WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.848 --> 00:00:01.681 (cymbal sizzling) 2 00:00:01.681 --> 00:00:03.177 Well, the job we had to do, 3 00:00:03.177 --> 00:00:05.370 was, it's like flying at 747, 4 00:00:05.370 --> 00:00:08.040 and you've gotta change all four engines 5 00:00:08.040 --> 00:00:09.968 while you're in flight. 6 00:00:09.968 --> 00:00:11.370 (gentle orchestral music) 7 00:00:11.370 --> 00:00:14.010 911 shocks the nation and the world. 8 00:00:14.010 --> 00:00:16.500 line:15% As the United States warns the devastation, 9 00:00:16.500 --> 00:00:18.690 Dr. Charles McQueary answers the call 10 00:00:18.690 --> 00:00:20.190 to lead the newly formed 11 00:00:20.190 --> 00:00:22.680 DHS Science and Technology Directorate 12 00:00:22.680 --> 00:00:24.530 on a mission to protect the homeland. 13 00:00:25.710 --> 00:00:27.450 There was that moment that I realized 14 00:00:27.450 --> 00:00:29.550 I definitely wanted to serve, 15 00:00:29.550 --> 00:00:32.403 to make sure that didn't happen ever, ever again. 16 00:00:33.330 --> 00:00:35.797 In the years following 911, 17 00:00:35.797 --> 00:00:38.520 S&T's Undersecretaries rise to the challenge, 18 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:42.210 leading a workforce through wartime, economic collapse, 19 00:00:42.210 --> 00:00:44.880 a new digitally-charged threat landscape, 20 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:46.050 and a global pandemic, 21 00:00:46.050 --> 00:00:49.050 that threatens to bring the world to a standstill. 22 00:00:49.050 --> 00:00:52.083 If you're not leading, you're falling behind. 23 00:00:53.160 --> 00:00:55.260 If you're falling behind, you 24 00:00:55.260 --> 00:00:58.440 won't be ready for what's coming next. 25 00:00:58.440 --> 00:01:00.510 As S&T marks 20 years, 26 00:01:00.510 --> 00:01:02.670 a new Under Secretary leads the Directorate 27 00:01:02.670 --> 00:01:05.880 into the next 20, navigating dynamic change 28 00:01:05.880 --> 00:01:09.453 at an unparalleled pace like we've never experienced before. 29 00:01:11.448 --> 00:01:15.115 (dramatic orchestral music) 30 00:01:20.458 --> 00:01:22.708 (no audio) 31 00:01:24.870 --> 00:01:26.070 line:15% I'm Wendy Howe, 32 00:01:26.070 --> 00:01:28.290 line:15% Communications and Outreach Division Director 33 00:01:28.290 --> 00:01:30.360 line:15% for the Department of Homeland Security, 34 00:01:30.360 --> 00:01:32.520 line:15% Science and Technology Directorate. 35 00:01:32.520 --> 00:01:34.800 I'm proud to present Impact 20, 36 00:01:34.800 --> 00:01:37.200 commemorating 20 years of S&T. 37 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:40.350 This video presentation showcases the collective voices 38 00:01:40.350 --> 00:01:43.800 of our official and acting Undersecretaries who led S&T 39 00:01:43.800 --> 00:01:45.300 through the nation's most pressing 40 00:01:45.300 --> 00:01:49.260 homeland security challenges in the aftermath of 911. 41 00:01:49.260 --> 00:01:50.670 The September 11th attacks 42 00:01:50.670 --> 00:01:53.550 remain one of the most traumatic events of the century, 43 00:01:53.550 --> 00:01:55.050 not only for Americans, 44 00:01:55.050 --> 00:01:58.020 but also for the world that watched in horror. 45 00:01:58.020 --> 00:02:01.113 That fateful day is where our story begins. 46 00:02:02.511 --> 00:02:05.344 (deep bass tones) 47 00:02:07.410 --> 00:02:10.110 September 11th, 2001, 48 00:02:10.110 --> 00:02:12.480 line:15% a clear sunny morning with most Americans 49 00:02:12.480 --> 00:02:16.020 line:15% on the Eastern seaboard already starting their day. 50 00:02:16.020 --> 00:02:19.080 line:15% I remember where I was on 911 very, very well. 51 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:22.830 line:15% I was in Whippany, New Jersey at 8:45 in the morning, 52 00:02:22.830 --> 00:02:25.560 on that day, in a meeting. 53 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:28.650 One minute later, American Airlines Flight 11 54 00:02:28.650 --> 00:02:31.830 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. 55 00:02:31.830 --> 00:02:32.747 We didn't think too much about it, 56 00:02:32.747 --> 00:02:35.610 'cause we all thought of the time that a small plane 57 00:02:35.610 --> 00:02:39.150 had run into the Empire State Building, I think it was, 58 00:02:39.150 --> 00:02:40.942 many, many years ago. 59 00:02:40.942 --> 00:02:43.859 (crowds screaming) 60 00:02:45.394 --> 00:02:47.040 (explosions banging) 61 00:02:47.040 --> 00:02:49.950 We knew then, that something entirely different 62 00:02:49.950 --> 00:02:51.720 from what we had ever experienced as a country 63 00:02:51.720 --> 00:02:53.010 was going on then. 64 00:02:53.010 --> 00:02:56.400 So it was a moment of chaos, and we immediately moved 65 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:58.380 to where we tried to find a television 66 00:02:58.380 --> 00:03:00.510 to see if we could understand what was going on. 67 00:03:00.510 --> 00:03:01.620 Within three hours, 68 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:03.270 a series of coordinated attacks 69 00:03:03.270 --> 00:03:05.310 at the hands of Al Qaeda terrorists 70 00:03:05.310 --> 00:03:09.150 reduced New York City's tallest buildings to rubble. 