Burak Oktenli
Developing operational governance architectures that enable safe, accountable, and controllable deployment of autonomous systems in critical infrastructure, national security, and safety-critical autonomous environments. These architectures function as control layers governing how authority is granted, restricted, and recovered within autonomous systems. This work focuses on authority lifecycle control, decision integrity, and fail-safe recovery mechanisms that maintain human oversight in high-speed human-machine environments.
This research integrates physical testbeds, simulation platforms, and formal architectural design.
Research Mission
The Problem. Autonomous systems in defense and civilian transportation make decisions faster than humans can intervene, yet no standardized architecture enforces real-time authority governance. DoD Directive 3000.09 requires human control over autonomous weapons but lacks a technical enforcement mechanism. Nearly 40,000 Americans die annually in traffic crashes; NHTSA has documented 1,429 AV incidents (2021-2025); and the SELF DRIVE Act of 2026 (H.R. 7390) now mandates cybersecurity plans for "false vehicle control commands" — but no validated reference architecture exists to implement these requirements.
The Gap. Policy frameworks (NIST AI RMF) establish principles but do not enforce them in hardware. Planning-layer safety systems (Mobileye RSS, NVIDIA SFF, SOTIF) constrain behavior but do not govern whether commands reach actuators. Software-only monitors can be bypassed. What is missing: a hardware-enforced architectural layer that continuously evaluates sensor trust, computes graded authority, enforces deliberation windows, and cuts actuator authority through a fail-safe when trust degrades — deterministically, in real-time, without firmware involvement.
My Contribution. Seven governance architectures managing the full authority lifecycle — trust evaluation, authority computation, command gating, consensus, deliberation, deception detection, and recovery:
- SATA — Sensor trust attestation using weighted Dempster-Shafer fusion with cross-sensor validation (Patent: U.S. Provisional 64/002,453)
- HMAA — Four-level authority computation (A3-A0) with asymmetric hysteresis: immediate downgrade, 5-15s delayed upgrade (Patent: 63/999,105)
- CARA — Deterministic GREP-phase recovery: Govern → Restrict → Execute → Persist, with mutual exclusion (Patent: 64/000,170)
- MAIVA — Byzantine fault-tolerant multi-agent consensus with CUSUM-augmented anomaly detection
- FLAME — Mandatory deliberation windows preventing safety-critical actions without sustained authority (Patent: 64/005,607)
- ADARA — Adversarial deception detection computing P(adversarial) from cross-sensor consistency and temporal anomalies
- ERAM — Escalation risk quantification for AI-enabled command-and-control decision compression
These are documented in four U.S. provisional patent submissions, twelve DOI-registered Zenodo records (including research papers with full simulation data for the rover testbed, UAV platform, BLADE-EDGE defense platform, BLADE-AV automotive platform, BLADE-MARITIME maritime platform, and BLADE-INFRA critical infrastructure platform), and twelve SSRN papers on AI governance and national security policy. Total: 24 published works with public DOIs and permalinks.
Hardware Implementation. Six physical platforms demonstrating governance at increasing operational capability:
- Rover Testbed — 37 components, ~$484, SATA-HMAA-CARA pipeline, 350 simulation runs across 7 fault scenarios, TLA+ verified (48,751 states, 8 safety properties). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19143190.
- UAV Platform — 52 components, ~$4,200, MAVLink/HIL bridge for Cube Orange+ integration, 250 simulation runs across 5 adversarial scenarios, Monte Carlo campaign. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19128769.
- BLADE-EDGE — 72 components, ~$139K, defense-grade directed-energy weapon governance. Dual Jetson AGX Orin + dual Zynq UltraScale+ FPGA. 9-module pipeline, MIL-STD-810G, hardwired safety interlock relay. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19177472.
- BLADE-AV — 62 components, ~$16K, autonomous vehicle drive-by-wire governance. 9-module pipeline, three-leg redundant KILOVAC LEV200 fail-safe relay. ISO 26262 ASIL-D, SAE J3016 L4. 1,200 runs, zero unsafe actions. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19232130.
- BLADE-MARITIME — 84 components, ~$43K, maritime surveillance governance. 9-module pipeline with hydroacoustic sonar, MAD, AIS spoofing detection, and sea-state authority damping. IP68 / MIL-STD-810G. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19246785.
- BLADE-INFRA — 92 components, ~$12K, critical infrastructure governance. 9-module pipeline with ICS/SCADA integration (IEC 61850, Modbus, PROFINET). SIL 3 / NERC CIP / FIPS 140-2. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19277887.
All four BLADE platforms share the same governance pipeline on Zynq UltraScale+ FPGA — demonstrating domain-agnostic portability across defense (DoDD 3000.09), automotive (ISO 26262), maritime (MIL-STD-810G), and critical infrastructure (SIL 3 / NERC CIP). Combined: 2,800+ experimental runs, zero unsafe actions, four domains on one pipeline.
Simulation and Verification. Thirteen browser-based simulations with seeded PRNG for bit-exact reproducibility. G*Power justified sample sizes, Bonferroni correction, Shapiro-Wilk normality tests. All run client-side with zero dependencies — any reviewer can independently verify results.
Current Status. Georgetown University M.P.S. Applied Intelligence (STEM, in progress). B.Sc. Computer Science Engineering (USF, 3.45 GPA). MBA International Business (Lynn, 4.0 GPA). Governance architectures published on Zenodo under CC BY 4.0; ERAM published on SSRN. Next-phase: physical validation, TLA+/UPPAAL formal verification, ROS 2/Gazebo HIL testing, and ASIL-D certification pathway. This research program is informed by progressive professional experience across data governance, infrastructure security, and critical infrastructure systems — see Professional Background below — and sustained engagement with the defense, aerospace, and AI communities through industry conferences and professional societies.
Authority Lifecycle Governance
Assignment, delegation, monitoring, and revocation of operational authority in autonomous decision systems. Implemented in HMAA (U.S. Provisional 63/999,105). 42-file Python package, 98 tests, TLA+ verified (48,751 states). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18861653.
