Software Engineering Institute

Mission — Software Engineering Institute (SEI) source

This program supports the Departments initiatives to Build a Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage, and Build a Resilient Joint Force and Defense Ecosystem. Software is more pervasive than ever, and computer programs are growing in size and complexity. Designing, managing, and securing integrated, complex, and large-scale mission-critical systems are abilities that the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) have not yet mastered. Reliance on software-intensive mobile and net-based products and systems has increased (e.g., Joint Tactical Radio System, USS ZUMWALT (DDG-1000), Joint Strike Fighter, F-22, and Army Modernization). As stated in the February 2018 Defense Science Board Report, “Design and Acquisition of Software for Defense Systems,” software is a crucial and growing part of weapons systems and the national security mission, and the DoD must address its ability to build and sustain software continuously and indefinitely. With growing global parity in software engineering, the DoD must maintain leadership to ensure a competitive advantage. The Carnegie-Mellon University Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) was established in 1984 as an integral part of the DoD’s initiative to identify, evaluate, and transition software engineering technologies and practices. The mission of the SEI is to provide the DoD with technical leadership and innovation through research and development to advance the practice of software engineering and technology. The SEI works across government, industry, and academia to improve the state of software engineering from the technical, acquisition, and management perspectives. The SEI engages in research and development of critical software technologies and tools and collaborates with the larger software engineering research community. It facilitates rapid transition of software engineering technologies into practice and evaluates emerging software engineering technologies to determine their potential for improving software-intensive DoD systems. Since its inception, the SEI has helped to transform the fields of software engineering and acquisition, network security, real-time systems, software architectures, and software-engineering process management. The SEI Program Element (PE) addresses the critical need to research, develop, and rapidly transition state-of-the-art software technology, tools, development environments, and best practices to improve the engineering, management, fielding, evolution, acquisition, and sustainment of software-intensive DoD systems. The research conducted by this PE directly benefits the technical domains, such as Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I), Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber, and Engineered Resilient Systems.

Mission — Software Engineering Institute (SEI) source

This project focuses on two main research thrusts with known military applications: (1) Software Engineering, Systems Verification and Validation, and Mission Assurance (formerly Mission Assurance); and (2) Information Assurance. SEI research focuses on the most significant and pervasive software challenges within the DoD, such as the scalability and reliability of software assurance, supply chain risk management, validation of and trust in autonomous systems, human-computer and human-technology teaming and interaction, computing and communication at the tactical edge, and efficiency and performance of acquisition strategies and software development appropriate for a contested cyber environment.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (2)