Remarks by Under Secretary Dr. Charles McQueary to the National Defense Industry Association

Release Date: 09/16/03 00:00:00

For Immediate Release
Directorate of Science and Technology
September 16, 2003

Thank you, Dave Amour for the kind introduction.  

And thank you to the National Defense Industry Association for hosting today's event.

It's a pleasure to be here speaking before a group of individuals focused on protecting our nation. I am looking forward to hearing from you and answering your questions about the Department of Homeland Security's science and technology efforts.  

NDIA has a history of working to build a better relationship between government and industry especially as it relates to research and development and the use of technology.

While many know NDIA for your work in the defense area, I know that homeland security is another area that you have focused on for some time. In 1985, you created a component now known as the Homeland Security Division, whose mission is to "encourage and facilitate the exchange of security and protection information between government and industry in support of the national interest."  

This division and many of your chapters have sponsored homeland security conferences and worked to improve the dialog between the public and private sectors. In fact, our new HSARPA Director, Dr. Dave Bolka will be speaking at your Rocky Mountain Chapter's Homeland Defense Symposium later this month.

Because of your past success and current efforts, I expect great things from NDIA and the 950 companies and the 2,400 individuals who belong to this organization.  

I hope that you will join us as we move forward in our mission to use innovation to protect the homeland.

Through the Science and Technology Division, the Department of Homeland Security is harnessing the nation's scientific knowledge to promote the mission of homeland security: to protect America and our way of life from terrorists and their weapons of mass destruction.

As we pass the two year anniversary of the attacks on America, the nation is truly safer today than it was before 9-11-2001. This security is due in large part to technological innovations that help us detect, intercept and respond to potential acts of terrorism more swiftly than ever before imagined.  

And the Science and Technology Division is working to develop and implement more of these technologies.  

For example, we are initiating development of sensors to augment the judgment of law enforcement, border agents, and TSA.  It has been well known for years that experienced agents have developed almost a sixth sense -- an ability to pick up on ineffable cues from an individual that indicate deception or otherwise "raise the antennae" of suspicion.  Today, we are exploring sensors that capture some of these indicators. There are also other indicators that these agents cannot detect, and for which we are developing capabilities to provide that information.  We are working on: infrared detectors that register the heat signal around the eyes that are indicative of an autonomic "fight or flight" response; and remote sensors for heart rate, or skin galvanic response.  

All of these pieces of information combine to provide additional information to that experienced agent, who is working to protect our nation.

Overall, perhaps the Department's greatest innovation is the importance we place on innovation! Science and Technology is not just a Washington buzzword; it's an entire division. As the Department fights terrorism, we're developing the tools that can help us win. It's a unique and historic undertaking.

Now, let me tell you about the organization of the Science and Technology division and how we are addressing the needs of our nations' citizens.

With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, President Bush envisioned an organization that would engage entrepreneurs and apply America's inventive spirit to the war on terrorism.

As Secretary Ridge has said, technology has long been a symbol of our freedoms - now it will help protect those freedoms.

As Under Secretary for Science and Technology, I lead a team that is tasked with discovering new innovations, identifying existing ones and ensuring that they get to the people who protect us from terrorism.  

In this endeavor, industry, government and universities play the primary roles.  

As we explore technologies that may enhance the security of our nation, we must also act as operations analysts and systems engineers.  

With each step forward we ask: How will this system operate in the real world?  Can it be manufactured on a large, even a national scale? How will this one piece affect the rest of the structure we've built? Will the beneficiaries in the private sector choose to use it? And if so, will they be able to afford it?  

Remember, the discovery is just the beginning.  

Now that you understand our mission, let me focus on what we are doing and the structure we have put in place to make the nation safer.

Since becoming a Department in March, we've provided nearly $4 billion in funding and have run nearly 400 emergency action plan evaluation exercises for states and communities. These funds and exercises, which are mainly for first responders will enhance their ability to protect your state, city and themselves through training and equipment that will assist them as they respond to potential terrorist attacks.

As for Science and Technology, we are investing or transferring nearly a half a billion dollars into our division this year alone.  The President's budget for 2004 requests another $800 million.  

This funding will accomplish several goals:

• establish a clearinghouse with the Technical Support Working Group to rapidly prototype homeland security technologies;
• accelerate the deployment of biological, chemical and radiological tools and technologies;
• work with federal, state, and local governments and organizations to develop standards for first responder technologies; and
• anticipate emerging threats and protect critical infrastructure through science and engineering.