71 00:03:09.150 --> 00:03:12.150 The Pentagon, partially destroyed. 72 00:03:12.150 --> 00:03:14.640 And nearly 3000 lives were lost, 73 00:03:14.640 --> 00:03:17.670 including 412 first responders, 74 00:03:17.670 --> 00:03:20.100 many who bravely rushed into the Twin Towers 75 00:03:20.100 --> 00:03:21.813 when others were rushing out. 76 00:03:23.742 --> 00:03:26.542 Engine 101, fog is down. 77 00:03:26.542 --> 00:03:27.870 Through unimaginable loss 78 00:03:27.870 --> 00:03:29.610 came American resiliency, 79 00:03:29.610 --> 00:03:32.010 and the opportunity to coordinate the defense 80 00:03:32.010 --> 00:03:33.330 of the homeland. 81 00:03:33.330 --> 00:03:36.300 On March 1st, 2003, the United States 82 00:03:36.300 --> 00:03:39.030 Department of Homeland Security was established. 83 00:03:39.030 --> 00:03:40.680 And to support that mission, 84 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:43.650 the Science and Technology Directorate was born. 85 00:03:43.650 --> 00:03:47.820 I'll always remember in early September of 2002, 86 00:03:47.820 --> 00:03:51.180 I received a telephone call from Gordon England 87 00:03:51.180 --> 00:03:52.080 who had been named 88 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:55.500 to become the Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security. 89 00:03:55.500 --> 00:03:58.177 He asked me in a very direct fashion, 90 00:03:58.177 --> 00:04:01.223 "Would you be interested in being considered 91 00:04:01.223 --> 00:04:02.670 to be the head of Science and Technology 92 00:04:02.670 --> 00:04:05.190 for the New Department of Homeland Security?" 93 00:04:05.190 --> 00:04:08.310 Well, I was first of all stunned at the call 94 00:04:08.310 --> 00:04:10.890 because I had not expected anything like that. 95 00:04:10.890 --> 00:04:15.300 And as my wife says, it took me about a second to say, yes 96 00:04:15.300 --> 00:04:17.670 I would be more than happy to be considered for that. 97 00:04:17.670 --> 00:04:21.150 And so my life totally changed at that point. 98 00:04:21.150 --> 00:04:25.110 On April 9th, 2003, Dr. Charles McQueary 99 00:04:25.110 --> 00:04:28.440 came out of retirement to lead as the first Under Secretary 100 00:04:28.440 --> 00:04:30.630 for Science and Technology. 101 00:04:30.630 --> 00:04:32.913 His wife Cheryl, right by his side. 102 00:04:34.200 --> 00:04:36.000 And we were to look at the cherry blossoms, 103 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:40.312 and there you were looking at your Blackberry, 104 00:04:40.312 --> 00:04:42.832 and there's lots of stuff going on. 105 00:04:42.832 --> 00:04:43.771 Well, I described it 106 00:04:43.771 --> 00:04:46.971 as being representative of a technological change. 107 00:04:46.971 --> 00:04:48.360 (both laughing) 108 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:49.742 Now we have iPhones. 109 00:04:49.742 --> 00:04:51.630 Oh. (laughing) 110 00:04:51.630 --> 00:04:55.440 Yeah, it's true, that Blackberry went every place with you. 111 00:04:55.440 --> 00:04:57.120 Yeah, it did, it did. 112 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:58.470 I didn't wanna give it up. 113 00:04:58.470 --> 00:05:00.360 I didn't wanna have it to begin with. 114 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:02.100 McQueary got to work right away. 115 00:05:02.100 --> 00:05:04.983 His small team of 10 were faced with the unimaginable. 116 00:05:05.820 --> 00:05:07.830 My Chief of Staff, Vic Tambone, 117 00:05:07.830 --> 00:05:10.800 that was his favorite expression about, 118 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:13.080 well the job we had to do was, 119 00:05:13.080 --> 00:05:16.170 it's like flying at 747 and you've gotta change 120 00:05:16.170 --> 00:05:18.660 all four engines while you're in flight. 121 00:05:18.660 --> 00:05:20.629 How do you cultivate 122 00:05:20.629 --> 00:05:22.560 a new sense of cooperation and solidarity 123 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:25.470 amidst a veil of fear and uncertainty? 124 00:05:25.470 --> 00:05:28.230 To stay sane in the chaos, McQueary's staff 125 00:05:28.230 --> 00:05:30.450 referred to their first holidays together 126 00:05:30.450 --> 00:05:33.870 as Orange Christmas, citing the newly established 127 00:05:33.870 --> 00:05:36.750 color-coded terrorism threat alert system. 128 00:05:36.750 --> 00:05:38.790 That was the Orange Christmas, 129 00:05:38.790 --> 00:05:41.310 because everybody sort of stayed. 130 00:05:41.310 --> 00:05:42.600 Some people could go home, 131 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:44.310 and have a little bit of time off. 132 00:05:44.310 --> 00:05:48.120 But your job is, and heart was what's happening next. 133 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:51.180 Each day brought new threats and challenges. 