Fail-Safe Control Recovery
Deterministic recovery protocol for authority lockout events with GREP phased recovery and terminal non-compensatory policy gate. Implemented in CARA (U.S. Provisional 64/000,170). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18917790.
Decision Integrity Monitoring
Hardware-anchored sensor trust computation using weighted Dempster-Shafer fusion with cross-sensor validation and adversarial dynamics. Implemented in SATA (U.S. Provisional 64/002,453). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18936251.
Escalation Risk Assessment
Quantitative framework for decision-time compression and escalation pathway modeling in AI-enabled command-and-control systems. Documented in the ERAM framework. Published on SSRN.
Flash War Latency Control
FLAME: deterministic latency injection middleware preventing autonomous escalation in multi-domain command environments. 5-state Circuit Breaker State Machine, Dynamic Delay Function D(A, tier, domain). Patent: U.S. Provisional 64/005,607. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19015618.
Multi-Agent Trust Verification
MAIVA: Byzantine-resilient swarm trust aggregation with CUSUM-augmented detection, graduated escalation, and DoDD 3000.09 action gate classification. 37 self-tests, TLA+ specification. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19015517.
Adversarial Deception-Aware Risk
ADARA: proactive deception prior adjusting authority based on P(adversarial). Deception Probability Engine with Bayesian update and Phantom Fleet detection. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19043924.
UAV Governance Platform
HMAA-UAV: authority-governed flight autonomy for contested environments integrating SATA-HMAA-CARA into a 52-component UAV with Cube Orange+ and Jetson Orin NX. 250 simulation runs across 5 adversarial scenarios. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19128769.
Rover Testbed Platform
Authority-governed rover implementing the full 8-stage SATA-HMAA-CARA pipeline on a 37-component dual-compute platform (RPi5 + ESP32). 350 simulation runs, 7 fault scenarios, zero unsafe actions. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19143190.
BLADE-EDGE Governance Node
Defense-grade edge computing platform implementing all seven governance architectures on dual-redundant Jetson AGX Orin + Zynq UltraScale+ FPGA. 72 components, 103 connections, MIL-STD-810G rated. Hardware-enforced safety interlock. ~$139K prototype BOM. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19177472.
BLADE-AV Governance Node
Authority-governed drive-by-wire safety architecture for autonomous vehicles. 9-module pipeline on Jetson AGX Orin + Zynq UltraScale+. Three-leg redundant KILOVAC fail-safe. 62 components, 1,200 simulation runs, zero unsafe actions. ISO 26262 ASIL-D. ~$16K BOM. Cross-domain portability validated against BLADE-EDGE. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19232130.
BLADE-MARITIME Governance Node
Authority-governed maritime surveillance node with hydroacoustic sonar, magnetic anomaly detection (MAD), and AIS spoofing detection. Four maritime mathematical extensions: D-S fused trust, recursive AIS deception-risk, sea-state authority damping α(H), acoustic-delay-aware Byzantine consensus. 84 components, IP68 / MIL-STD-810G / MIL-STD-461G CE102. Third domain instantiation. $43K total BOM. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19246785.
BLADE-INFRA Governance Node
Authority-governed critical infrastructure protection node for ICS/SCADA systems, power grid monitoring, water treatment, and pipeline operations. IEC 61850 GOOSE, Modbus TCP/RTU, PROFINET IO. Pilz PNOZ S7.1 SIL-3 safety relay. 92 components, IP65, NERC CIP, FIPS 140-2 Level 3. Fourth domain instantiation. $11,590 BOM. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19277887.
Research Mission &
National Interest
This research addresses a critical technical gap: how authority is assigned, monitored, degraded, revoked, and recovered in autonomous systems where decisions occur faster than human reaction time. The proposed endeavor is evaluated under the Dhanasar three-prong framework for EB2-NIW national interest waiver eligibility.
1. Substantial Merit & National Importance
Development of operational governance architectures for autonomous systems deployed in U.S. national security, defense, and critical infrastructure. Addresses priorities identified by DoD Directive 3000.09, DARPA Assured Autonomy, NIST AI RMF, NHTSA AV Framework, and the SELF DRIVE Act of 2026 (H.R. 7390). Cross-domain portability across defense (DoDD 3000.09), automotive (ISO 26262 ASIL-D), maritime (MIL-STD-810G), and critical infrastructure (SIL 3 / NERC CIP).
2. Well Positioned to Advance
Four U.S. provisional patents filed, 24 published works (12 Zenodo DOIs + 12 SSRN papers), seven governance architectures, six hardware research platforms, thirteen interactive simulations producing 2,800+ experimental runs with zero unsafe actions. Advanced degree: Georgetown University M.P.S. Applied Intelligence (STEM). B.Sc. Computer Science Engineering (USF). 140+ professional credentials including IEEE, AIAA, ACM, AAAI, INFORMS, NDIA, and Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society memberships. Active industry engagement across defense, aerospace, AI, and manufacturing trade shows and conferences.
3. Benefit to the United States
Fills gaps identified by Congress (H.R. 7390 cybersecurity requirements), NHTSA (1,429 AV incidents 2021-2025), and DoD (autonomous weapons governance). Supports defense modernization, automotive safety, maritime security, and critical infrastructure resilience. Prevents autonomous escalation (FLAME), detects adversarial manipulation (ADARA), and provides cryptographically auditable authority chains. Cross-domain portability demonstrated across four operational domains on one architectural foundation.
Includes Dhanasar analysis, research programs, future roadmap, policy impact, and deployment scenarios
Independently Verifiable
Documentation
HMAA: U.S. Provisional No. 63/999,105 (March 7, 2026)
CARA: U.S. Provisional No. 64/000,170 (March 9, 2026)
SATA: U.S. Provisional No. 64/002,453 (March 11, 2026)
FLAME: U.S. Provisional No. 64/005,607 (March 14, 2026)
All four submitted via USPTO Patent Center. Awaiting review.
