Laura Freeman

Laura Freeman is a Research Professor in the Department of Statistics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University and Director of the Intelligent Systems Division within the National Security Institute. Her research focuses on Experimental Design for Machine Learning, Cybersecurity Analytics, and Reliability Analysis. She holds a Ph.D. in Statistics (2010) from Virginia Tech, alongside an M.S. in Statistics (2006) and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering (2005).

Her work emphasizes statistical engineering and AI assurance, particularly in defense systems and cybersecurity. Notable contributions include frameworks for testing AI-enabled systems, combinatorial coverage metrics for ML robustness, and methodologies for reliability analysis in defense testing. She has led over $30M in grants, including projects on AI model certification, cybersecurity resilience, and multi-domain battlespace analysis.

Freeman has received awards such as the International Test and Evaluation Association Cross Award (2019) and the NASA Engineering and Safety Center Group Achievement Award (2011). She serves as Editor-In-Chief of the ITEA Journal of Test and Evaluation and holds leadership roles in professional organizations like the American Statistical Association.