Homeland Security Centers of Excellence

The Homeland Security Centers of Excellence bring together leading experts and researchers to conduct multidisciplinary research and education for homeland security solutions. Each center is led by a university in collaboration with partners from other institutions, agencies, laboratories, think tanks and the private sector.

The centers are directly aligned with the Department Science and Technology Directorate's six divisions, creating linkages between the Department and other customers as well as providing enduring cross-cutting technology and basic research needs for the Department and the nation.

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 granted the Department of Homeland Security the authority to create university-based Centers of Excellence. The centers are authorized by Congress and chosen by the Department Science and Technology Directorate through a competitive selection process.

Centers of Excellence

The Regional Visualization and Analytics Centers (RVACs) are led by Penn State University, Purdue University, Stanford University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the University of Washington. They collaborate with the National Visualization and Analytics Center, based at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to conduct research on visually based analytic techniques that help people gain insight from complex, conflicting and changing information.

The Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE), led by the University of Southern California, develops advanced tools to evaluate the risks, costs and consequences of terrorism, and guides economically viable investments in countermeasures that will make our nation safer and more secure.

The Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment (CAMRA), led by Michigan State University and established jointly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fills critical gaps in risk assessments for decontaminating microbiological threats — such as plague and anthrax — answering the question, "How Clean is Safe?"

The National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense (FAZD), led by Texas A&M University, protects against the introduction of high-consequence foreign animal and zoonotic diseases into the United States, with an emphasis on prevention, surveillance, intervention, and recovery.

The National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD), led by the University of Minnesota, defends the safety and security of the food system from pre-farm inputs through consumption by establishing best practices, developing new tools, and attracting new researchers to prevent, manage, and respond to food contamination events.

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), led by the University of Maryland, informs decisions on how to disrupt terrorists and terrorist groups, while strengthening the resilience of U.S. citizens to terrorist attacks.

The National Center for the Study of Preparedness and Catastrophic Event Response (PACER), led by Johns Hopkins University, optimizes our nation's preparedness in the event of a high-consequence natural or man-made disaster, as well as develops guidelines to best alleviate the effects of such an event.

The University Affiliate Centers to the Institute for Discrete Sciences (IDS-UACs) are led by Rutgers University, the University of Southern California, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Pittsburgh. They collaborate with the Institute for Discrete Sciences, based at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, to conduct research on advanced methods for information analysis and the development of computational technologies to protect the nation.

The Center of Excellence for Awareness & Location of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT), led by Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island, will develop new means and methods to protect the nation from explosives-related threats, focusing on detecting leave-behind Improvised Explosive Devices, enhancing aviation cargo security, providing next-generation baggage screening, detecting liquid explosives, and enhancing suspicious passenger identification.

The National Center for Border Security and Immigration, led by the University of Arizona in Tucson (research co-lead) and the University of Texas at El Paso (education co-lead), are developing technologies, tools, and advanced methods to balance immigration and commerce with effective border security, as well as assess threats and vulnerabilities, improve surveillance and screening, analyze immigration trends, and enhance policy and law enforcement efforts.

The Center for Maritime, Island and Port Security, led by the University of Hawaii in Honolulu for maritime and island security and Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, for port security, will strengthen maritime domain awareness and safeguard populations and properties unique to U.S. islands, ports, and remote and extreme environments.

The Center for Natural Disasters, Coastal Infrastructure, and Emergency Management, led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, will enhance the nation’s ability to safeguard populations, properties, and economies as it relates to the consequences of catastrophic natural disasters.

The National Transportation Security Center of Excellence (NTSCOE) was established in accordance with HR1, Implementing the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, in August 2007. It comprises seven institutions: Connecticut Transportation Institute at the University of Connecticut, Tougaloo College, Texas Southern University, National Transit Institute at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Homeland Security Management Institute at Long Island University, Mack Blackwell National Rural Transportation Study Center at the University of Arkansas, and the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University. The NTSCOE will develop new technologies, tools and advanced methods to defend, protect and increase the resilience of the nation's multi-modal transportation infrastructure and education and training base lines for transportation security geared towards transit employees and professionals.

Mandate

Homeland Security Act of 2002:

“The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall designate a university-based center or several university-based centers for homeland security. The purpose of the center or these centers shall be to establish a coordinated, university-based system to enhance the Nation’s homeland security.” as amended