Skip Navigation
Home Information Sharing & Analysis Prevention & Protection Preparedness & Response Research Commerce & Trade Travel Security & Procedures Immigration
About the Department Open for Business Press Room
Current National Threat Level is elevated

The threat level in the airline sector is High or Orange. Read more.

Homeland Security 5 Year Anniversary 2003 - 2008, One Team, One Mission Securing the Homeland

Overview of Science and Technology Division

Release Date: 07/23/03 00:00:00

"One of the most important factors the DHS Science and Technology division must consider in achieving its goals and harnessing the nation's scientific power is real world applications.  We must always be asking how the systems we develop will operate in the real world."

- Secretary Tom Ridge, April 3, 2003.

General Overview:

The Science and Technology (S&T) division 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. The focus is on catastrophic terrorism - threats to the security of our homeland that could result in large-scale loss of life and major economic impact. The Department's work is designed to counter those threats, both by evolutionary improvements to current technological capabilities and development of revolutionary new technological capabilities.

The Science and Technology division has three primary activity areas - Intramural, Industrial and Educational:

  • Intramural Activities - There is an internal research and development capability at the Department consisting of a cadre of scientists and engineers concentrating on homeland security issues.  Key components of the Department's intramural activities are the Office of National Laboratories and the Homeland Security Laboratories, consisting of components from several Department of Energy laboratories and multiple Federal laboratories, respectively.  
  • Industrial Activities - This capability within the Department consists of engaging the industrial base of our Nation. The Department is soliciting innovative ideas from industry and academia, by developing and demonstrating them through a program known as the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA). HSARPA is responsible for jumpstarting and facilitating R&D efforts to help address critical needs in homeland defense's scientific front. The industrial activities will also include efforts to quickly move developed and prototyped technologies at the laboratories into testing and deployment.  
  • Educational Activities - The Department has a general mandate from Congress to support United States leadership in science and technology.  To that end, the S&T division is supporting those who wish to enter into careers and perform research in fields that are important to the homeland security R&D enterprise. The Department will fund postgraduate and postdoctoral fellowship programs, and create scholarships. In addition, the Department will establish Centers of Excellence in academic institutions. HSARPA will engage the academic community through grants and contracts in support of its programs.

Science and Technology Organization:

The S&T division is organized into four major components, each of which is responsible for providing a core capability:

  • The Office of Plans, Programs and Budget partners with operational end-users to identify requirements, create strategic initiatives to address these requirements, prioritize investments, and ensure both short-term and long-term goals are met in accordance with national policies.
  • The Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency engages industry, academia, government, and other sectors in innovative research and development, rapid prototyping, and technology transfer to meet operational needs.
  • The Office of Research and Development executes the intramural programs in research, development, testing, and evaluation; supports university and fellowship programs; and provides the nation with an enduring research and development capability dedicated to homeland security.
  • The Office of Systems Engineering and Development executes the transition of large-scale or pilot systems to the field through a rapid, efficient and disciplined project management process.

Science and Technology Accomplishments:

  • DHS’ Science & Technology division (S&T) established the Biowatch program in several metropolitan areas across the country. The Biowatch program employs devices to detect terrorist agents like anthrax in time to distribute life-saving pharmaceuticals to affected citizens.
  • S&T released the first Homeland Security Broad Agency Announcement through the Technical Support Working Group for rapid prototyping of off-the-shelf or nearly off-the-shelf technologies for use by DHS agents in the field.  Since June 13, the Department has received 3,300 responses.
  • Guidelines for technical performance and testing of radiation detection equipment were also developed by S&T.
  • Pilot programs to test radiation detection equipment were launched at various sites in cooperation with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
  • S&T initiated the Homeland Security Fellowship Program, which provides scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in the physical, biological, social and behavioral sciences.  For more information, please visit www.orau.gov/dhsed.
  • S&T facilitated the creation of the Homeland Security National Laboratory system composed of all the incoming DHS labs across the country.

Homeland Security Act of 2002 Requirements:

As outlined in the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the major roles of the S&T division include:

  • Advising Secretary Ridge on research and development efforts and priorities in support of the Department's missions
  • Developing a national policy and strategic plan for coordinating the federal government's civilian efforts to identify and develop countermeasures to terrorist threats
  • Assisting in assessing and testing homeland security vulnerabilities and possible threats
  • Leading Department and national research efforts to prevent importation of terrorist weapons and materials and preventing or responding to terrorist attacks
  • Establishing a system to transfer homeland security developments and technologies to
  • Federal, state, and local governments; and private sector entities.

For more information on the Science and Technology division, visit http://www.dhs.gov.

This page was last modified on 07/23/03 00:00:00