HMAA: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18861653 ↗
CARA: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18917790 ↗
SATA: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18936251 ↗
MAIVA: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19015517 ↗
FLAME: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19015618 ↗
ADARA: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19043924 ↗
HMAA-UAV: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19128769 ↗
Testbed: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19143190 ↗
BLADE-EDGE: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19177472 ↗
BLADE-AV: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19232130 ↗
BLADE-MARITIME: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19246785 ↗
BLADE-INFRA: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19277887 ↗
View All on Zenodo ↗Georgetown University listed on Zenodo publication records. M.P.S. Applied Intelligence program (STEM-designated), School of Continuing Studies.
ORCID 0009-0001-8573-1667, verified researcher identity linking publications, patents, and institutional affiliation.
Verify on ORCID ↗Publication index with citation tracking and research metrics.
Verify on Google Scholar ↗Policy and strategic research papers on AI governance, escalation risk, and national security.
Verify on SSRN ↗Research profile with publication metrics, full-text access, and academic networking.
View on ResearchGate ↗STEM-OPT authorized employment at Blue.Cloud (Tampa, FL, 2021–2024). Data governance and cloud infrastructure in regulated environments.
IEEE Member (#102193505) · AIAA Student Member (#1936005) · ACM Member (#9952787) · AAAI Member (#656504) · INFORMS Member (#2009712) · NDIA Member (#1700222) · Sigma Beta Delta Lifetime Member (#2007930) · CompTIA Security+ · CISSP Domain 1 · NIST RMF · NIST 800-171 · NIST CSF · AI in National Security (SCSP) · AI Strategy (Oxford/Wharton).
View All 140+ Credentials ↗Active participation across defense, manufacturing, and technology sectors: SHOT Show (2024, 2026 — defense and tactical technology), EMO Hannover 2023 (world's leading manufacturing trade fair, Germany), SupplySide West 2025, Israel Tech Week 2025 (defense-tech and AI), and Miami AI Hub community. Seven professional society memberships (IEEE, AIAA, ACM, AAAI, INFORMS, NDIA, Sigma Beta Delta).
View Full Engagement ↗Thirteen browser-based interactive simulations implementing the governance architectures. Evaluation Protocol ↗ and research frameworks (HMAA, CARA, SATA, FLAME, MAIVA, ADARA, ERAM, HMAA-UAV, Rover Testbed, BLADE-EDGE, BLADE-AV, BLADE-MARITIME, and BLADE-INFRA). All run client-side with real-time computation and verifiable outputs.
View Simulations ↗Six physical implementations at increasing capability: Rover Testbed (37 components, ~$484), UAV Platform (52 components, ~$4,200), BLADE-EDGE Governance Node (72 components, ~$139K, MIL-STD-810G, defense-grade), and BLADE-AV Governance Node (62 components, ~$16K, ISO 26262 ASIL-D), BLADE-MARITIME (84 components, ~$43K, IP68/MIL-STD-810G, maritime), and BLADE-INFRA (92 components, ~$12K, SIL 3/NERC CIP, infrastructure). Full BOMs, schematics, and blueprints published.
View Research Projects ↗Academic Training
Governance Architectures
for Autonomous Systems
Sensor Attestation & Trust Anchoring (SATA)
Hardware-anchored τ-Chain protocol producing continuous trust scalar τ ∈ [0,1] from TPM attestation records for autonomous mission authority.
Human-Machine Authority Architecture (HMAA)
Real-time authority computation engine with six-tier HMAS spectrum. Research platform: 42-file Python package with 98 tests, 7 validated experiments, TLA+ formal verification (48,751 states), Dempster-Shafer trust fusion, and deterministic simulation traces.
Adversarial Deception-Aware Risk Architecture (ADARA)
Proactive deception prior: A_adj = A_hmaa × (1 - λ × P_deception). Computes P(adversarial) from input anomalies, temporal correlation, cross-sensor consistency, and Bayesian mission history. Phantom Fleet detection module.
Multi-Agent Integrity Verification (MAIVA)
Byzantine-resilient swarm trust aggregation (3f+1 BFT), CUSUM-augmented detection, graduated escalation, DoDD 3000.09 action gates. 37 self-tests, TLA+ specification.
Flash War Latency Architecture (FLAME)
Strategic Latency as engineered system. Dynamic Delay Function D(A, tier, domain), 5-state Circuit Breaker with crypto-signed transitions, Keep-Alive heartbeat protocol.
Control Authority Regulation Architecture (CARA)
Deterministic authority recovery via GREP phases I-IV with non-compensatory terminal gate. 10M-iteration verification, 68-state control-flow enumeration.
Escalation Risk Assessment Model (ERAM)
Decision-time compression analysis for AI-enabled C2 systems. Quantitative framework modeling how authority integrity degrades across interconnected multi-domain environments.
Problem, Solution, Impact
All architectures presented in this work are components of a unified authority-governed autonomy framework. SATA evaluates system trust, HMAA computes authority constraints, CARA enforces recovery behavior, MAIVA governs multi-agent participation, FLAME regulates decision timing, ADARA detects adversarial deception, and ERAM quantifies escalation risk in command-and-control environments. Together, these components form a structured approach to controlling autonomous systems under uncertainty. The BLADE-EDGE Governance Node implements all seven architectures in a single defense-grade device, and the BLADE-AV Governance Node demonstrates automotive portability under ISO 26262, and the BLADE-MARITIME Governance Node extends the pipeline to maritime surveillance under MIL-STD-810G, and the BLADE-INFRA Governance Node extends it to critical infrastructure protection under SIL 3 / NERC CIP.
Interactive Technical
Demonstrations
View All Repositories
Each simulation below is a fully functional, browser-based implementation of the corresponding architecture or technical report. These are not mockups; they execute the actual algorithms described in the filed patent disclosures and published specifications, with real-time computation, cryptographic operations, and verifiable outputs.
HMAA Simulation
Full implementation of the real-time authority computation engine. Includes the six-tier HMAS authority spectrum, live calculator with parameter sliders, escalation sweep analysis, EW hysteresis modeling, Monte Carlo tier distribution (n=1000), determinism proof, RTB failsafe timeline, multi-run overlay comparison, fault-tolerance analysis, uncertainty quantification, and a complete compliance audit with safety case. Companion Python research platform: 42 files, 98 tests, 7 experiments, TLA+ verification (48,751 states), Dempster-Shafer fusion engine.
