Homeland Security Education @ TAMU

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate is currently accepting proposals for grants that will provide scholarships or fellowships to undergraduate and graduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students that are planning on pursuing careers in homeland security related fields.  These students must either be majoring in a STEM field, or be receiving a minor or certificate in a homeland security STEM area of study. 

Students that may be funded through this grant must focus their research on one following areas: “1. Explosives Detection, Mitigation and Response; 2. Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences; 3. Risk and Decision Sciences; 4. Human Factors Aspects of Technology; 5. Chemical Threats and Countermeasures; 6. Biological Threats and Countermeasures; 7. Food and Agriculture Security; 8. Transportation Security; 9. Border Security; 10. Immigration Studies; 11. Maritime and Port Security; 12. Infrastructure Protection; 13. Natural Disasters and Related Geophysical Studies; 14. Emergency Preparedness and Response; 15. Communications and Interoperability; 16. Advanced Data Analysis and Visualization.”

The deadline for proposals is May 16, 2008.  For more information on this grant, including further application information and details on eligibility, click here.

The Integrative Center for Homeland Security has made available a history of the development of the Masters of Science in Homeland Security Policy, Science, Engineering, and Technology. The document provides information about how the idea for the program was conceptualized, how the committees that are currently developing the program have been formed, and the goals and objectives of the program.

To view the document, visit the ICHS website.

The University of Oklahoma will be hosting its fourth annual “Summer Workshop on Teaching About Terrorism” (SWOTT) from June 4-11, and June 23-30.  SWOTT is designed for individuals that are actively teaching about terrorism, or senior graduate students that plan on teaching about the subject in the future, and is not intended for a casual audience.  The workshop is designed to be an intensive week long emersion into the intricacies of terrorism, and its countermeasures, as well as how best to teach and conduct research in this area. 

Individuals are accepted based on a competitive basis and applications are due by April 18.  The cost of attending is $150, which includes lodging, some food, and training.  Travel costs may be reimbursed. 

For more information about the program including application details and a full list of speakers, visit SWOTT’s website at: http://www.swott.com/.  Further questions about the program may be directed to info@swott.com. 

Jeremy Miner and Lynn Miner have released “A Guide to Proposal Planning and Writing” which covers all aspects of Grant writing, from selecting what grants to apply for, to how to prepare for and deal with the granter’s decision.  The guide provides information about different types of grants, how to gain information about the institutions needs and goals and tips about how to write for various types of reviewers.  The guide also provides tips for writers at each stage of the grant writing process, including questions the writer should ask his/herself, and suggestions about formatting and layout of grant sections. 

To view the guide, go to http://www.wm.edu/grants/PROP/miner.pdf. 

On May 5-6 Texas A&M University, along with the Task Force on Campus Emergencies will sponsor the “Workplace Violence Threat Assessment Training Seminar.”  Critical Response Associates is leading the training that will provide attendees with information about: the sources and nature of workplace and campus violence; how the process of violence occurs; how to identify high-risk indicators and individuals; an understanding of threat assessment procedures; and how to establish a post-incident monitoring and victim management program. 

The training will take place from 8:30 until 4:30 on both days, and will occur in the General Services Complex, Assembly Room A.  Attending the training is free of cost, and lunch will be provided.  However, individuals that wish to attend must still register by April 22.  To register for the training, or with further questions, please contact Dr. Anna Satterfield at (979) 845-3711 or via email at annas@tamu.edu.  

The Cambridge Healthtech Institute will hold its seventh annual Systems Integration in Biodefense meeting on August 18-19.  The conference will focus on filling gaps in current biodefense and clinic technology, covering specific topics in the areas such as: threat assessment, building partnerships between the private sector and the state, challenges in biological threat characterization, and issues surrounding the collection of biological samples. 

For more information on the conference, including registration information and a detailed list of presentations, go to the conference website at: http://www.healthtech.com/btr/overview.aspx. 

The Second Annual Global Border Security Conference and Expo will be held May 21-22 in Austin Texas.  The conference will cover border security issues such as new unmanned technology that will be used to secure borders in the near future, accredited training programs for law enforcement personal, meetings of regional governments, and presentations geared towards senior homeland security personnel. 

For more information about the conference, including a full list of exhibits, sponsors, and registration information visit the conference website at http://www.globalbordersecurity.com/.

On May 2, the Colorado Homeland Defense Alliance, and the Colorado Springs Technology Incubator will host the National Security Innovation Competition.  The competition, which is open to teams of up to five undergraduate and graduate students, is designed to allow students to present their original ideas for new products or technologies that can meet existing Security needs, to a wide audience comprised of individuals involved in industry, academia, and various government agencies.

Students will be required to give a fifteen minute oral presentation on their original technology, as well as answer questions about their technology from the audience.  The teams will be evaluated solely on their oral presentation. 

One page executive summaries are due by April 21, and electronic copies of the presentation are due by the April 30.  Students are not required to submit a written paper to be eligible for the competition. 

For more information about the competition, including judging criteria, prize information and competition objectives, visit the competition’s website.  Competition submission or further questions should be submitted to Roger Neeland at rneeland@cstionline.org. 

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.

The Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology directorate recently hosted the second annual DHS University Network Summit in Washington DC.  The conference focused on the need for cooperation between universities and various levels of government, as well as the importance of innovations developed through university research.  The conference also served as an opportunity for individuals within DHS to meet and network with individuals from diverse academic backgrounds from around the world.

To read the full article about the conference, visit the Government Security News Magazine website at: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/619.html.