While the activities of the Science & Technology division are many, they can be summarized in the three key areas -- intramural, industrial and educational activities.

We serve as a vigorous internal research engine for the Department.  In this effort, we work closely with scientists and engineers at our national laboratories and other government agencies on technological innovations.

We also focus on engaging the industrial base of our nation, to apply these innovations to real-world problems. To that end we have created the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA), a cousin to the Defense Department's DARPA agency.  

As I mentioned earlier, Dr. David Bolka started as the Agency's first director earlier this month.  

HSARPA will help jumpstart and steer homeland security R&D toward the Department's high priority needs, areas such as port security and critical infrastructure protection.

We are also taking a leading role in education by sponsoring programs that will inspire young students to study in areas of critical technologies vital to this nation's survival. Two such programs are our Homeland Security Centers of Excellence and the Homeland Security Scholars and Fellows program.

The Centers program, within universities, is designed to attract America's brightest minds to homeland security. Earlier this year we began the process to select the first Homeland Security Centers of Excellence by releasing a Broad Agency Announcement calling for white papers.  

We received 72 white papers, which were reviewed under our merit review process. These applicants were narrowed down to 12 universities who will submit full proposals by October 6. We expect to name the first Center in November.

The Fellows program provides scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in the physical, biological, social and behavioral sciences aligned with our mission. The first 101 awardees of this program were chosen and are beginning their studies this fall. They are an equal mix of men and women who will study in areas such as math, computers, the physical, sciences, health sciences and chemistry. The announcement for the 2003-2004 academic year will be posted at www.orau.gov/dhsed/.

In addition to our efforts, industry has begun to take a role in protecting the homeland by forming partnerships aimed at promoting homeland defense technologies.  There are many examples of organizations like yourselves who have linked with academia and the federal government to conduct collaborative research and technology transfer projects. Public-private initiatives play a key role in bringing innovative technology to the marketplace. We need to replicate these efforts across the nation and in many necessary areas of research.

Among the areas of research we're looking for are improved methods for detection and response to threats ranging from biological and chemical to high explosive attacks.  

For example, we are initiating development of "smoke alarm" like devices that can be placed in facilities, or on lamp posts, to detect the release of biological pathogens and chemical agents in the environment.  The detection probability must be high, false alarm rates extremely low, and maintenance costs nil for these devices to be a success.  Such technologies will take advantage of the latest advances in micro-chemistry -- "chemistry on a chip".   When used inside facilities, the sensors will be linked with the air handling system, to automatically and optimally redirect air flows and contain the threat.   We are several years away from deploying devices of this type, but they are within the realm of the possible.

Another high priority is protecting our nation's critical infrastructure, including physical infrastructure such as bridges, chemical plants and pipelines - and the vast expanses of Cyberspace, which powers much of that infrastructure and is just as vulnerable to attack.

Over the years, industry made the transition from the Cold War to peacetime uses for products and technologies.  Now you are transitioning to homeland security, creating a unified and cooperative effort from government to industry across the country, with hundreds of employees hard at work each and every day.  

Let me assure you, we will support you as you support us.

So what do we want from you?  

We want you to recognize the economic opportunity that homeland security presents.  It is important for all Americans to remember that when the terrorist stuck on September 11, 2001, one of their goals was to cripple the U.S. economy.  We must remember this and change our mindset to make protecting the homeland a mission that moves our economy forward.

We also want you to recognize the educational opportunity that homeland security presents by taking advantage of our new Homeland Security Scholars and Fellows Program and the Homeland Security Centers of Excellence.

Finally, we want you to share with us your ideas through my office and the office of the Private Sector, as well as through our Internet sites such as vendors@dhs.gov and science.technology@dhs.gov

And by responding to solicitations put out by HSARPA, which are available on the Department's web site, www.dhs.gov

The Science and Technology division is looking to you not only to help us create a model of innovation - but a model of cooperation, an environment in which private industry and governments can freely and easily communicate with our division and with one another.  Homeland security requires a new way of governing, in which collaboration is the rule, not the exception.

The Department strives to support an environment where scientists are free to innovate, where the private sector is encouraged to adopt those innovations, where our homeland security professionals and the American people are protected by those innovations.  I am pleased to report that, with your help, we are off to a great start.

Thank you.

This page was last modified on 09/16/03 00:00:00