CARA Simulation
Full implementation of the deterministic authority recovery protocol. Includes the live GREP phase calculator, adversary model analysis, 68-state control-flow replay, parameter space heatmap, and the non-compensatory terminal gate that makes CARA structurally irreducible to any utility-maximization framework.
SATA Simulation
Real-time sensor attestation engine computing the continuous trust scalar τ ∈ [0,1] consumed by HMAA. Implements TPM-anchored cryptographic chain verification, Monte Carlo trust distribution analysis, FMEA/FTA fault trees, live finite state machine visualization, and DoDAF OV-1 architecture views. All cryptographic operations run in-browser using WebCrypto.
FLAME Simulation
A novel technical architecture implementing Strategic Latency as an engineered system. Includes a Latency Injection Engine (LIE) middleware, the Dynamic Delay Function D(A, tier, domain), a formal 5-state Circuit Breaker State Machine (NOMINAL, CAUTION, HOLD, FREEZE, LOCKOUT) with cryptographically signed transitions, Keep-Alive heartbeat protocol with safe-mode link failure defaults, domain-tier risk heatmap, and physical interlock reset verification.
MAIVA Simulation
Byzantine-resilient swarm trust aggregation extending HMAA to multi-agent environments. Implements trimmed weighted median aggregation (3f+1 BFT), three-layer CUSUM-augmented anomaly detection, graduated escalation with per-level action permissions, DoDD 3000.09 action gate classification, sensitivity analysis, WCET profiling, and a 14-tab PDR briefing package. 37 self-tests run automatically on load. TLA+ formal specification included.
ADARA Simulation
A novel proactive deception prior architecture that adjusts authority downward pre-emptively based on P(adversarial). Implements a Deception Probability Engine computing adversarial likelihood from input distribution anomalies, temporal correlation patterns, cross-sensor consistency, and Bayesian mission history updates. Deception-Adjusted Authority: A_adj = A_hmaa × (1 - λ × P_deception). Includes Phantom Fleet detection module for AI-hallucinated hostile force scenarios.
Cross-Domain Escalation Risk Monitoring
Strategic monitoring layer that quantifies escalation risk across interconnected autonomous command nodes spanning defense, automotive, maritime, and critical infrastructure domains.
ERAM Strategic Command Simulator
Quantitative cross-domain escalation risk framework for AI-enabled command and control. Computes Decision Compression Ratio (DCR), Authority Chain Integrity (ACI), Cascade Risk Index (CRI), Escalation Probability P(esc), and Human Recovery Window (HRW) across interconnected multi-domain autonomous nodes in real time. AUTHREX tactical command interface with boot sequence, AUTHREX Triforce logo, hex grid background, and CRT scanline overlay. Live ERAM pipeline monitor overlay tracking SATA, HMAA, CARA, MAIVA, FLAME, and ADARA status across all connected nodes. Six validated scenarios spanning Flash War multi-domain engagement, AV intersection conflict, maritime GPS spoofing, infrastructure cascade, cross-domain defense-to-civilian bleed, and HOTL override under extreme decision compression (DCR=200). 600 Monte Carlo simulation runs with seeded Mulberry32 PRNG (0x4F7A2C1E) for bit-exact reproducibility. Real-time 3D topology visualization using Three.js with dynamic node connections, cascade propagation, and Byzantine injection attack testing.
Hardware Research Platforms
Six physical platforms implementing the governance architectures at increasing operational capability. Each published with full BOM, schematics, and interactive simulators.
HMAA-UAV Governance Simulator
Controlled experimental platform for UAV flight autonomy under adversarial and degraded conditions. Executes the complete SATA trust fusion, HMAA authority computation, command gating, and CARA recovery pipeline in real-time. Includes GPS spoofing/jamming, RF loss, camera obscuration, and compound attack scenarios with MAVLink/HIL bridge support for Cube Orange+ hardware integration. 250 structured simulation runs across 5 scenarios.
Rover Testbed Governance Simulator
Controlled experimental platform for rover autonomy under adversarial and degraded sensor conditions. Executes the complete 8-stage SATA trust fusion, HMAA authority computation, and CARA recovery pipeline in real-time with configurable fault injection. 350 structured runs across 7 scenarios with zero unsafe actions. TLA+ verified safety properties.
BLADE-EDGE Governance Simulator
Complete 9-module defense governance pipeline: SATA → ADARA → IFF → HMAA → MAIVA → FLAME → CARA → BDA → EFFECTOR. Multi-target tracking with Hungarian algorithm WTA optimizer assigning laser, kinetic, and dazzle effectors. 6 threat scenarios with real-time beam suitability (β_beam), 3D collateral clearance, thermal management, and battle damage assessment. Defense-grade hardware specification: 72 components, MIL-STD-810G.
BLADE-AV Governance Simulator
9-module governance pipeline for autonomous vehicle drive-by-wire control: SATA → ADARA → IFF → HMAA → MAIVA → FLAME → CARA → BDA → EFFECTOR. Three-leg redundant KILOVAC fail-safe relay model. 12 attack scenarios including adversarial ML, V2X spoofing, and compound attacks. 1,200 simulation runs with zero unsafe actions. Seeded PRNG for bit-exact reproducibility. ISO 26262 ASIL-D target architecture.
BLADE-MARITIME Governance Simulator
9-module maritime governance pipeline with four domain-specific extensions: Dempster-Shafer fused trust (hydroacoustic + MAD), recursive AIS phantom vessel deception detection, continuous sea-state authority damping α(H), and acoustic-delay-aware Byzantine consensus. 84-component hardware specification. Split-screen mission map (GIUK Gap). 13 fault injection scenarios. HITL WebSocket bridge (MAVLink/ROS 2).
BLADE-INFRA Governance Simulator
9-module governance pipeline for ICS/SCADA protection with vintage CRT terminal live mode. 92-component hardware specification. Power grid fault (IEC 61850 GOOSE), water treatment overdose (Modbus TCP), and pipeline leak (Modbus RTU) scenarios. Sensitivity analysis, fault tree analysis, and MITRE ATT&CK for ICS mapping.
