Message from the IDHS Executive Director

As IDHS approaches the end of its first year of operation, one of its most valuable functions has been to facilitate communication and transition of technology among users and developers of technology at the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security. In carrying out this function, it has become increasingly clear that the bridge between large producers of hardware and smaller providers of technology solutions is equally important to build and maintain. The extremely successful Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) Industry Outreach Conference, conducted at the headquarters of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology on March 30 and 31 and discussed in the last newsletter, was followed in May with a smaller but equally positive IDHS Industry Roundtable in Richmond. Stay tuned to the website for announcements of future opportunities for our affiliates.

Congratulations and our best wishes for success to Thomas J. Lockwood, who has assumed the helm as DHS' director of the Office of National Capital Region Coordination. Tom is an outstanding choice for the position, having served as deputy director of the Maryland Governor's Office of Homeland Security. We are currently discussing new opportunities for regional coordination and collaboration, and we look forward to working together for the security of the National Capitol Region.

Congratulations are also in order to two of our IDHS affiliates as 2004 winners of the prestigious Computerworld 21st Century Achievement Awards. Virginia Tech received the Achievement Award in Science for creation of the world's third fastest supercomputer (System X) at a price of only $5.2 million, making supercomputing possible within the constraints of academic research budgets. The Wildlife Center of Virginia received the Achievement Award in Environment, Energy and Agriculture in recognition of its strategic integration of network and data management technologies, which are breaking new ground in wildlife conservation, telemedicine, post-doctoral training, disease surveillance and internal medicine. Details of both awards and links to their websites are listed below. We look forward to many more awards in the future in recognition of the outstanding contributions of our IDHS affiliates.



IDHS IAP Roundtable Comes to the Capitol
Nearly 40 representatives of large and small businesses and colleges attended IDHS' most recent Industry Affiliates Program roundtable in Richmond on May 27. Co-hosted by Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology, IDHS and the Greater Richmond Technology Council, participants were briefed by IDHS executive director Hugh Montgomery and Tim Harp, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of Innovation and Technology Integration. Montgomery introduced the group to the IDHS mission and upated them on current initiatives, while Harp spoke in great detail about DOD contracting opportunities, specifically those with the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration program.



Guest Column
Is Citizens' Safety Compromised By Funding Complexities?

By Bill Fleshman, ITT Industries Night Vision

The terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, affected the lives of U.S. citizens -- perhaps more than any other event in our nation's history. As a result, the needs of state and local law enforcement have increased dramatically; unfortunately, funding to support these needs has not. Despite the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security, law enforcement agencies -- especially in small to mid-size jurisdictions -- continue to struggle with limited budgets.

Those who serve and protect our citizens must be properly equipped to prevent, as well as respond to, terrorism. In order to ensure the safety and security of communities nationwide, the funding required to procure advanced technology must be funneled more quickly and efficiently to state and local law enforcement.

In early 2003, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conducted a survey of more than 17,000 local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies to gauge disaster preparedness and assess critical needs. This survey, which yielded an unprecedented 25% response rate, revealed the following:   More...



IDHS Welcomes Its Newest Industry Affiliates

As of mid-June, 2004, the members of the Industry Affiliates Program include:

Industry Affiliates: Details of the next Industry Roundtable will be provided as event logistics are firmed up.

1SecureAudit LLC Actix, Inc. American Systems Corporation Apollo Telemedicine Applied Marine Technology, Inc. (AMTI) Avir, LLC BRTRC Technology Research Corporation CRE Inc. Detection Machine Technologies DynaWave, Inc. Engedi Technologies, Inc. ESP Group LLC Gibbs & Cox, Inc. Horne Engineering Services, Inc. Innovative Wireless Technologies ITT Industries Night Vision K&M Environmental, Inc. KENTCO Language Analysis Systems, Inc. Lockheed Martin Luna Innovations National Security Research, Inc. Netarus, LLC Net-Q Northrop Grumman Electronics Sector Prime Research LC Roam Secure, Inc. RTI, Sensorview Division Safety Software, Inc. SAIC Technology Applications Sector Sias Patterson The Sigmon Group Synthesis Partners, LLC Trex Enterprises Veridan AIS Xsystems, Inc. Associate Members A.L. Ross Associates Congressional Strategies Institute for Scientific Research National Institute of Aerospace Patuxent Partnership Potomac Institute for Policy Studies Wildlife Center of Virginia