134 00:05:51.180 --> 00:05:53.100 McQueary and his team had to keep swimming 135 00:05:53.100 --> 00:05:54.903 no matter which way the tide turned. 136 00:05:56.550 --> 00:05:59.850 The real focus was on trying to get as many people 137 00:05:59.850 --> 00:06:02.460 as we could, scientifically trained, 138 00:06:02.460 --> 00:06:05.340 not just finding bodies to go into slots, 139 00:06:05.340 --> 00:06:08.220 but rather to find specific people with talents 140 00:06:08.220 --> 00:06:11.040 in the multiple areas, chemical, biological, 141 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:14.520 radiological, nuclear, high explosives. 142 00:06:14.520 --> 00:06:17.070 Over the next few years, the S&T staff 143 00:06:17.070 --> 00:06:19.057 grew from 10 to 400, 144 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:21.810 establishing important initiatives, 145 00:06:21.810 --> 00:06:24.990 such as the Centers of Excellence and the Safety Act. 146 00:06:24.990 --> 00:06:26.550 McQueary focused on mobilizing 147 00:06:26.550 --> 00:06:28.890 America's best innovators and thinkers, 148 00:06:28.890 --> 00:06:32.070 hoping to adopt already available technologies 149 00:06:32.070 --> 00:06:34.440 that could translate to immediate solutions 150 00:06:34.440 --> 00:06:37.170 for the nation's homeland security challenges. 151 00:06:37.170 --> 00:06:38.370 The most important mission 152 00:06:38.370 --> 00:06:40.590 for the Science & Technology Directorate 153 00:06:40.590 --> 00:06:45.120 is to develop and deploy cutting edge technologies 154 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:48.210 and new capabilities, so that the dedicated men and women 155 00:06:48.210 --> 00:06:50.010 who serve to secure our homeland 156 00:06:50.010 --> 00:06:53.370 can perform their jobs more effectively and efficiently. 157 00:06:53.370 --> 00:06:56.970 They, as well as the American people, are my customers. 158 00:06:56.970 --> 00:06:58.800 More than 20 years later, 159 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:01.620 911 is still at the forefront of his mind, 160 00:07:01.620 --> 00:07:03.630 a key turning point in history, 161 00:07:03.630 --> 00:07:07.290 forever etched in the DNA of those who led the country 162 00:07:07.290 --> 00:07:09.540 through healing and recovery. 163 00:07:09.540 --> 00:07:11.970 Things were a lot more amicable in working, 164 00:07:11.970 --> 00:07:15.090 and rightfully so, because the country was in need, 165 00:07:15.090 --> 00:07:16.770 and it was not the time to let politics 166 00:07:16.770 --> 00:07:18.570 get in the way of what had to be done. 167 00:07:18.570 --> 00:07:22.110 And I believe that the people in very responsible positions, 168 00:07:22.110 --> 00:07:25.680 namely the Congress, the President and all around, 169 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:27.600 stood up and did what should be done 170 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:29.250 for the country at that time. 171 00:07:29.250 --> 00:07:31.110 And while there are disagreements, 172 00:07:31.110 --> 00:07:33.720 they were not so political in nature in those days 173 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:36.360 as sometimes we are today. 174 00:07:36.360 --> 00:07:39.090 While the world is much different today, 175 00:07:39.090 --> 00:07:41.100 one thing remained the same, 176 00:07:41.100 --> 00:07:46.100 his partner and confidante, Cheryl, still by his side. 177 00:07:46.973 --> 00:07:50.223 (gentle flowing music) 178 00:07:57.104 --> 00:08:00.870 (gentle flowing music continues) 179 00:08:00.870 --> 00:08:02.220 After Dr. McQueary, 180 00:08:02.220 --> 00:08:05.340 a new wave of official and acting undersecretaries 181 00:08:05.340 --> 00:08:09.180 rose above adversity, guiding S&T through the wars in Iraq 182 00:08:09.180 --> 00:08:13.200 and Afghanistan, while facing a monstrous economic crisis 183 00:08:13.200 --> 00:08:16.320 crippling the livelihood of millions of Americans. 184 00:08:16.320 --> 00:08:19.950 The rise of the digital era, a more sophisticated internet, 185 00:08:19.950 --> 00:08:21.630 and dynamic social media 186 00:08:21.630 --> 00:08:23.850 shifted the culture of our daily lives, 187 00:08:23.850 --> 00:08:27.030 and inevitably, the nature of emerging threats. 188 00:08:27.030 --> 00:08:29.190 And just when we thought we had seen it all, 189 00:08:29.190 --> 00:08:31.833 a global pandemic changed our lives forever. 190 00:08:32.774 --> 00:08:36.195 (tympani drum boom) 191 00:08:36.195 --> 00:08:37.680 (gentle orchestral music) 192 00:08:37.680 --> 00:08:40.140 line:15% 911 was a defining moment, 193 00:08:40.140 --> 00:08:42.000 line:15% one that would eventually forever, 194 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:45.810 line:15% link these individuals, as leaders of S&T. 195 00:08:45.810 --> 00:08:47.943 My phone rings, it's my wife, 196 00:08:48.780 --> 00:08:52.560 and she says her sister just called her, 197 00:08:52.560 --> 00:08:54.570 and told her to watch the TV 198 00:08:54.570 --> 00:08:58.023 because a plane had just flown into World Trade Center. 