These simulations implement the published architectures and research frameworks. HMAA, CARA, SATA, MAIVA, FLAME, ADARA, ERAM, HMAA-UAV, Rover Testbed, BLADE-EDGE, BLADE-AV, BLADE-MARITIME, and BLADE-INFRA execute published specifications and research architectures. All run entirely client-side with real-time computation and verifiable outputs.
View Evaluation Protocol ↗ — Scenarios, metrics, baselines, and reproducibility
Research Projects
Governance Architecture Projects
Seven governance architectures forming a unified authority lifecycle framework. Each is published with a DOI on Zenodo, implemented as an interactive simulation, and connected to six physical research platforms: Rover Testbed (~$484), UAV Platform (~$4,200), BLADE-EDGE (~$139K), BLADE-AV (~$16K), BLADE-MARITIME (~$43K), and BLADE-INFRA (~$12K).
Real-time authority computation engine. Four-level state machine (A3-A0) with hysteresis transitions. TLA+ verified: 48,751 states, 8 properties, 98 tests.
View Project DetailsDeterministic recovery for authority lockout. Four-phase GREP pipeline (Guard, Reduce, Evaluate, Promote) with terminal non-compensatory policy gate.
View Project DetailsFoundation trust layer using weighted Dempster-Shafer belief functions. Four diagnostics: internal consistency, cross-sensor agreement, temporal stability, physical plausibility.
View Project DetailsStrategic Latency as a formal system. 5-state Circuit Breaker with Dynamic Delay Function D(A, tier, domain) preventing autonomous escalation in multi-domain command.
View Project DetailsByzantine-resilient swarm trust aggregation. Trimmed weighted median resistant to f adversaries in 3f+1 rosters, CUSUM anomaly detection, DoDD 3000.09 action gates.
View Project DetailsProactive deception prior adjusting authority via P(adversarial). Deception Probability Engine with Bayesian update. Phantom Fleet detection for AI-hallucinated hostile scenarios.
View Project DetailsEscalation risk quantification across interconnected autonomous command nodes. Models how autonomous actions cascade across domain boundaries. 6 scenarios, 600 Monte Carlo runs.
View Project DetailsHardware Research Platforms
Six physical platforms implementing the governance architectures at increasing levels of operational capability. Each is published as a complete reproducible artifact package with full hardware specifications, simulation data, and assembly documentation.
A low-cost experimental platform for studying authority-governed autonomy in safety-critical robotic systems under contested conditions. Implements SATA trust evaluation, HMAA mission authority control, and CARA recovery enforcement in a dual-compute rover architecture (Raspberry Pi 5 + ESP32). 37 verified components, 76 electrical connections, 7 defined experiments. Platform cost under $500.
View Project Details
A trust-governed autonomous drone where every flight decision is evaluated by sensor trust fusion (SATA), authority governance (HMAA), and recovery logic (CARA). Cube Orange+ flight controller with NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX AI companion computer. 52 verified components, 48 electrical connections, 49 mechanical assemblies. Carbon fiber quadcopter frame.
View Project Details
A rugged, portable edge computing device serving as the ethical decision-making authority for autonomous defense platforms. Implements the complete 9-module governance pipeline (SATA → ADARA → IFF → HMAA → MAIVA → FLAME → CARA → BDA → EFFECTOR) on dual-redundant Jetson AGX Orin + Zynq UltraScale+ hardware. 72 components, 103 connections, MIL-STD-810G rated. Hardware-enforced safety interlock (normally-open relay). ~$139K prototype BOM.
View Project Details
Authority-governed drive-by-wire safety architecture for autonomous vehicles. 9-module governance pipeline on Jetson AGX Orin + Zynq UltraScale+. Three-leg redundant KILOVAC fail-safe relay. 62 components, 1,200 simulation runs, zero unsafe actions. ~$16,287 BOM. Cross-domain portability validated against BLADE-EDGE defense variant.
View Project Details
Authority-governed maritime surveillance node with hydroacoustic sonar, magnetic anomaly detection (MAD), and AIS spoofing detection. Four maritime mathematical extensions to the BLADE governance pipeline. 84 components, IP68 enclosure, MIL-STD-461G CE102 power chain. Third domain instantiation: defense → automotive → maritime.
View Project Details
Authority-governed critical infrastructure protection node for ICS/SCADA systems, power grid monitoring, and industrial process control. IEC 61850 GOOSE, Modbus TCP/RTU, PROFINET IO integration. Pilz PNOZ S7.1 SIL-3 safety relay. 92 components, IP65 DIN-rail enclosure. Fourth domain instantiation: defense → automotive → maritime → critical infrastructure.
View Project DetailsResearch Papers
& Policy Analysis
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01
CARA: A Deterministic Authority Recovery Architecture for Human-Machine Authority-Gated Autonomous SystemsZenodo · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18917790 · Georgetown University 2026 Patent Disclosure
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02
HMAA: An Operational AI Governance Engine for Real-Time Authority Computation in Autonomous SystemsZenodo · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18861653 · Georgetown University 2026 Patent Disclosure
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03
Sensor Attestation and Trust Anchoring (SATA): A Hardware-Anchored τ-Chain Protocol for Autonomous Mission Authority — Technical Assurance Report v3.8.9Zenodo · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18936251 · Georgetown University 2026 Patent Disclosure
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04
MAIVA: Multi-Agent Integrity Verification Architecture — Byzantine-Resilient Trust Aggregation for Autonomous Action Authorization, v5.17Zenodo · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19015517 · Georgetown University 2026 Technical Report
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05
FLAME: Flash War Latency Architecture for Multi-Domain Escalation Control, v5.11Zenodo · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19015618 · Georgetown University 2026 Patent Disclosure
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06
ADARA: Adversarial Deception-Aware Risk Architecture, v10.0-R12Zenodo · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19043924 · Georgetown University 2026 Software
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07
Authority-Governed UAV Autonomy for Contested Environments: Integrating Sensor Trust Fusion, Dynamic Authority Control, and Deterministic Recovery, v1.0
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08
Authority-Governed Assured Autonomy Rover Testbed: System Architecture, Governance Design, and Reproducible Artifact Package, v1.0
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09
BLADE-EDGE: A Deterministic Governance Simulation Framework for Multi-Agent Decision Systems, v5.0.3
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BLADE-AV Governance Node: Authority-Governed Drive-by-Wire Safety Architecture for Autonomous Vehicles, v1.0
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BLADE-MARITIME Governance Node: Authority-Governed Maritime Surveillance Node with Hydroacoustic, MAD, and Multi-Modal Sensor Fusion, v2.3
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BLADE-INFRA Governance Node: Authority-Governed Critical Infrastructure Protection Node for ICS/SCADA Systems, v6.0
All papers publicly available on SSRN with individual permalink URLs. These are working papers, not peer-reviewed publications.
