I am pleased to learn that the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) blog and the FirstResponder.gov blog have been listed among FedTech Magazine’s 50 Must-Read Federal IT Blogs for 2014. I commend the staff of S&T’s Office of Corporate Communications and our First Responders Group for effectively communicating S&T’s important mission to the public.
Within S&T, we don’t simply conduct research and development (R&D) for research’s sake. We do it with the ultimate goal of developing technologies and processes that respond to real-world needs and challenges. And while we strive to let the American public know what we’re doing and how S&T contributes to the security of our nation, translating highly-technical processes and technology into easy-to-understand written products is not a simple task.
Over the past year, our articles and blog posts have highlighted S&T’s work with cybersecurity technologies, emergency response exercises, advanced materials that better protect first responders, communications solutions that bridge interoperability gaps, as well as ground-breaking work with biometrics and processes to speed up air travelers’ entry and exit of the United States. Most recently, we’ve focused on communicating with the small business community on our recently announced innovation and research pre-solicitation.
At S&T, dedication to excellence is paramount to each and every member of the Directorate. Our communications teams are just one more example. Again, I am delighted FedTech chose us to be among the top must-read sites in Federal government. I’ve looked at some of the others on the list and we are in good company. Congratulations to all the other federal agencies recognized in the announcement.
I urge everyone – stakeholders, researchers, academics, responders, students and anyone interested in advances in homeland security technologies – to visit our website often to learn more about S&T, what we’re working on, and how we’re helping to keep this nation safe.
Dr. Reginald Brothers
Under Secretary of Science and Technology