199 00:08:58.920 --> 00:09:02.100 I was driving to work 200 00:09:02.100 --> 00:09:06.150 at the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies. 201 00:09:06.150 --> 00:09:07.800 On 911, I was the Chief 202 00:09:07.800 --> 00:09:09.630 of Fire and Rescue Emergency Services 203 00:09:09.630 --> 00:09:11.370 in Loudoun County, Virginia. 204 00:09:11.370 --> 00:09:13.170 And I was active duty army, 205 00:09:13.170 --> 00:09:16.350 working at a naval lab in Dahlgren, Virginia. 206 00:09:16.350 --> 00:09:17.520 And I thought, really seriously 207 00:09:17.520 --> 00:09:19.020 about just not going to work, 208 00:09:19.020 --> 00:09:20.730 just going straight to New York, right, 209 00:09:20.730 --> 00:09:22.200 and seeing what I could do to help. 210 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:23.760 I was working on Capitol Hill 211 00:09:23.760 --> 00:09:25.500 in the Cannon House office building, 212 00:09:25.500 --> 00:09:27.240 and saw the second one strike. 213 00:09:27.240 --> 00:09:30.523 And at that point, everything just went mad. 214 00:09:30.523 --> 00:09:33.510 (mysterious rolling music) 215 00:09:33.510 --> 00:09:34.860 It was from the madness 216 00:09:34.860 --> 00:09:37.650 of those first few painful minutes, hours, 217 00:09:37.650 --> 00:09:40.530 days, and months that S&T rose. 218 00:09:40.530 --> 00:09:42.450 The leaders that followed Dr. McQueary 219 00:09:42.450 --> 00:09:44.610 had different skill sets, backgrounds, 220 00:09:44.610 --> 00:09:47.760 experiences, and approaches. 221 00:09:47.760 --> 00:09:51.990 line:15% In 2006, I retired after 38 years active duty 222 00:09:51.990 --> 00:09:53.820 line:15% in the Navy, as a Nuclear Submariner 223 00:09:53.820 --> 00:09:56.760 Commander of surface ship, during the Persian Gulf war. 224 00:09:56.760 --> 00:09:59.130 And six years as the Chief Naval Research, 225 00:09:59.130 --> 00:10:00.480 the Chief Technology Officer 226 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:03.120 for the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps. 227 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:08.120 line:15% D.A. Henderson and I formed this center, at Johns Hopkins, 228 00:10:08.400 --> 00:10:12.180 dedicated to try and think through what we would do 229 00:10:12.180 --> 00:10:15.090 if there were a deliberate attack 230 00:10:15.090 --> 00:10:17.580 using bioweapons on civilians. 231 00:10:17.580 --> 00:10:22.200 And also what we would do if there was a natural pandemic. 232 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:25.620 line:15% I'd grown up in the national security space. 233 00:10:25.620 --> 00:10:27.930 It started at Lincoln Laboratory, but I went to DARPA, 234 00:10:27.930 --> 00:10:30.600 so it's another national security kind of thing, high tech. 235 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:31.781 I went to the Department of Defense, 236 00:10:31.781 --> 00:10:32.614 and worked at the Pentagon. 237 00:10:32.614 --> 00:10:35.370 And seeing that happen really struck me hard. 238 00:10:35.370 --> 00:10:36.750 So I wanted to do something. 239 00:10:36.750 --> 00:10:38.880 line:15% What I was able to bring to DHS, 240 00:10:38.880 --> 00:10:43.413 line:15% was a boots on the ground, true perspective, from the field. 241 00:10:44.340 --> 00:10:47.073 But I came with someone who, you know, 242 00:10:48.780 --> 00:10:50.103 who saw the tragedy. 243 00:10:51.030 --> 00:10:54.082 I remember the mortuary tents at the Pentagon. 244 00:10:54.082 --> 00:10:56.220 I know what the end result of not being prepared 245 00:10:56.220 --> 00:10:58.320 means to this country. 246 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.120 Despite these leadership differences, 247 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:03.840 there was one common theme, an ethos that runs throughout, 248 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:06.720 a love of country, a drive to serve, 249 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:08.670 and a need to secure the nation 250 00:11:08.670 --> 00:11:11.340 so this would never happen again. 251 00:11:11.340 --> 00:11:14.910 line:15% When the Homeland Security Task Force was formed, 252 00:11:14.910 --> 00:11:16.470 line:15% I was pulled up into the Pentagon, 253 00:11:16.470 --> 00:11:17.670 the call to serve came in, 254 00:11:17.670 --> 00:11:19.770 and I just wanted to do something to make a difference. 255 00:11:19.770 --> 00:11:21.000 line:15% I grew up in Washington, 256 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:24.930 line:15% so there's been a deeply sort of instilled core, 257 00:11:24.930 --> 00:11:26.490 about people who grow up in this region 258 00:11:26.490 --> 00:11:30.091 that there's a service component to it. 259 00:11:30.091 --> 00:11:31.020 And then 911 happened. 260 00:11:31.020 --> 00:11:32.321 There was that moment that I realized 261 00:11:32.321 --> 00:11:34.890 I definitely wanted to serve 262 00:11:34.890 --> 00:11:38.520 to make sure that didn't happen ever, ever again. 