Tearline Research

Program Description

The Tearline initiative is the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) partnership with expert non-profit groups to grow public facing, authoritative open-source intelligence (OSINT) on various strategic, economic, and humanitarian topics. NGA’s Tearline has received awards from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as well as the OSINT Foundation for enhancing public understanding of intelligence, transparency, and advancing open-source intelligence as a discipline.

Through the Tearline platform, the Clements-Strauss Intelligence Studies Project's (ISP) student research team conducts OSINT and geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) research and analysis using publicly and commercially available information on topics related to security and foreign affairs. Students have the opportunity to hone their research skills, practice briefing, and publish for a national security audience. Students learn how to think, write, and brief like an intelligence analyst from former intelligence and national security professionals. Visit www.tearline.mil to read articles produced by UT students and NGA's other academic partners.

 

Student briefing slides . Student briefing slides  Student briefing slides

 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, May 1, 2026 (11:59PM Central)

VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSION (Zoom): Monday, April 20, 2026 - 5:30PM to 6:15PM; Click HERE to join (Sign into Zoom with your UT EID). 

 

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Must be a current UT student.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen.
  • Students on the Tearline team will be expected to attend weekly meetings and dedicate 5 to 10 hours/week for the entire academic year.

 

HOW TO APPLY: 

To join the research team for the 2026-27 academic year, complete an application form and submit the following required documents in one compiled pdf file. Select students will be invited to a 15-minute interview for a spot on the Tearline team.

  • Resume (Must include current GPA)
  • Official Transcript or Unofficial Transcript/Academic Summary (Must illustrate history of coursework and grades.)
  • Letter of Interest (up to 2 pages)
  • Class Schedule (Fall 2026)
  • List of Other Time Commitments (Include the total estimated number of committed hours for Fall 2026/Spring 2027)

 

 

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