Director's Perspective

Welcome to the Office of Technology

Michael H. Sparks, Director

The Office of Technology (HS-82) was created by the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) to manage and promote the development and deployment of advanced security technologies to improve the security posture of Department in the protection of its assets and facilities. Integrated with the HSS Security Assistance Program, our staff members interact closely with other Departmental Elements to analyze security system vulnerabilities, identify cost-effective technology solutions, and deploy these technologies to the sites for operational evaluations in order to determine the overall impacts to the site's security program.

We are committed to serving the interests of the Department based upon our customer's requirements and multi-disciplinary security needs. Our technical areas span early warning and detection systems, force multipliers for response forces, delay and neutralization systems, survivability enhancements for personnel and facilities, nuclear material control and accounting technologies, as well as advanced technologies to enhance training of the Department's elite protective forces. Our activities also include the integration and assessment of security technologies in such specialty areas as Design Basis Threat implementation plan analysis in addition to the validation of activities associated with the Site Assistance Visits and Technology Assistance Visits.

The security technology staff provides an effective method for rapidly sharing innovative security technology solutions and lessons learned across the Department. The core cadre of HS 82 serves as a team of subject matter experts to review, analyze, and assist in the resolution of major site security issues within the Department, including identification of technology deployment and development opportunities to meet current and emerging threats (e.g., the Chemical Defense Analysis Team, and the Explosives Defense Analysis Team). Additionally, the staff leverages security technology investments made by other agencies such as the Department of Defense's Technical Support Working Group and the Physical Security Equipment Action Group, in addition to managing international technology development projects that have the potential to meet Departmental requirements. A key to the success of security technology deployment is our close working relationship within the HSS, in particular, the National Training Center and DOE Security Policy to ensure technology deployment is integrated into safety and security training and Departmental policy, as appropriate.

The HS-82 staff provides a ready resource for senior managers to utilize in short term, mid-, and long range programmatic planning and scoping activities, to ensure that security is effectively incorporated into the diversified missions of the Department. Future technology deployment activities will ensure that cost effective security measures are acknowledged and shared across the Department.