in december 2011, harrison co-founded the center for battlefield innovation, part of the high performance computing collaboratory at mississippi state university, to provide a focal point for applying university-based research to problems in defense and public safety. in march 2014, harrison was named the first director of the center for smart defense at the west virginia university. in 2015 he was appointed distinguished visiting research fellow at the national defense university and the john boyd national innovation research fellow at new york university.