Semaj McDowell (’23): Ensuring IT Infrastructure for Army Intelligence

IWP alumnus Semaj McDowell spends his days ensuring that our Army Intelligence is equipped with the IT infrastructure it needs to stay ahead of the curve in our increasingly complex world.

Below, he shares about the impact he is having at the nexus of IT and military intelligence, his previous work on OUSW(R&E) Office of International Outreach and Policy AFRICOM policy and strategy, and the social media monitoring he does in his spare time to stay abreast of global events before they hit major news networks.

Work with the Army G-2

As a governance analyst working with the Army G-2, Semaj manages the governance forms for all new IT requirements for Army Intelligence. Semaj’s work is a result of Army G-2 leadership requiring governance guardrails to utilize investments and resources strategically. In this new process, any new Army Intelligence IT must go through Semaj’s office. “We are getting away from spending just for the sake of spending,” he said. “Our goal is to make better use of our resources.”

The objective is to enhance the capabilities of the warfighter and streamline decision-making for senior civilian and military officials.  The impact of Semaj’s work will reach into the future, as the requirements approved will support our warfighters and national security strategy in the most efficient way possible.

Applying the IWP Education

“My IWP education has been applicable to my current work,” said Semaj. “I took a class on national security strategy, and now I read the National Defense Strategy, National Security Strategy, and DIA Worldwide Threat Assessment as soon as they are posted so I can ensure the requirements we present match the overall strategies.”

He further noted, “IWP provided me the mindset to talk with senior leadership and have the skills to articulate concisely why something is important.”

Semaj also enjoys seeing fellow IWP alumni in the halls of the Pentagon. “Having a network that can give you an honest opinion about current events has been very beneficial,” said Semaj.

Informing R&E U.S. Africa Command Strategy

When asked about favorite projects in previous roles, Semaj pointed to his time in 2024-2025 working within the Office of the Undersecretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)) in the Office of International Outreach and Policy (IO&P), where his Deputy Director gave him the opportunity to spearhead the AFRICOM portfolio along with managing the CENTCOM, NORTHCOM (including NORAD), and SOUTHCOM portfolios.

For the AFRICOM portfolio, Semaj’s objective was to help develop a clear approach from a science and technology/research and engineering lens with the ultimate goal of creating better research and development policies and partnerships through enabling productive partnerships and risk assessment.

“The emerging technology environment in Africa is different from ours in the U.S.,” said Semaj. “We often look at high-end, high-cost projects that don’t make sense in an African environment.”

Semaj’s work included reaching out across military branches, R&E offices such as the Basic Research Office, across defense agencies, and the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as conducting significant research on almost every African country. In addition to exploring technology use in these countries, Semaj examined the existing threats, ranging from terrorist organizations and environmental complications to adversary nations that try to steal our proprietary information.

His strategic-level work provided OUSW(R&E), IO&P, OUSW(A&S), and OUSW(P) with the information needed to gain awareness and make decisions on how R&D/R&E partnerships and innovation should be approached across his portfolios.

Global Affairs as a Hobby

When he emerges from his SCIF at the end of the workday, Semaj is not done with his interest in global security. In his free time, he stays on the cutting edge of world events through sophisticated social media monitoring that he does “for fun.”

He monitors about 135 Telegram channels, where he can see major world events happening in near-real time. In 2026, he has used these channels to witness the protests in Iran, conflict in Syria, and the seizure of a vessel by SOUTHCOM.

“On these channels, there is a lot of misinformation and disinformation, and you have to be careful when determining what is real or not,” said Semaj. Sometimes, the same video will be presented on different channels with conflicting narratives surrounding the footage.

Some of the channels Semaj monitors are pro-China, pro-Russia, and pro-Iran. “I want to be in those channels because the best way to stay ahead of your adversary is to know what your adversary thinks,” he said. “If I’m able to understand how they operate, how they view the world, what they think about the U.S., and what they think about their own leadership, I can be much more proactive and ahead of the threat.”

Semaj’s work was picked up by the Guyana Standard before the 2024 Venezuelan elections between Nicholas Maduro and María Corina Machado, and it resulted in an article titled “Maduro escalating claim for Essequibo to distract citizens, new political challenger Macahado- Geopolitical Risk Practitioner.”

“Never Give Up!”

When asked for advice for IWP students who are just starting their careers, Semaj said, “Never give up. Never. Truly. You never know what door is going to open and where you are going to go. If this is your passion, stick to it.”

He recalls moments when he experienced imposter syndrome and doubted his own ability to contribute to national security. “I then realized that national security is made possible by a spectrum of interconnected teams and people from all walks of life,” he said. “At some point, they were just learning their field, but now they are directly impacting global security.”

And Semaj is one of these people. Recently, Semaj McDowell joined the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Washington, D.C. chapter as an Industry Professional and participates in several committees, including NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG), International Policy Committee, Expeditionary Warfare Government and Policies, and the list continues. The impact of his work, from analyzing current events, to informing OUSW(R&E) R&E partnerships, to ensuring Army Intelligence preparedness, will extend far into the future.