NSF PA/M 02-31 - May 28, 2002
NSF Grants to Boost Homeland Security Research
A series of new grants from the National Science Foundation
(NSF) will support research related to the terrorism
and anthrax incidents of Fall 2001 and will contribute
to homeland security objectives.
The university-based teams will use the federal funds
for research in areas such as detection and decontamination
of biological or chemical warfare agents, cybersecurity,
and continuing social responses to September 11.
See a sampling of the new grants below. For more information
on these grants, and for a more complete list of related
NSF grants, see: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/media/01/nsf_response.htm
AFTERMATH OF TERRORIST ATTACKS
Marc Parlange of Johns Hopkins University, Md., will
measure emissions and transport of particles from
the World Trade Center site in order to forecast aerial
paths for particle transport.
Roxane Silver of the University of California-Irvine
will explore how people learned to cope with the attacks
and how mental health professionals may use this information.
Peter Bearman of Columbia University, N.Y., will interview
New York residents to learn how their oral histories
contribute to a common understanding of the World
Trade Center tragedy.
CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL TERRORISM
Omowunmi Sadik of the State University of New York-Binghamton
will use gas chromatography and polymer sensors ("electronic
noses") to identify chemical warfare agents.
Terrence Collins of Carnegie Mellon University, Penn.,
will explore the use of activated hydrogen peroxide
to destroy chemical and biological warfare agents
on contaminated surfaces.
Mirat Gurol of San Diego State University, Calif.,
will develop guidelines to use ozone as an alternative
to toxic chemicals to decontaminate spaces contaminated
with anthrax.
Ernest Blatchley of Purdue University, Ind., will examine
disinfectants such as ultraviolet and gamma irradiation
for decontaminating anthrax from objects in closed
spaces.
Patrick Dennis of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in
Boston will attempt to find inhibitors of "anthrax
lethal factor" (a lethal toxin produced by anthrax
bacteria and responsible for inhalational anthrax
fatalities), which can help develop novel anthrax
drugs.
Curtis Olsen of the University of Massachusetts at
Boston will investigate the environmental impact of
9/11 by studying the chemistry and mineralogy of sediments
of New York Harbor.
CYBER SECURITY
Marjory Blumenthal of the National Academy of Sciences
will review trends in cyber security research and
identify problems that need to be addressed in the
national cyber security research agenda.
For more information contact:
Amber Jones (703) 292-8070/aljones@nsf.gov
Bill Harms (703) 292-8070/wharms@nsf.gov
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