CIRI set to participate in summer research program

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) offers a unique summer learning experience for both faculty and students in areas of study that support DHS strategic mission areas. The program specifically targets minority-serving institutions with the goal of improving scientific leadership. The program also demonstrates DHS' commitment to increasing the diversity of scientists and researchers interested in STEM fields that have the potential to address homeland security challenges. 

DHS provides funding for faculty-student teams to work on-site at a DHS Center of Excellence that is most closely aligned with the project goals. Applications for teams interested in the program for summer 2018 are due by December 29, 2017.

CIRI hosted a team from Benedict College in summer 2017. Dr. Gurcan Comert, as associate professor at Benedict, and Jacquan Pollard, a junior in electrical engineering at Benedict, were awarded a DHS grant for their proposal to study how connected transportation systems can be enhanced to withstand sub-system or component failure or intentional attack. 

Centers of Excellence participating for summer 2018 include:

• Arctic Domain Awareness Center (ADAC)
• Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT)
• Borders, Trade, and Immigration Institute (BTI)
• Center for Accelerating Operational Efficiency (CAOE)
• Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis (CINA)
• Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute (CIRI)
• Coastal Resilience Center (CRC)
• Maritime Security Center (MSC)

Those interested in learning about the program and submitting a proposal should review the DHS program overview.