Homeland Security Education @ TAMU

The Integrative Center for Homeland Security has created a page of resources for those interested in Homeland Security Education for younger students.  The web page has links to resources designed for students, parents, teachers, and educational administrators.  The provided resources cover topics as varied as helping children prepare and cope with natural disasters, to lesson plans on how to teach students about terrorism, and how administrators can best prepare their schools for disasters. 

To view the webpage, click here, or you may visit the Integrative Center for Homeland Security’s website at homelandsecurity.tamu.edu to view the full list of educational resources available. 

A recent article by Jessica Portner entitled “Terror U: What’s Behind the Boom in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Majors?”, attempts to shed light on this question.  The author notes that there has been a substantial increase in the number of Universities that are offering Homeland Security, or Emergency Management majors, while at the same time the demand for individuals with experience in Homeland Security related fields has not been filled, with many important positions within various government agencies unfilled.  This need is being filled by students from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds that are being drawn together by an unprecedented level of interagency and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

According to Portner, the traditionally slow to change academic structure in the United States has rapidly worked to fill this need for qualified individuals, and the last time academic institutions adjusted to workforce demand this quickly was during the late 1950’s and 1960’s when the US developed its space program.  Just like in that era, the government provided universities with substantial funding to develop programs to meet the nation’s needs, and not only did this result in an effective space program, but a whole host of new technologies and products were developed during this same process.  

The author concludes by noting that the government’s investment in Homeland Security and Emergency Management education will only be truly valuable if individuals within the government are willing to work with and accept the advice of this new generation of Homeland Security academics. 

To view the full article, go to: http://www.slate.com/id/2187648.

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. 

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.   

Dr. Garry Adams, a member of our homeland security Interim Steering Committee, was recently appointed to the National Research Council’s Biodefense Standing Committee for the Department of Defense. His role will be to focus on biothreats and the creation of new and novel defense mechanisms. He is also the new associate dean for homeland security with the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the first position dedicated to homeland security housed within a veterinary school. You can read a more detailed article on the Texas A&M news site.

Congratulations to Dr. Adams!

I will use this blog to keep people informed about the progress of the new degree program in homeland security. I will also use it to post some of the interesting information that comes across my desk that might be of interest to students and faculty, particularly as it relates to homeland security education.