263 00:11:38.520 --> 00:11:39.720 Each had much to learn 264 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:43.350 upon their arrival at S&T, but even more to give. 265 00:11:43.350 --> 00:11:45.120 As the threat landscape changed, 266 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:47.460 these leaders faced myriad challenges 267 00:11:47.460 --> 00:11:49.770 as they left their mark on S&T, 268 00:11:49.770 --> 00:11:52.410 by evolving the directorate to overcome hurdles, 269 00:11:52.410 --> 00:11:55.800 as well as to meet and defeat threats to the nation. 270 00:11:55.800 --> 00:11:58.710 Because DHS was being stood up, 271 00:11:58.710 --> 00:12:02.250 there were challenges, but money was tight. 272 00:12:02.250 --> 00:12:04.590 So the money had already been spoken for. 273 00:12:04.590 --> 00:12:06.060 So I went over and I sat down 274 00:12:06.060 --> 00:12:07.260 with the chairman of the committee, 275 00:12:07.260 --> 00:12:10.200 both House and Senate, Appropriations, 276 00:12:10.200 --> 00:12:12.150 as well as the ranking minority. 277 00:12:12.150 --> 00:12:17.150 And they asked me was I going to reorganize DHS S&T, 278 00:12:17.700 --> 00:12:19.020 and what were my plans? 279 00:12:19.020 --> 00:12:23.373 And I said, well, number one, we've got the Gets. 280 00:12:24.390 --> 00:12:25.680 I have to get the budget right. 281 00:12:25.680 --> 00:12:28.080 And then I said, we've gotta get the people right. 282 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:32.550 We have to attract the right motivated, intelligent people. 283 00:12:32.550 --> 00:12:34.983 And that became known as the Gets. 284 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:38.640 And they liked what they heard. 285 00:12:38.640 --> 00:12:41.610 And when you start working at DHS, 286 00:12:41.610 --> 00:12:44.820 you get a very fast introduction to the whole panoply 287 00:12:44.820 --> 00:12:48.001 of possible threats to the country. 288 00:12:48.001 --> 00:12:52.290 So in my first year at DHS, we had the H5N1 pandemic. 289 00:12:53.250 --> 00:12:57.600 We had that terrible earthquake, in Haiti, 290 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:00.300 to which FEMA deployed. 291 00:13:00.300 --> 00:13:04.440 We had the terrorist attack 292 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:08.070 from the guy who put a bomb in his underwear. 293 00:13:08.070 --> 00:13:09.180 So drones were one problem. 294 00:13:09.180 --> 00:13:10.203 You probably remember 295 00:13:10.203 --> 00:13:12.810 when the drone landed on the White House lawn. 296 00:13:12.810 --> 00:13:14.910 And I was the one called to the Situation Room 297 00:13:14.910 --> 00:13:16.380 to respond to the National Security Council 298 00:13:16.380 --> 00:13:18.420 in terms of what are we gonna do about this, 299 00:13:18.420 --> 00:13:20.370 from a science technology perspective, right? 300 00:13:20.370 --> 00:13:22.500 And that was a serious challenge, 301 00:13:22.500 --> 00:13:23.760 because this was the first time 302 00:13:23.760 --> 00:13:27.450 that that type of threat had appeared 303 00:13:27.450 --> 00:13:29.610 directly on the White House, right? 304 00:13:29.610 --> 00:13:34.610 Understanding that the world of gray is pretty dramatic. 305 00:13:34.710 --> 00:13:38.880 Areas like gun safety, areas like CRISPR and gene editing, 306 00:13:38.880 --> 00:13:40.170 drone technology. 307 00:13:40.170 --> 00:13:43.470 And sometimes the secretary is forced into a position 308 00:13:43.470 --> 00:13:48.270 where he or she can only make the least worst decision, 309 00:13:48.270 --> 00:13:50.310 which is a horrible position to put anybody in. 310 00:13:50.310 --> 00:13:52.200 In addition to the quantum computing, 311 00:13:52.200 --> 00:13:53.580 there's a genome editing. 312 00:13:53.580 --> 00:13:55.380 That's always been a concern of mine, 313 00:13:55.380 --> 00:13:56.310 what people can do with that. 314 00:13:56.310 --> 00:13:57.360 Are we prepared? 315 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:58.650 These are technologies that were created 316 00:13:58.650 --> 00:14:01.410 for the good of mankind, but are being used as a threat. 317 00:14:01.410 --> 00:14:03.390 And we have to be prepared to handle that. 318 00:14:03.390 --> 00:14:05.550 And as far as the responsiveness of COVID, 319 00:14:05.550 --> 00:14:09.000 we have a top-notch team of experts at our national labs. 320 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:10.230 And we actually led the nation 321 00:14:10.230 --> 00:14:12.150 figuring out how this virus could spread. 322 00:14:12.150 --> 00:14:15.390 And it was a proud moment when I could showcase that 323 00:14:15.390 --> 00:14:16.530 on a national platform. 324 00:14:16.530 --> 00:14:18.990 Operation Allies Welcome was an amazing opportunity 325 00:14:18.990 --> 00:14:20.820 for S&T to step up and show 326 00:14:20.820 --> 00:14:23.940 how science can inform operations. 