Homeland Security Education @ TAMU

Fresno State University has announced its Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security will begin in the fall semester of 2008.  The program will cover topics ranging from Terrorism and its historical context to geophysical analysis of natural disasters.  Currently the program is designed for students in residence at Fresno State, but it is anticipated that the program will be offered online next year.

Questions about the program may be directed to Keith Clement at kclement@csufresno.edu. 

The Department of Homeland Security has announced five new Centers of Excellence, institutions that are designated to lead research and development in homeland security related fields, as part of the department’s continuing effort to foster the development of new technology and advancements in homeland security.  In total eleven universities will be directly involved in the five new Centers of Excellence. 

The University of Texas El Paso and the University of Arizona at Tucson will serve as the co-leads for the Center of Excellence for Border Security and Immigration.  The Integrative Center for Homeland Security at Texas A&M was involved in the proposal with the University of Texas El Paso, and is expected to be involved in the educational programs associated with this Center of Excellence.

For more information on Centers of Excellence, or other DHS university programs, visit the DHS website at: http://www.dhs.gov/xres/programs/editorial_0555.shtm.

On March 5th at 1:30 PM (EST) Dennis Schrader, Deputy Administrator - FEMA National Preparedness Directorate (NPD) and Al Fluman, Acting Director - FEMA Incident Management System Integration (IMSI) Division will host a webcast providing information on the National Response Framework (NRF). The NRF replaced the National Response Plan (NRP) on January 22nd, 2008 and the webcast will cover the differences between the NRF and the NRP, as well as the purpose, and scope of the NRF.

Individuals may view the broadcast by going to http://www.vodium.com/goto/fema/nrf.asp and clicking the “National Response Framework” button that will be displayed there. Or, individuals with Dish TV receivers can tune to Channel 9602 and view the program via the National Preparedness Network.

Individuals viewing the broadcast can submit questions can be submitted during the broadcast by sending an e-mail to: PREPnet@dhs.gov. Or questions can be submitted by calling 1-800-527-4893 during the broadcast.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has released the 2009 Fiscal Year Budget Request.  The request outlines five main goals for DHS, “Protect the nation from dangerous people; Protect the nation from dangerous goods; Protect critical infrastructure; Build a nimble, effective Emergency Response System and a culture of preparedness; and Strengthen and Unify DHS operations and management.”

Chertoff’s testimony then outlines the progress that has been made, as well as the challenges that still exist in meeting these goals.  Specifically, he outlines how the 2009 budget will help to address the areas where the government has yet to meet these goals. 

To view Secretary Chertoff’s testimony in its entirety, go to the Department of Homeland Security’s webpage at http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/testimony/testimony_1203022523404.shtm.

The Emergency Management Institute has issued its “Guide to Emergency Management and Related Terms, Definitions, Concepts, Acronyms, Organizations, Programs, Guidance and Legislation.”  The guide provides definitions and explanations of a wide range of Homeland Security terms, acronyms and concepts.  The guide also provides users with explanations of various emergency management and Homeland Security programs.

The guide can be accessed at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/termdef.asp 

A recent report by the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science contends that the supply of experts in the field of nuclear forensic specialists will dwindle dramatically in the next 15-30 years.  The authors claim that the relatively few experts in this field will retire within this time period, and there has been little effort by academia to replace these individuals.

The report calls for increased funding, and incentives to draw more individuals into this discipline.

To read the full story visit the Washington Posts’ website at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/16/AR2008021602370.html

The Security Analysis and Risk Management Association will hold its 2nd Annual conference on Security Analysis and Risk Management May 13-15, and the organization is currently accepting applications for potential conference presenters.  Presenters may have backgrounds in academic, government, or private sectors, but should be individuals with practical knowledge and experience in the areas of security analysis and risk management.  The presentation must be of an educational nature, and should focus on providing practical solutions to security related issues.   

For further information including application procedures, suggested presentation topics, and presentation guidelines, visit http://www.sarma.org/events/conference/.  Further questions or proposal submissions may also be sent to conference@sarma.org.   

Individuals interested in careers relating to Homeland Security can visit the Department of Homeland Security’s career website at http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/careers/.  The website provides users with a searchable database of careers, information on how apply for jobs, what benefits the jobs provide, as well as further details about Homeland Security related careers. 

Founded in 1996, STRATFOR provides individuals, corporations, governments and educational institutions with objective intelligence and analysis about strategically important events around the world.  Stories are updated frequently thoughout the day, and cover a host of topics ranging from border security, foreign trade, international relations, and terrorism, and are organzied by topic, type, and by region dealt with. 

The International Association of Emergency Managers is accepting applications for their annual scholarship program.  The scholarship is open to any full time student pursuing an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree in emergency management, or a closely related field of study.

The application deadline is may 16, 2008, and applications may be accessed at: http://www.iaem.com/resources/scholarships/documents/2008ScholarshipApplication.pdf. 

Information about this and other scholarships is also available through the IAEM website at: http://www.iaem.com/resources/scholarships/intro.htm.