Fact Sheet: Homeland Security Centers of Excellence: Partnering with the Nations Universities

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today announced the selection of the University of Maryland (UMD) to lead the new Homeland Security Center of Excellence for Behavioral and Social Research on Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism. Homeland Security anticipates providing UMD and its partners with a total of $12 million over the course of the next three years to address these topics.  With this announcement, Homeland Security and UMD will begin grant negotiations to formalize their partnership.

"An essential aspect of fighting terrorism is understanding terrorism," said Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, "and this Center adds a crucial new resource of academic expertise to the Homeland Security mission of a safer America. The better we understand terrorist behavior, the better we can counter terrorism through prevention, detection, preparedness, and response."

The research and development focus of this new Homeland Security Center of Excellence will span both international and domestic issues. Areas of work will include the sources of and responses to terrorism, the psychological impact of terrorism on society, and increasing the American public's preparedness, response, and resilience in the face of threats. Academic and policy experts will examine the motivation and intent of terrorists in order to develop strategies and tools to improve counteractions, such as understanding and forecasting the magnitude of the terrorist threat and formulating effective response strategies. The Center will also consider the impact of terrorism on the public, and will develop risk communications techniques and relevant educational programs.

"To our growing national network of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence examining terrorism and counter-terrorism, we are adding this research focus on cause, effect, and response that will help strengthen many other efforts across the country," said Dr. Charles McQueary, Under Secretary for Science & Technology. "This Center's analysis of behavioral and social aspects of terrorism and counter-terrorism reflects a long-term commitment to a stronger and safer America."    

The University of Maryland has assembled a team of experts from across the country and around the world. The major partners include the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Colorado, Monterey Institute of International Studies, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of South Carolina. Scholars and researchers from Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, and other countries will also be involved in the research efforts.  This Homeland Security Center of Excellence will be directed by UMD's Dr. Gary LaFree.

In July 2004, Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate released a Broad Agency Announcement calling for proposals focusing on research and education relevant to the behavioral and social aspects of terrorism and counter-terrorism.  The 27 proposals received were reviewed by a team of peer reviewers from academia and multiple government agencies as part of a three-tier review process including technical merit, mission relevance, and management effectiveness. This process resulted in site visits to six different institutional sites and to the subsequent selection of UMD.

The Homeland Security Centers of Excellence program, operated by the Department's Science & Technology directorate, is establishing an integrated network of university-based centers that conduct multi-disciplinary research and develop innovative educational programs for critical Homeland Security missions. Through this program, Homeland Security and partner universities bring together the nation's top issue experts and focus its most talented researchers on a variety of threats to include agricultural, chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological, explosive and cyber terrorism, as well as the behavioral and social aspects of terrorism.  

Other Homeland Security Centers of Excellence include:

The Homeland Security Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE), led by the University of Southern California, with major partners the University of Wisconsin at Madison, New York University, and the Structured Decisions Corporation (affiliated with MIT). CREATE's mission is to evaluate the risks, costs and consequences of terrorism, and to guide economically viable investments in counter-measures that will make our nation safer and more secure.

The Homeland Security National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD), led by the University of Minnesota, with major partners Michigan State University, North Dakota State University and University of Wisconsin at Madison. The NCFPD is focused on defending the safety of the food system through research and education, and works to establish best practices, develop new analytic tools, and attract new researchers to manage and respond to food contamination events.  

The Homeland Security National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense (FAZD), led by Texas A&M University, with major partners the University of Texas Medical Branch, University of California at Davis, and University of Southern California. FAZD emphasizes animal management protection against foreign animal and zoonotic diseases including prevention, emergency management, and recovery.

The Department also plans to release the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the fifth Homeland Security Center of Excellence this week. This center, the Center for the Study of High Consequence Event Preparedness and Response, will perform research into preparation for disasters - high consequence events - with special emphasis on acts of terrorism. It will create and sustain innovative research and education in emergency preparedness to significantly enhance the capabilities of emergency responders and other emergency managers. For details, visit DHS.gov/centersofexcellence .  

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate serves as the primary research and development arm of the Department, utilizing our nation's scientific and technological resources to provide federal, state and local officials with the technology and capabilities to protect the homeland.

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