National security expert to speak at UND Nov. 5

Mike Shortsleeve of General Atomics to join President Armacost for UND LEADS national security discussion

The University of North Dakota will welcome national security and intelligence expert Patrick “Mike” Shortsleeve to campus Thursday, Nov. 5, as part of its UND LEADS: Broad Perspectives on National Security speaker series.

The event, hosted by UND President Andrew Armacost, will begin at 2:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union ballrooms.

Shortsleeve is vice president of strategic development at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., a leading developer of unmanned aircraft systems. His 35-year career includes 28 years in the U.S. Air Force, where he served in intelligence leadership roles in Iraq, Afghanistan, NATO and the Pentagon before retiring as a colonel in 2019.

At General Atomics, Shortsleeve oversees strategies supporting the company’s unmanned aircraft systems and emerging technologies for U.S. government customers.

The UND LEADS speaker series brings national experts to campus each fall and to Washington, D.C., each spring to explore key national security issues. The series complements UND’s National Security Initiative, which focuses on research and workforce development.

Learn more and RSVP for the Nov. 5 event.