George Mason University will host “Homeland Security Challenges: Evolving Threats and Dynamic Solutions,” a Department of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence Summit, July 31-Aug. 1 at its Arlington Campus.
The summit is an opportunity to gather some of the nation’s best academic, public, and private sector leaders to discuss strategies for advancing the DHS mission.
Sponsored through the DHS Science and Technology Directorate Office of University Programs, the Department of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence network is a consortium of universities conducting groundbreaking research to address homeland security challenges by developing multidisciplinary, customer-driven, homeland security science and technology solutions and helping train the next generation of homeland security experts.
The summit provides a platform for creating connections, fostering collaborations and inspiring new ideas to address homeland security challenges. It also provides an opportunity to highlight student research and innovative problem solving.
George Mason University Rector Tom Davis will introduce David P. Pekoske, the Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, who will give the summit opening keynote address. The event also includes an Innovation Showcase that provides a firsthand look at the ongoing research, development, training and education conducted by the Centers of Excellence, as well as a student Grand Challenge competition, similar to a hackathon but without a focus on programming and coding, supported by COE Summit Platinum Industry Partner General Dynamics Information Technology.
Mason’s Criminal Investigation and Network Analysis Center (CINA) is sponsoring three summer interns in the competition, which engages COE-nominated undergraduate and graduate-level student teams to develop new approaches and strategies to counter an emerging threat to homeland security posed by Unmanned Aerial Systems.
Mason faculty and students are eligible to attend the COE Summit for free by registering at coesummit.org. Registration closes Tuesday, July 16.