligence, digital engineering and digital twins, and resilient manufacturing—combining operational perspective with research and implementation experience.

Key outcomes included:

• Direct engagement between Navy stakeholders and researchers to identify Navy-prioritized technology gaps and opportunities in cyber-physical security and resilience.
• Live demonstrations by students and researchers highlighting applied work in cybersecurity, power systems, digital twins, and advanced manufacturing with direct applicability to Navy and shipyard operations.
• Structured breakout discussions that surfaced shared challenges, informed future research directions, and seeded Navy-relevant collaborations.
• Meaningful student involvement, reinforcing workforce development by connecting emerging talent with Navy-relevant technical problems.
• New collaboration teams formed, leading to outcomes such as joint proposal submissions and student exchange opportunities.
• An invitation-only CUI-level discussion on naval applications deepened technical exchange on cyber-physical security and resilience and reinforced alignment between Navy requirements and ongoing R&D.

Looking Ahead to CYPHER IPT 2026

Based on the enthusiasm and actionable feedback from 2025 participants, CYPHER IPT 2026 will expand on the inaugural format by extending the meeting schedule, adding new elements such as mini-tutorials and dedicated networking time, and broadening the invitation-only CUI discussion sessions—now positioned at both the beginning and end of the week—to enable deeper technical exchange and stronger alignment with Navy priorities.

Through sustained, mission-driven engagement among problem holders and solution developers, the CYPHER IPT Meetings help align research and innovation with Navy priorities and speed the path from technical insight to operationally relevant outcomes.

Organizing Committee

The 2025 CYPHER IPT Meetings were organized by a cross-sector leadership team from the University of Rhode Island, Rite-Solutions, and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Building on this foundation, the 2026 organizing committee is expanding into a broader cross-sector leadership team with representation from shipbuilding, advanced manufacturing, naval warfare centers, national laboratories, academia, and industry to further strengthen collaboration and mission alignment.