The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) provides critical expertise and support to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Components and public safety agencies across the country. We’ve captured some of the latest results of S&T’s expertise in the updated S&T Impact Series.
The DHS workforce is charged with a single mission that unites our efforts across the Department: “With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.” Each Component and office has a distinct role to play in fulfilling that mission. At S&T, our job is to invest in scientific and technology advances that result in safer, more efficient, and more effective operations.
Guided by DHS and the Administration’s priorities, S&T applies our expertise to key homeland security mission needs that include strengthening border security, enforcing immigration laws, countering transnational criminal organizations (TCO), and expediting lawful trade and travel.
Our work takes place largely behind the scenes, where our scientists, engineers, and program managers work closely with DHS Components and first responders to understand their operational needs, engage with innovative industry partners to identify and adapt cutting-edge solutions, and rigorously evaluate new technology before it deploys to the field. The entire process is driven by meeting specific mission requirements, always keeping in mind the men and women who will ultimately use the solutions we create.
For example, S&T has invested in several new drone capabilities that support different aspects of the homeland security mission. The MQ-9 Big Wing project improved an existing unmanned aerial system (UAS) so it can fly longer and farther, allowing DHS to more effectively surveil the borders and identify TCO activities. We’ve also evaluated several drone systems on the Blue UAS list for their use in response operations, helping the nation’s public safety officials understand which features would improve their situational awareness. In both cases, S&T is augmenting an existing product, tailoring it to meet specific requirements and high-performance standards. This saves DHS valuable time and resources, allowing us to deploy solutions much quicker than a typical research and development process.
Another area we’re making great strides in is screening and detection technology. Based on our conversations with DHS officials working in the field, S&T has striven to develop solutions like the High-Definition Advanced Imaging Technology that can identify concealed objects while allowing travelers to move quickly though an airport security checkpoint. We’ve also improved systems to more efficiently and effectively screen air cargo, carry-on bags, and checked baggage for explosive and chemical compounds. An important goal with these and other related efforts is to increase efficiency by minimizing the number of false alarms that require additional screening from officials. Being able to quickly identify hidden contraband or illicit drugs is also critical to protecting legal trade and travel.
Finally, S&T is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning into our data analysis and digital forensics solutions, resulting in force-multiplying resources for law enforcement and other homeland security officials. The Kestrel platform uses AI to provide threat modeling, which helps inform decision-making for operational resourcing and deployment. The Fentanyl Supply Chain Model is giving law enforcement greater insight into TCO activity that threatens to flood our communities with fentanyl and illegal synthetic opioids. SpeechView allows investigators to quickly translate, transcribe, and analyze audio, video, and text, which greatly reduces the time needed to identify victims and offenders in exploitation material. All these resources empower DHS officials with tools that quickly analyze vast amounts of data, helping them work more efficiently and effectively on efforts critical to the nation’s security.
I encourage you to explore the full S&T Impact Series and discover the broad range of technologies S&T has developed over the past few years. Working closely with our partners in industry and across the globe, S&T is advancing mission-critical capabilities in screening, threat detection, workforce safety, and incorporating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and unmanned aerial systems into DHS and first responder operations.
If I had to summarize the series into a single statement, it would boil down to this: The enduring impact of S&T’s work is trust. Trust that body armor meets high safety standards, trust in drones that operate as needed in urban or rural environments, and trust that when we say a new technology can do the job, it absolutely can.
There’s a familiar saying that trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair. We know what the stakes are: DHS officials and America’s first responders work tirelessly to keep our communities and our country safe. S&T’s role is to ensure these brave men and women have the innovations they need to overcome ever-changing obstacles and get home safely. It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly, and a goal we strive to achieve every day.