327 00:14:23.940 --> 00:14:26.910 The secretary called me and said, I need technologists, 328 00:14:26.910 --> 00:14:29.370 I need scientists, I need queuing experts 329 00:14:29.370 --> 00:14:32.100 to inform me how we're going to manage all of this, 330 00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:34.140 as part of a much larger team. 331 00:14:34.140 --> 00:14:36.120 So again, it was taking care 332 00:14:36.120 --> 00:14:37.740 of these really important people 333 00:14:37.740 --> 00:14:39.210 who had been through a lot already, 334 00:14:39.210 --> 00:14:41.850 while also making sure our people were safe. 335 00:14:41.850 --> 00:14:43.770 The importance of S&T to the nation 336 00:14:43.770 --> 00:14:45.390 cannot be overstated. 337 00:14:45.390 --> 00:14:47.340 As the R & D arm of DHS, 338 00:14:47.340 --> 00:14:50.100 and the principal scientific and technological advisor 339 00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:53.703 to the secretary, S&T is in a unique position. 340 00:14:54.540 --> 00:14:59.540 Where would we be without the DHS S&T? 341 00:14:59.790 --> 00:15:01.950 We would not be in a good place. 342 00:15:01.950 --> 00:15:04.920 Technology is harnessing an understanding 343 00:15:04.920 --> 00:15:08.370 of some natural phenomenon to human purpose. 344 00:15:08.370 --> 00:15:11.640 We have to grow out not just our technology, 345 00:15:11.640 --> 00:15:14.070 but our understanding of technology, 346 00:15:14.070 --> 00:15:18.243 our ability to use it ethically and responsibly. 347 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:22.350 There's a lot of challenges, just manpower can't solve. 348 00:15:22.350 --> 00:15:24.630 Just throwing more people at it doesn't solve the problem. 349 00:15:24.630 --> 00:15:26.280 The only way they can get technology 350 00:15:26.280 --> 00:15:29.730 is to have people that have the kind of expertise 351 00:15:29.730 --> 00:15:32.700 to understand what is in the art of the possible, 352 00:15:32.700 --> 00:15:35.340 in order to bring that to these mission sets. 353 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:37.563 How important is S&T to America? 354 00:15:39.171 --> 00:15:42.243 (chuckles) You'll never be able to know, 355 00:15:43.350 --> 00:15:46.020 because the work that you do every day, 356 00:15:46.020 --> 00:15:49.950 the work that keeps the cyber infrastructure safe, 357 00:15:49.950 --> 00:15:54.030 the work that has been done to show how clean is clean. 358 00:15:54.030 --> 00:15:55.110 The work that's been done 359 00:15:55.110 --> 00:16:00.110 to make our communication systems operate efficiently, 360 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:02.820 to be able to send more information, 361 00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:05.460 to be able to synthesize data, 362 00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:08.160 every day is changing what's happening 363 00:16:08.160 --> 00:16:09.960 on the streets of our communities. 364 00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:12.330 Your work makes a difference. 365 00:16:12.330 --> 00:16:14.613 S&T's got your back, they're there. 366 00:16:15.540 --> 00:16:16.980 They're looking for those threats. 367 00:16:16.980 --> 00:16:18.150 They're dealing with those threats. 368 00:16:18.150 --> 00:16:20.190 They are meeting those challenges. 369 00:16:20.190 --> 00:16:22.470 Someone's gotta do it, and they're fully equipped 370 00:16:22.470 --> 00:16:23.640 and ready and able to do it. 371 00:16:23.640 --> 00:16:25.040 And America should be proud. 372 00:16:25.950 --> 00:16:27.750 S&T's a really special place, 373 00:16:27.750 --> 00:16:30.630 'cause everybody here is extremely smart. 374 00:16:30.630 --> 00:16:32.370 They're extremely skilled. 375 00:16:32.370 --> 00:16:33.600 They have areas of expertise 376 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:34.980 that are really unique in the nation, 377 00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:36.750 and they choose to be here, 378 00:16:36.750 --> 00:16:39.480 alongside other people who have chosen to be here, 379 00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:43.110 and are really here for the mission itself. 380 00:16:43.110 --> 00:16:45.480 And you can feel that when you're walking around, 381 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:48.090 the passion, and the dedication, 382 00:16:48.090 --> 00:16:50.310 and just the true feeling of responsibility 383 00:16:50.310 --> 00:16:52.140 for this mission that we own. 384 00:16:52.140 --> 00:16:53.940 And that connects us all together 385 00:16:53.940 --> 00:16:57.750 and keeps us all going and really makes us all connected 386 00:16:57.750 --> 00:17:00.390 in a way that few others are. 387 00:17:00.390 --> 00:17:02.940 And while S&T remains focused on the future, 388 00:17:02.940 --> 00:17:04.920 it's critical to recognize the past, 389 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:07.380 so we never forget where we came from 390 00:17:07.380 --> 00:17:09.603 and apply that knowledge to tomorrow. 