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13
ERAM: Escalation Risk in AI-Enabled Command and ControlSSRN · ID 6176802 2026 Policy Paper
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14
The Governance of Velocity: Doctrine, Entanglement, and Risk in the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) EraSSRN · ID 6083970 2026 Policy Paper
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15
AI-Enabled Military Decision-Making and Escalation Risk: Human-Machine Command Authority in Great Power CompetitionSSRN · ID 6082847 2026 Policy Paper
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16
Strategic Subterranean Domain Awareness: A Comprehensive Technical and Operational Evaluation of Next-Generation AI-Fused Counter-Tunnel ArchitecturesSSRN · ID 6046594 2026 Policy Paper
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17
The Strategic Convergence: AI Has Outpaced Human Clearance ModelsSSRN · ID 5940814 2025 Policy Paper
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18
The Strategic Convergence: Risk-Adaptive AI for Reducing Insider Exfiltration and Improving Forensic ReadinessSSRN · ID 5919022 2025 Policy Paper
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19
Strategic Assessment: The Operationalization of Artificial Intelligence in U.S. Defense DoctrineSSRN · ID 5909983 2025 Policy Paper
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20
Shadows in the Marketplace: Operational Doctrine for Project AURELIUS (AI-Driven Economic Counter-Warfare)SSRN · ID 5897442 2025 Policy Paper
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21
The Strategic Convergence: Microreactor Technology as the Foundation for AI Hyperscale AutonomySSRN · ID 5867163 2025 Policy Paper
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22
If Snowden Were an AI: Military Defense in the Age of Autonomous IntelligenceSSRN · ID 6186118 2026 Policy Paper
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23
Physics-Based Analysis of Submarine Surface Signatures: Hydrodynamic Mechanisms, Detection Theory, and Countermeasure ConstraintsSSRN · ID 6233601 2026 Policy Paper
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24
Orbital Authority: Governance Architecture for Autonomous Space OperationsSSRN · ID 6519544 2026 Policy Paper
- Energy Resilience for AI-Dependent Systems: Infrastructure Security in Autonomous Operational Environments
AUTHREX Systems
AUTHREX Systems is a research initiative demonstrating authority lifecycle governance infrastructure for autonomous systems. It integrates the seven governance frameworks, four BLADE hardware platforms, and thirteen validated simulations developed through this research program into a single unified platform — providing end-to-end authority control across defense, maritime, infrastructure, and autonomous vehicle domains.
Standards Alignment: DoDD 3000.09 (Autonomy in Weapon Systems), NIST AI RMF 1.0 (AI Risk Management), MIL-STD-882E (System Safety), ISO 26262 ASIL-D (Automotive), IEC 61508 SIL 3 (Industrial), NERC CIP (Energy Grid), FIPS 140-2 Level 3 (Cryptographic).
Technology Readiness Levels
Current TRL assessment across all governance architectures and hardware platforms, aligned with DoD/NASA TRL definitions. The research program targets TRL 6 (system demonstration in relevant environment) by Q2 2027.
| Component | TRL | Status | Evidence (DOI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMAA (Authority) | TRL 4 | Validated in lab — 42-file Python package, 98 tests, TLA+ spec | 10.5281/zenodo.18861653 |
| SATA (Sensor Trust) | TRL 4 | Validated in lab — Dempster-Shafer fusion, cross-sensor attestation | 10.5281/zenodo.18936251 |
| CARA (Recovery) | TRL 3 | Proof of concept — GREP 4-phase recovery, deterministic state machine | 10.5281/zenodo.18917790 |
| MAIVA (Consensus) | TRL 3 | Proof of concept — Byzantine fault-tolerant swarm consensus | 10.5281/zenodo.19015517 |
| FLAME (Deliberation) | TRL 3 | Proof of concept — 5-state circuit breaker, deliberation windows | 10.5281/zenodo.19015618 |
| ADARA (Deception) | TRL 3 | Proof of concept — cross-sensor anomaly correlation | 10.5281/zenodo.19043924 |
| ERAM (Escalation Risk) | TRL 3 | Proof of concept — escalation risk quantification for C2 decision compression | SSRN (published) |
| BLADE-EDGE (Defense) | TRL 3 | Design complete — 72 components, BOM specified, simulation validated | 10.5281/zenodo.19177472 |
| BLADE-AV (Automotive) | TRL 3 | Design complete — 62 components, ISO 26262 ASIL-D targeted | 10.5281/zenodo.19232130 |
| BLADE-MARITIME (Maritime) | TRL 3 | Design complete — 84 components, IP68/MIL-STD-810G targeted | 10.5281/zenodo.19246785 |
| BLADE-INFRA (Infrastructure) | TRL 3 | Design complete — 92 components, SIL 3/NERC CIP targeted | 10.5281/zenodo.19277887 |
| Rover Testbed (UGV) | TRL 4 | Validated in lab — 37 components, physical platform documented | 10.5281/zenodo.19143190 |
| UAV Platform | TRL 4 | Validated in lab — 52 components, physical platform documented | 10.5281/zenodo.19128769 |
TRL Progression Target: Current portfolio spans TRL 3–4 (proof of concept through lab validation). FPGA governance bitstream commissioning (Q3 2026) and physical testbed flight validation (Q4 2026) target TRL 5–6. SBIR Phase II proposal planned for Q4 2026.
