Zachary Lemnios has spent a career at the intersection of science, defense, and innovation—moving between industry, government, and academia to help shape the technologies that power modern life. As Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and a DARPA leader, he championed moonshot ideas with massive stakes: secure systems, advanced microelectronics, and the architectures behind GPS, stealth, and AI. For Lemnios, progress begins with the question no one else is asking and the courage to pursue an answer no one can yet prove.

In this interview, he reflects on his collaboration with the Information Sciences Institute and the pivotal role ISI played in democratizing chip design through programs like MOSIS. He recalls standing before one of the original ARPANET nodes tucked away in a nondescript building in Marina del Rey and seeing the future of the internet take shape. What struck him wasn’t just the history but the ingenuity; ISI’s ability to open doors, build trust with industry, and empower researchers across the country. It’s a model of innovation he believes the nation needs more than ever.