Please join the Hertz Foundation for our June 2026 Innovation Hour, “Cyberspace is the 5th Domain of Conflict,” featuring Hertz Fellow John Garstka, Director for Cyber Warfare within the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment. The event takes place over Zoom on Wednesday June 10, 2026, 12:30–1:30 pm Eastern / 9:30–10:30 am Pacific.
Through a talk and audience Q&A facilitated by Hertz Fellow Melissa Mai, Mr. Garstka will draw on decades of experience at the intersection of systems engineering, cyber risk, and defense acquisition to explore what it means to operate and defend in cyberspace.
Mr. Garstka will examine the critical technical challenges facing the Department of War — from assessing and responding to growing cyber threats to prioritizing investment in risk mitigation. He will share perspectives on the evolving threat landscape, the real consequences of underestimating cyber risk, and where opportunities exist for the next generation of scientists and engineers to make an impact.
If you have questions, please contact Aleza Stein, Community Program Manager, at aleza@hertzfoundation.org.
speaker and Moderator
John Garstka
Director for Cyber Warfare within the DASW for Platform and Weapon Portfolio Management, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment
Melissa Mai
AIP/AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow, United States Senate