Terminology Mapping
This research uses domain-specific terminology developed within the AUTHREX framework. The table below maps these terms to equivalent concepts in the broader academic and standards literature, enabling cross-referencing with established research communities.
| AUTHREX Term | Standard Academic / Industry Equivalent | Key References & Communities |
|---|---|---|
| Authority Lifecycle Governance | Runtime Assurance (RTA), Supervisory Control, Safe Autonomy | ASTM F3269-21, DARPA Assured Autonomy, Simplex Architecture |
| HMAA (Authority Computation) | Adjustable Autonomy, Shared Autonomy, Sliding Autonomy, Levels of Autonomy (LOA) | Sheridan & Verplanck (1978), Parasuraman et al. (2000), SAE J3016 |
| SATA (Sensor Trust) | Sensor Fusion Integrity, Remote Attestation, Trust Anchoring, Trusted Computing | TPM 2.0 (TCG), Dempster-Shafer Theory, NIST SP 800-193 |
| CARA (Recovery Protocol) | Safe Control, Fail-Safe Design, Graceful Degradation, Control Barrier Functions (CBF) | IEC 61508 (SIL), ISO 26262 (ASIL), MIL-STD-882E |
| MAIVA (Multi-Agent Trust) | Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT), Distributed Trust, Multi-Robot Coordination, Swarm Safety | Lamport et al. (1982), PBFT (Castro & Liskov), IEEE RAS |
| FLAME (Deliberation Windows) | Strategic Latency, Human-on-the-Loop (HOTL), Meaningful Human Control, Escalation Management | DoDD 3000.09, ICRC Position on AWS, Horowitz (2016) |
| ADARA (Adversarial Detection) | Adversarial Machine Learning, Anomaly Detection, Intrusion Detection, Spoofing Detection | Goodfellow et al. (2014), NIST AI 100-2e2023, MITRE ATT&CK |
| ERAM (Escalation Risk) | Decision Compression, C2 Risk Assessment, Flash War Theory, AI Safety in Military Systems | Scharre (2018), NSCA Final Report (2021), JADC2 Doctrine |
| Trust Scalar τ ∈ [0,1] | Confidence Score, Belief Mass, Trust Metric, Safety Margin | Dempster-Shafer (1976), Subjective Logic (Jøsang), DO-178C |
| BLADE Platform Family | Runtime Monitor, Safety Controller, Watchdog System, Independent Safety Monitor | Simplex (Sha et al.), AEEC RTCA DO-254, UL 4600 |
Why distinct terminology: The AUTHREX framework introduces new terminology because it addresses the complete authority lifecycle — from sensor trust evaluation through authority computation, deliberation, consensus, recovery, and escalation risk — as a unified architectural stack. Existing terms address individual components (e.g., "runtime assurance" covers monitoring but not authority graduation; "shared autonomy" covers levels but not hardware-enforced trust gating). The AUTHREX vocabulary reflects this end-to-end integration while maintaining precise mappings to established concepts.
Dual-Use Application Matrix
The same governance pipeline that prevents catastrophic failures in military systems directly addresses high-liability scenarios in commercial autonomous operations. Each defense application maps to a corresponding civilian use case through the same underlying framework.
| Defense Application | Framework | Commercial Application | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fratricide prevention under EW spoofing | SATA + ADARA | Autonomous trucking: forced override during sensor degradation | ISO 26262 ASIL-D |
| UAV swarm under Byzantine compromise | MAIVA | Warehouse robot fleets: isolating malfunctioning units | ISO 10218 |
| Maritime GPS spoofing into foreign waters | ADARA + ERAM | Commercial shipping: preventing spoofing-induced rerouting | IMO MASS Code |
| SCADA command injection in contested ops | FLAME + CARA | Industrial SCADA: deliberation before automated load-shedding | NERC CIP / SIL 3 |
| Directed energy under degraded sensor trust | HMAA + SATA | AV drive-by-wire authority gating under perception failure | SAE J3016 L4 |
| Flash escalation in multi-domain command | FLAME + ERAM | Financial trading: deliberation windows before large automated trades | SEC Rule 15c3-5 |
Cross-Domain Portability: Every row above uses the same governance SDK with different YAML configuration files. The governance logic is identical — only the sensor types, effector types, and regulatory thresholds change.
Professional Background
This experience reflects progressive work across data governance, infrastructure security, operational technology, and critical infrastructure systems. Each role contributed domain-specific insights that informed the development of the AUTHREX governance framework. Consulting engagements were conducted on a part-time, remote basis during academic breaks while maintaining full-time student and OPT status in the United States.
