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Lt. Col. Nate Knowles’ military service has taken him all around the world and, most recently, has connected him in a unique way to innovation and the world of Artificial Intelligence, namely involving Google. 

Knowles, a 2016 graduate of Auburn’s College of Education who resides in Northern Virginia, was assigned earlier this year to Google Public Sector as a Secretary of Defense Executive Fellow (SDEF). Google Public Sector, launched formally by Google in 2022, partners with government agencies and educational institutions to create stronger communities through digital transformation, security and cutting-edge technology.

“The relationship between corporate America and national security is important, and the line is rather small,” said Knowles. “This experience offers critical lessons in civilian-military relationships, but a lot of it is in understanding how the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, and other parts of government can better interact with and leverage industry for rapid innovation.”

Established in 1994, the SDEF program allows military officers or civilian employees to receive senior service college credit by training with sponsored institutions that have earned a reputation for insightful long-range planning, organizational and management innovation and implementation of new information and other technologies. Those institutions include SpaceX, Apple, ExxonMobil, Lockheed Martin and Google, just to name a few.

As a Marine Corps combat engineer, Knowles has over 20 years of service and extremely diverse experience ranging from combat operations to humanitarian assistance, strategic planning, directing experimentation for the Marine Corps and commanding over 1400 marines and sailors deployed around the world. He has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Liberia, Norway and Sweden, and he designed and built Ebola treatment units during the 2014 outbreak.

“The Marine Corps has offered me nothing but tremendous opportunities,” said Knowles. “It has been an extremely challenging experience, but unbelievably rewarding in the relationships, the hardships and the challenges that it presents.”

Knowles grew up in Alba, Texas, and attended Texas A&M University for his undergraduate degree. He was commissioned through the NROTC program in May 2004 and was assigned to the 2d Combat Engineer Battalion, 2d Marine Division.

In 2016, he received a Master of Adult Education degree from Auburn University’s College of Education, one of three master’s degrees he now holds. He was inspired by his role as a planner in the Marine Corps, which provided him the opportunity to teach.

“I wasn’t satisfied with the answers I was getting on how to develop and design a curriculum, and I was teaching peers or, in some cases, people who had more experience than me,” said Knowles. “It’s a challenging position to be in, especially in adult learning. So, that’s when I started looking and found Auburn’s program.”

Knowles worked full-time during the day at The Marine Corps Logistics Operations Group, one of the premier Marine Corps schools, and he worked through his master’s program every night. 

“I knew Auburn's reputation, and so I put an application in and away we went. But it was honestly out of frustration. I was trying to solve problems for the Marine Corps and be the most effective in the capacity that the Marine Corps had placed me.”

Though Knowles did not have the traditional, on-campus experience on the Plains, he said his experience with the College of Education was exceptional.

“Dr. Cordie was phenomenal,” said Knowles of Leslie Cordie, associate professor in Auburn’s adult education programs. “The staff was very generous with their time and invested heavily in the students that were participating. The fact that I was completely remote and still had a very impactful learning experience shows how versatile educational opportunities can be.”

Knowles’ advice for those considering a degree in adult education is simple.

“A lot of times we pursue education for ourselves when really it needs to be in service of something or somebody else,” he said. “So, the advice I would offer is don’t make it about yourself and find a way to serve something more important than yourself.”