Prospective applicants for full, regular membership in IAP must be for-profit research- and technology-intensive organizations engaged in the provision of products or services directly related to U.S. defense and homeland security objectives. Members should view participation as an opportunity for access to requirements for Science and Technology initiatives of Defense and Homeland Security agencies, with the potential to engage in collaborative applied R&D efforts with partner universities and federal laboratories and leading to product commercialization. The complete list of benefits will be made available to members in this category. Associate memberships are also available with limited benefits.

Complete details regarding eligibility, benefits, fees and an on-line application form can be found on the IDHS website.


IAP Member Wildlife Center of Virginia Wins Two Prestigious Awards

The Wildlife Center of Virginia (WCV) recently won recognition on both the local and international stage for its use of technology in support of its mission as the nation's leading teaching and research hospital for native wildlife. The Shenandoah Valley Technology Council gave WCV its Innovative Technology Application award, which honors innovative use of technology in more traditional industries, such as agriculture or manufacturing. Less than two weeks later, the Computerworld Honors Program, which identifies the men and women, organizations and institutions, that are leading the information technology revolution, selected WCV for an award for its visionary use of information technology in the category of Environment, Energy and Agriculture.

In addition to treating thousands of injured and orphaned wild animals with state-of-the-art veterinary care, the WCV also trains veterinarians, veterinary students, and wildlife rehabilitators from all over North America. WCV has become a leader in wildlife conservation with its telemedicine capabilities, post-doctoral training, and disease surveillance network -- all made possible by the Center's advanced communications and data management systems.

WCV is in the process of developing the North American Wildlife Disease Surveillance Network. This project adapts techniques and technologies used in human epidemiology to detect the emergence of wildlife diseases. This system is being created with a focus on wildlife health issues, but its ability to detect a biosecurity threat will benefit the health and security of both animal and human inhabitants of North America. The North American Wildlife Disease Surveillance Network will collect clinical data from wildlife rehabilitation centers and hospitals, university wildlife clinics, and wildlife veterinarians. This information will be compiled and statistically analyzed to establish geographic and temporal baselines for wildlife health. By constantly monitoring the patient load of participating facilities, deviations and anomalies will be apparent as soon as they occur.

IDHS is working with the Wildlife Center of Virginia to develop the "Wild Canary" technology demonstration project.


Virginia Tech Wins 21st Century Achievement Award for System X

Another IDHS member, Virginia Tech, was the recipient of this year's Computerworld Honors 21st Century Achievement Award in Science. Apple nominated Virginia Tech for its development of a 2,200-processor supercomputer with a cluster of 1,100 Power Mac G5 computers. Called System X, the world's third most powerful super computer was created from scratch using inexpensive personal computers, dramatically lowering the cost of advanced scientific research.

Srinidhi Varadarajan started the Virginia Tech initiative with a National Science Foundation grant to expand and upgrade a small supercomputer he was directing on campus. Conversations with faculty in the VT College of Engineering led to the grander goal. With the help of colleagues and some 160 student volunteers, Varadarajan in three months built System X for just over $5 million.

System X is being upgraded, with the nodes being replaced by the Xserve G5 server platform. This upgrade will reduce the size of the supercomputer by a factor of three, so it will consume less power and generate less heat. The upgrade adds automatic error correcting memory that can recover from transient bit errors. Finally, it has significant hardware monitoring capabilities -- line voltages, fan speeds, communications -- that allow real-time analysis of the health of the system.

The Computerworld Honors Program case study of Virginia Tech's System X is online at http://www.cwheroes.org/his_4a_detail.asp?id=5044.