391 00:17:11.520 --> 00:17:15.120 Happy anniversary to the Department of Homeland Security. 392 00:17:15.120 --> 00:17:18.120 Because it is a hard job, 393 00:17:18.120 --> 00:17:21.180 and the efforts of the government service people, 394 00:17:21.180 --> 00:17:25.710 are not always as appreciated as they should be. 395 00:17:25.710 --> 00:17:30.513 And let me just say, on this anniversary of DHS, thank you. 396 00:17:32.332 --> 00:17:34.530 (no audio) 397 00:17:34.530 --> 00:17:36.270 With 20 years behind us, 398 00:17:36.270 --> 00:17:39.360 what new threats and challenges loom on the horizon? 399 00:17:39.360 --> 00:17:40.590 Where are we going? 400 00:17:40.590 --> 00:17:42.360 How do we continue to adapt and get ahead 401 00:17:42.360 --> 00:17:45.840 of a world that's changing faster than ever before? 402 00:17:45.840 --> 00:17:48.480 For those answers, we turn to our new Under Secretary 403 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:52.473 about his plans for S&T, as we embark on our next 20. 404 00:17:53.412 --> 00:17:55.732 (deep bass tones) 405 00:17:55.732 --> 00:17:57.982 (no audio) 406 00:17:59.220 --> 00:18:01.260 When I was in grad school, 407 00:18:01.260 --> 00:18:03.990 I wasn't sure exactly what to do, 408 00:18:03.990 --> 00:18:06.000 but I just followed what I found interesting 409 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.100 without a sense of what's next. 410 00:18:08.100 --> 00:18:11.724 I became a faculty at some point 411 00:18:11.724 --> 00:18:14.373 and academia was a lot of fun. 412 00:18:15.360 --> 00:18:19.650 And you know, at some point after doing that for many years, 413 00:18:19.650 --> 00:18:23.250 line:15% I started to, you know, maybe get a little restless. 414 00:18:23.250 --> 00:18:24.633 line:15% What else is there? 415 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:27.630 And I thought of different things to do, 416 00:18:27.630 --> 00:18:32.630 and I chose public service because it felt right. 417 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.070 Government service is different 418 00:18:35.070 --> 00:18:37.980 in terms of its reward structure and its purpose. 419 00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:42.210 It's not a natural extension of academia. 420 00:18:42.210 --> 00:18:44.340 In the academic world, 421 00:18:44.340 --> 00:18:47.370 we're really focused on our own ideas. 422 00:18:47.370 --> 00:18:52.370 I think in public service, the reward structure is different 423 00:18:53.340 --> 00:18:56.160 in that you all have to work together 424 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:59.070 on finding something that is relevant 425 00:18:59.070 --> 00:19:02.970 and whether it's the most interesting thing for you to do 426 00:19:02.970 --> 00:19:04.500 is no longer relevant. 427 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:07.050 Whether it's the most important thing to do 428 00:19:07.050 --> 00:19:09.420 for the mission is relevant. 429 00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:13.230 And those don't always align, but it is more significant 430 00:19:13.230 --> 00:19:16.200 in that you're actually doing something for others 431 00:19:16.200 --> 00:19:17.850 rather than just yourself. 432 00:19:17.850 --> 00:19:22.170 I would say working in government certainly in the U.S. 433 00:19:22.170 --> 00:19:25.680 is an honor and probably a unique place 434 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:27.990 to shape the direction of this country 435 00:19:27.990 --> 00:19:30.900 in ways you would never do anywhere else. 436 00:19:30.900 --> 00:19:33.390 The world around us is changing in ways 437 00:19:33.390 --> 00:19:37.320 we can't anticipate or understand 438 00:19:37.320 --> 00:19:40.980 in terms of its positive or negative impacts. 439 00:19:40.980 --> 00:19:44.700 Many different technologies can also come together 440 00:19:44.700 --> 00:19:46.140 in interesting ways. 441 00:19:46.140 --> 00:19:48.360 There's a, you know, a whole list of things 442 00:19:48.360 --> 00:19:52.410 that come to my mind, in the 3D printing 443 00:19:52.410 --> 00:19:56.370 nanoparticles, and large data sets, and DNA sequences, 444 00:19:56.370 --> 00:19:58.410 finding things that are good or bad 445 00:19:58.410 --> 00:20:00.480 to mitigate a disease or to give one, 446 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:03.990 it's quantum technologies, AI and machine learning. 447 00:20:03.990 --> 00:20:06.720 You have 5G, where you can have technologies 448 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:09.300 talking to each other without people in between, 449 00:20:09.300 --> 00:20:11.940 smarter devices talking to each other. 450 00:20:11.940 --> 00:20:14.430 You could imagine distributed intelligence, 451 00:20:14.430 --> 00:20:16.200 you could have it spread across 452 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:18.690 a network of things evolving together. 453 00:20:18.690 --> 00:20:20.550 And as you bring those things together, 454 00:20:20.550 --> 00:20:22.830 what new things can you create? 