- Engineered data governance architectures with role-based access control (RBAC) enforcement in regulated cloud environments
- Executed cloud infrastructure risk assessments aligned with ITAR/EAR need-to-know data handling requirements
- Developed automated data validation and integrity verification pipelines for enterprise data systems, enforcing trust-gated data flows across multi-tenant environments
- Designed disaster-recovery and failover architectures for mission-critical data systems, including structured recovery protocols and incident escalation procedures
- Advised on security strategy for advanced materials supply chain networks across Eastern European and Middle Eastern corridors
- Designed Zero Trust governance policies for industrial control systems (ICS) in high-throughput manufacturing environments
- Conducted threat-modeling assessments and supported transition of legacy infrastructure to NIST-aligned security frameworks
- Conducted vulnerability assessments across distributed critical infrastructure nodes in regulated international environments
- Authored operational continuity frameworks mitigating cyber-physical threats, applying methodologies consistent with U.S. CISA resilience strategies
- Supported governance of cross-border information flows in regulated markets under international export-constraint regimes
- Implemented data governance frameworks for high-precision aerospace manufacturing in regulated commercial sectors
- Deployed data loss prevention (DLP) strategies to safeguard proprietary engineering data and enforce integrity boundaries
- Optimized manufacturing workflows using predictive risk modeling and periodic security audits
- Supported cloud consulting initiatives including infrastructure design, development, testing, and maintenance
- Supported application development teams across front-end, back-end, middleware, and database administration workflows
- Assisted Big Data consultants with data processing operations, gaining early exposure to the data governance and pipeline integrity practices later applied at Blue.Cloud
- Supported operational risk assessment and supply chain governance for a petrochemical entity in volatile energy markets
- Redesigned operational technology (OT) reporting protocols to reduce data latency in time-critical operational decision cycles
- Conducted risk analysis across distributed supply chain networks to identify and remediate systemic vulnerabilities
Technical Credentials
& Domain Expertise
- IEEE Member (#102193505)
- AIAA Student Member (#1936005)
- ACM Member (#9952787)
- AAAI Member (#656504)
- INFORMS Member (#2009712)
- NDIA Member (#1700222)
- Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society — Lifetime Member (#2007930)
- CompTIA Security+
- CISSP Domain 1: Security & Risk Management
- NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF)
- NIST 800-171 Awareness
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
- AI Strategy (Oxford / Wharton Executive Education)
- AI in National Security (SCSP)
- Generative AI Governance (University of Michigan)
- Open-Source Intelligence (Basel Institute on Governance)
- Advanced System Security Design (University of Colorado)
- AI for Cybersecurity (Johns Hopkins University)
- NYU Cybersecurity Specialization
- Cloud Computing Security (University of Colorado)
Conferences, Forums & Professional Development
Active participation in defense, aerospace, AI, and autonomous systems communities through trade shows, technical conferences, professional society events, and continuing education. Sustained engagement across these communities ensures that AUTHREX governance architectures remain aligned with operational requirements, emerging standards, and the evolving needs of the U.S. defense and critical infrastructure sectors.
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SHOT Show 2026 — NSSF · Las Vegas, NV
Jan 20–23, 2026 · Defense, law enforcement, tactical technology -
Israel Tech Week 2025 · Miami, FL
2025 · Israeli tech innovation, defense-tech, AI, cybersecurity -
Miami AI Hub — Meetup Community · Miami, FL
Multiple sessions 2024–2025 · AI applications, networking, industry talks -
SupplySide West & Fi North America 2025 — Informa · Las Vegas, NV
Oct 27–30, 2025 · Supply chain, industrial technology, 20,000+ professionals -
SHOT Show 2024 — NSSF · Las Vegas, NV
Jan 23–26, 2024 · Defense industry, firearms, law enforcement technology -
EMO Hannover 2023 — Deutsche Messe · Hannover, Germany
Sep 18–23, 2023 · World's leading metalworking & manufacturing technology trade fair
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AAAI Summer Symposium Series 2026 — Burlingame, CA
May 19–21, 2026 · Safe AI, autonomous systems safety, multi-agent teamwork -
AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2026 — Detroit, MI
May 11–14, 2026 · Autonomous systems, UAS, NDIA/MDEX defense theater -
AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026
May 19–21, 2026 · Aerospace systems, autonomy, defense innovation -
NDIA Emerging Technologies Conference 2026
2026 · AI, autonomous systems, cyber, next-gen defense technology -
NDIA Future Force Capabilities (FFC) 2026
2026 · Robotics, autonomous systems, munitions technology -
SHOT Show 2027 — NSSF · Las Vegas, NV
Jan 19–22, 2027 · Defense and tactical technology trade show
-
AIAA: The Anatomy of Autonomy
Online Short Course · Technology, integration & applications across aviation & space -
AIAA: Generative AI for Code Generation
Online Short Course · AI-driven engineering and evaluation methods -
AIAA: Flight Test Techniques for UAS
Online Short Course · Development, qualification, and acceptance tests -
AAAI-26 Conference Content
On-demand access via Underline.io · AI research presentations and workshops
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IEEE — Webinars, technical publications, standards development
Member #102193505 · Autonomous systems, safety-critical engineering -
AIAA — Forums, short courses, student conferences
Member #1936005 · Aerospace, defense, uncrewed systems -
ACM — TechTalks, digital library, computing research
Member #9952787 · AI governance, formal verification, algorithms -
AAAI — Conference content, symposia, AI safety research
Member #656504 · Artificial intelligence, multi-agent systems -
INFORMS — Analytics, operations research, decision science
Member #2009712 · Monte Carlo methods, decision-making under uncertainty -
NDIA — Defense conferences, emerging tech, acquisition
Member #1700222 · Defense industry, autonomous systems, cyber
Research & Publication Presence
ORCID
0009-0001-8573-1667, Verified researcher identity with Georgetown University affiliation
Google Scholar
Full publication index with citations and research metrics
SSRN
Policy and strategic research papers on AI governance, escalation risk, and national security
ResearchGate
Research profile with publications, metrics, and academic networking
Zenodo
12 DOI-registered research artifacts with Georgetown University affiliation (CC BY 4.0)
OpenReview
Open peer review platform for AI and machine learning research
GitHub
Source code repositories for AUTHREX governance architectures and research platforms
GitLab
Mirror repositories and CI/CD pipelines for governance architecture research
Professional network profile with career history and research connections
Cite This Research
To reference this research portfolio or individual architectures, use the citations below. Each architecture has a permanent identifier on Zenodo (DOI) or SSRN.
Full Research Portfolio
APA
Individual Architectures
Zenodo works licensed under CC BY 4.0. SSRN papers: All Rights Reserved. ORCID: 0009-0001-8573-1667.
Get In Touch
Available for research collaborations, expert advisory engagements, and discussions on AI governance, autonomous systems safety, and national security technology policy.
Washington, D.C. / Miami, Florida
English (Professional) · Turkish (Native) · Russian (Reading Proficiency)
AI Governance · Autonomous Systems Safety · National Security Technology · Escalation Risk Modeling · Human-Machine Teaming
HMAA: U.S. Provisional 63/999,105 (March 7, 2026) · CARA: U.S. Provisional 64/000,170 (March 9, 2026) · SATA: U.S. Provisional 64/002,453 (March 11, 2026) · FLAME: U.S. Provisional 64/005,607 (March 14, 2026) · All submitted via USPTO Patent Center, awaiting review