IAP Member Profiles

Luna Innovations is an employee-owned company that is identifying significant problems, applying innovative science and technology to generate unique solutions, and providing the launch pad to fully develop their commercial potential. Drawing upon a strong team of over 110 scientists, business professionals, and engineers from diverse technical backgrounds, Luna has built unique core capabilities in fiber optic and ultrasonic sensing, integrated systems, and advanced materials providing opportunities in an array of technology areas. Luna is also manufacturing cost-effective, carbonaceous nanomaterials supporting today's government and commercial nanotechnology research and application needs. The firm operates offices in Blacksburg, Charlottesville, Arlington, Hampton Roads, and Danville, VA, and Baltimore, MD. Since 2000, Luna Innovations has formed five additional companies relating to fiber optic component and test measurement devices; intelligent well monitoring systems; real-time, highly sensitive, bioanalysis instruments to quantify protein and small molecule interactions; enabling drug discovery and improving abilities to diagnose and treat diseases; and wireless sensors for remote asset monitoring and management.

Sias Patterson, Inc. (SPI) is a small business that designs and manufactures commercial off the shelf autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). SPI believes AUVs are the new tool of choice for enhancing underwater national defense, fisheries science, and coastal oceanography. The Fetch AUV is a carefully integrated, turnkey AUV that sets a cost-effective standard for survey work in the coastal zone. SPI's small (2 meter) AUV Fetch2 is suited for day-long surveys on the continental shelf. It carries CTD, altimeter, sidescan sonar, and video. Other payloads are easily integrated. SPI also offers custom manufacturing and research and development expertise in a variety of AUV sizes, neural network identification of sonar targets, electronics systems integration, model fabrication, fisheries acoustics, and towed buoy systems.


Call for Columns and Company Profiles

The IDHS Newsletter features brief, one-paragraph profiles of IAP members. These profiles will also be posted on the IDHS website to provide further exposure for IAP members. IAP members should send their profiles to Hap Connors at hconnors@idhs.org.

The IDHS Newsletter occasionally features a "Thought Leadership" column written by an industry or university partner. The Thought Leadership column gives IDHS partners an opportunity to voice their views on the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing industry and academia in connection with their participation in security and defense initiatives. IAP members who wish to contribute should email Hap Connors at hconnors@idhs.org.


Homeland Security Resources

Citizen's Guide: Education, Planning and Preparedness
Produced by James Madison University's Institute for Infrastructure and Information Assurance in May, this Citizen's Guide educates consumers on the most current and critical information and infrastructure issues that may negatively impact their financial security, quality of life, and personal well-being. These issues span the world of cyber and physical security to take an in-depth, meaningful look at what many experts, government agencies, and research institutions deem to be the most pressing threats to Americans. The guide includes chapters on the security of physical infrastructure -- such as port, border and air security -- and the interdependencies of large critical infrastructures -- such as electricity and food.

DHS Vendor Information Site
The Department of Homeland Security's Vendor Information Site invites businesses in the emerging homeland security industry to submit details about their information technology products and services for enhancing the security of the homeland. This initiative will serve as another step in the department's ongoing effort to harness American ingenuity to develop partnerships with the private sector to research, develop and deploy homeland security technologies that will make America safer.

Computer Security: A Summary of Selected Federal Laws, Executive Orders, and Presidential Directives
This April 2004 report provides a short summary of selected federal laws, executive orders, and presidential directives, currently in force, that govern computer security. The report focuses on the major roles and responsibilities assigned various federal agencies in the area of computer security.

National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism
The National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism is mandated to conduct a host of research programs, including those that examine the development of technologies to counter biological, nuclear and chemical weapons of mass destruction. The online library includes documents, reports, and public testimony offered on such dozens of topics, such as aviation security, biological weapons, federal funding, and blast mitigation. Additionally, there is a conference calendar and information for first responders.


Upcoming Events

July 1, 2004
Vienna, VA
Getting a Security Clearance
This seminar will explain both facility clearances and personnel clearances. Speakers are Chad Stoker, Chief, Facilities Clearance Branch Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office, and Jim O'Heron, Chief, Personnel Clearance Branch, Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office. For more information, visit http://en1.endiva.net/btiradio/pub/LIT_12.asp?catid=1845&ctxid=3032&pcatid=&single=Y.