455 00:20:22.830 --> 00:20:24.720 I think there's a lot out there, 456 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:26.640 and there's a kind of this growing list 457 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:31.533 of things happening in technology space that's fascinating. 458 00:20:32.612 --> 00:20:33.750 And I think at this point in time, 459 00:20:33.750 --> 00:20:35.820 they're all like engineering platforms 460 00:20:35.820 --> 00:20:38.760 where you can build them together, like Lego parts. 461 00:20:38.760 --> 00:20:40.830 And the question is, what can you build from that, 462 00:20:40.830 --> 00:20:42.330 and what does it mean? 463 00:20:42.330 --> 00:20:46.230 It creates remarkable opportunity, but at the same time 464 00:20:46.230 --> 00:20:49.470 we have to be cognizant of the risk that comes with it. 465 00:20:49.470 --> 00:20:51.603 Science can be a guide, 466 00:20:52.530 --> 00:20:55.983 as to what you should be caring about. 467 00:20:57.360 --> 00:21:00.060 It opens the door to possibilities 468 00:21:00.060 --> 00:21:03.150 that otherwise wouldn't be there. 469 00:21:03.150 --> 00:21:06.030 It tells you about a future 470 00:21:06.030 --> 00:21:09.420 that may not have ever been on your radar. 471 00:21:09.420 --> 00:21:14.420 It is a vital mission that we support the broad DHS mandate, 472 00:21:14.820 --> 00:21:16.560 the vision for DHS. 473 00:21:16.560 --> 00:21:19.260 To what extent can we help clarify 474 00:21:19.260 --> 00:21:22.800 where you place your bets to meet the challenges 475 00:21:22.800 --> 00:21:24.780 that the world will throw at us? 476 00:21:24.780 --> 00:21:27.120 And I think about how can you be prepared? 477 00:21:27.120 --> 00:21:30.690 How can you be more responsive to whatever happens? 478 00:21:30.690 --> 00:21:34.950 In simple terms, if you're not leading, 479 00:21:34.950 --> 00:21:36.243 you're falling behind. 480 00:21:37.643 --> 00:21:39.180 If you're falling behind, 481 00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:41.850 you won't be ready for what's coming next. 482 00:21:41.850 --> 00:21:43.770 Because I worry about the world 483 00:21:43.770 --> 00:21:46.140 that I'm leaving to my grandkids. 484 00:21:46.140 --> 00:21:47.640 I want it to be better. 485 00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:50.640 I want to do as much as I personally can 486 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:53.020 to ensure that I've done all I can 487 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:57.523 to make it a better world, to make it a safer country, 488 00:21:57.523 --> 00:22:01.246 to do anything I can in my power to do so. 489 00:22:01.246 --> 00:22:04.440 And I think working at DHS 490 00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:07.590 is one of those places you can do that. 491 00:22:07.590 --> 00:22:10.830 What excites me about S&T is the mission 492 00:22:10.830 --> 00:22:13.170 and the people there. 493 00:22:13.170 --> 00:22:16.020 You know, it is a remarkable set of people 494 00:22:16.020 --> 00:22:17.250 who have been focused 495 00:22:17.250 --> 00:22:21.750 on perhaps one of the hardest missions in government. 496 00:22:21.750 --> 00:22:26.130 People doing hard work every single day, in the field, 497 00:22:26.130 --> 00:22:28.143 to keep the country safe. 498 00:22:30.600 --> 00:22:33.390 Like many of you, I will never forget the anguish 499 00:22:33.390 --> 00:22:36.480 and heartbreak for all those we lost on 911. 500 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:38.220 I'll also never forget the resilience 501 00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:40.680 that banded Americans together. 502 00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:42.450 For our undersecretaries, 503 00:22:42.450 --> 00:22:44.970 911 changed the course of their careers. 504 00:22:44.970 --> 00:22:46.860 Like them and many of you, 505 00:22:46.860 --> 00:22:49.830 I too answered the call to serve at S&T. 506 00:22:49.830 --> 00:22:52.050 The tragedy of that day binds us, 507 00:22:52.050 --> 00:22:54.030 but our resolve to protect the homeland 508 00:22:54.030 --> 00:22:56.160 is what defines us. 509 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:59.850 Today, the S&T workforce is more than 1200 strong, 510 00:22:59.850 --> 00:23:01.320 rising through leaps and bounds 511 00:23:01.320 --> 00:23:03.180 to safeguard the American people 512 00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:05.310 from new and emerging threats today 513 00:23:05.310 --> 00:23:08.190 that were unimaginable 20 years ago. 514 00:23:08.190 --> 00:23:09.603 Thank you for your service. 515 00:23:10.511 --> 00:23:14.178 (riveting orchestral music) 516 00:23:20.379 --> 00:23:24.879 (riveting orchestral music continues) 517 00:23:30.864 --> 00:23:35.364 (riveting orchestral music continues) 518 00:23:41.036 --> 00:23:45.536 (riveting orchestral music continues) 519 00:23:49.297 --> 00:23:51.547 (no audio)