ORI Distinguished Speaker Series on National Security: Fireside Chat With Rebecca Torzone

2026-11-13

ORI Distinguished Speaker Series on National Security: Fireside Chat With Rebecca Torzone

November 13, 2026

9:00 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Business College Building, Room N130

Building the Innovation Ecosystem: Talent, Technology, and Partnerships

Drawing on her leadership experience overseeing engineering, fabrication, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain organizations in the aerospace and defense sector, Rebecca Torzone will discuss how AI, advanced manufacturing, and other dual-use technologies are reshaping the innovation landscape. The conversation will focus on building resilient innovation ecosystems, strengthening critical supply chains, accelerating the transition of emerging technologies, and preparing future talent to meet evolving national security and societal challenges.

Moderated by Shashank Priya, MSU vice president for Research and Innovation, the event is co-hosted with the Broad College of Business.

Rebecca Torzone, Mission Systems Sector VP and GM Airborne Multifunction Sensors Division

About the Speaker

Torzone spearheads initiatives aimed at transforming mission readiness and battle management for the Defense Department and its global partners. Her division focuses on equipping customers for tomorrow’s battlefield today, emphasizing enhanced decision-making and force readiness. With over 25 years of experience in the aerospace and defense industry, Torzone has overseen a diverse array of programs across multiple domains and locations. She previously served as the Sector Vice President and General Manager of the Combat Systems and Mission Readiness Division, as well as the Chief Growth Officer of Defense Systems, where she directed strategy, business development, and customer engagement initiatives across the sector's global network. Before these roles, Torzone led the Missile Products business, recognized as an industry leader in the development and production of tactical rocket motors for various air, space, sea, and land-based systems. She also served as Vice President of Engineering and Sciences for the Airborne Sensors and Networks Division. Torzone holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a master’s degree in Computer Science from Colorado Technical University, and a master’s degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Additionally, she completed the Executive Strategy program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She serves on the board of directors for the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation and the Women’s Foreign Policy Group.

Shashank Priya, Vice President for Research and Innovation

About the Moderator

Shashank Priya, Ph.D., is the vice president for Research and Innovation at Michigan State University, where he provides visionary leadership for the institution’s research enterprise, advancing a bold strategic agenda that elevates discovery, accelerates innovation, and amplifies the university’s global impact. A distinguished materials engineer and accomplished scholar with more than two decades of research leadership, Priya has driven pioneering advances in piezoelectrics, magnetoelectrics, flexible photovoltaics, and thermoelectrics. His work has not only expanded the frontiers of science but has also been successfully translated into industry applications, exemplifying innovation with impact. Committed to excellence, collaboration, and integrity, Priya is advancing MSU’s research mission by strengthening infrastructure, expanding strategic partnerships, and accelerating the translation of innovative discoveries into real-world solutions that address society’s most pressing challenges.

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