July 19 - 20, 2004
Arlington, VA
Homeland Defense Training Management Seminar: Emergency Preparedness for Facilities
This course will assist with preparing for or recovering from any disaster by helping create or improve an organization-wide emergency management plan. For more information, visit http://www.homelanddefensejournal.com/conf_emerg_prep.htm.

July 28 - 29, 2004
Washington, DC
The Government Security Expo & Conference
The Government Security Expo & Conference addresses the security needs for federal, state and local governments - encompassing aspects of physical security, information security and cyber security. The conference will focus on topics ranging from fencing and barricades to innovative applications and identification systems. Visit http://www.govsecinfo.com/ for more information.

August 3-6, 2004
Washington DC
5th Naval-Industry R&D Partnership Conference
The Naval Research in the 21st Century conference reflects the Navy/Marine Corps strategy to meet the nation's global security demands. This conference cultivates partnerships between government, industry and academia to address cultural barriers and to leverage each other's innovative concepts, technologies, and business practices. For more information, visit http://www.onr.navy.mil/about/conferences/rd_partner/.

August 18 - 19, 2004
Washington, DC
Research, Technology and Applications in Biodefense
This year's biodefense conference will focus on the development of novel integrated hand-held biosensors, single-molecule detection of pathogens, and advances in vaccine therapy against pathogens and emerging infectious diseases. The vast amount of funding in this area promises to benefit human health and ensure preparedness. Visit http://www.healthtech.com/2004/btr/index.asp for more information.

September 13-15, 2004
Virginia Beach, VA
The First Annual Government Sensors Expo & Conference
This event addresses the specific educational, product development, and resource needs of civilian and defense agencies. It features the latest sensor technologies and sessions covering technologies, applications, and programs. For more information visit http://www.hamptonroadssensors.com/.

September 26-28, 2004
Norfolk, VA
COVITS
The COVITS 2004 theme is "Virginia - Portal to the Emerging Global Marketplace." The COVITS 2004 program will examine the state of the Information Age through those public and private organizations dealing with defense, medical, government, communications, manufacturing, education, and IT industries. For more information, visit http://www.covits.com

October 13-14, 2004
Arlington, VA
Virginia's 10th Annual SBIR Conference
This annual conference, now in its tenth year, draws previous award winners and promising new applicants to learn about current mission requirements from federal agency program managers and to gain insight for preparing successful award applications. Industry briefings cover developments in nanotechnology, life sciences and defense and homeland security. For more information, visit http://www.cit.org/sbir.

Send events of interest to hconnors@cit.org.


Virginia's Homeland Security in the News

Tripwire Trailblazer
Ed Clark, president of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, plans to build a database that incorporates essential data for every animal treated by everyone of the 50 to 75 professionally staffed wildlife treatment centers in the United States and Canada. The database, dubbed Tripwire, would act as an early warning mechanism, allowing the scientific community to mobilize resources to counter a problem before it expands out of control. Hugh Montgomery, director of the Institute for Defense and Homeland Security, has taken on Tripwire as a pet cause. "We're trying to get [federal] funding for a program called Wild Canary, looking at wildlife as an early indicator of a natural or manmade plague," he says. Montgomery is looking for a grant to underwrite a regional demonstration of the technology. The Wildlife Center of Virginia recently won the Innovative Technology Application award from the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council. (Shenandoah Innovations, June 4, 2004)

New Industry Foundation Will Support National and Homeland Security Efforts Through Geospatial Intelligence
The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) formally announced its formation as a non-profit organization that brings together the key players involved in the geospatial intelligence sector to promote the tradecraft and to collaborate on the execution of a national geospatial intelligence agenda. The vision of the Oak Hill, Va.-based USGIF is to have an organization that serves the many disciplines involved in the geospatial intelligence community, and to develop a stronger partnership between government, industry, academic and professional organizations and individuals involved in the development and application of geospatial intelligence data and the deployment of geo-processing resources. (PR Newswire, May 12, 2004)

DHS, NSA Team on Cybersecurity
The National Security Agency and the Homeland Security Department will work together on educational initiatives to strengthen the country's computer infrastructure. NSA and DHS announced the formation of the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. The idea stems from NSA's Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education Program, which started in 1998 and recognizes 50 universities in 26 states. (Federal Computer Week, April 27, 2004)


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