ORAU Partners with DHS University Programs to Strengthen Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expects the United States' academic community to play an integral role in securing the nation. To facilitate this involvement, DHS University Programs is establishing university-based Homeland Security Centers of Excellence in accordance with the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
The purpose of these centers is to provide a locus to attract and retain the nation’s best and brightest academic scholars in pursuit of homeland security related disciplines. The centers are mission-focused and targeted to research areas that leverage the multidisciplinary capabilities of universities to increase our ability to counter terrorist attacks and enhance the overall security of the nation.
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) has provided assistance to DHS University Programs since 2003, including coordination of:
- Merit review of letters of intent, white papers, and proposals for the university-based Homeland Security Centers of Excellence.
- Program reviews to evaluate the status of the research programs.
- Symposia to present the results of the research programs.
- Meetings for the centers’ directors to integrate key programmatic elements.
For each activity, ORAU responded to the unique challenges in a manner that demonstrated its commitment to excellence, customer service orientation, and extraordinarily competent adaptability. ORAU successfully completed each activity in such a manner that the customers and reviewers were able to focus on research that is designed to enhance our nation’s security.