[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 14 (Monday, January 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3378-3379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-1242]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY


Directorate of Science and Technology; Notice Designating 
Homeland Security Centers of Excellence

AGENCY: Science and Technology Directorate, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security is designating lead 
universities as Department of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence.

DATES: The designation made in this Notice is effective on January 24, 
2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Petonito, Deputy Director, 
University Programs, Science and Technology Directorate, Department of 
Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528; telephone 202-254-5840, 
facsimile 202-254-6165; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 308 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-296, 
116 Stat. 2170 (Nov. 26, 2002) (HSA) (6 U.S.C. 188), as amended by the 
Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003, Pub. L. 108-7, div. L, 
Sec.  101(1), 117 Stat. 526 (Feb. 20, 2003), directs the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to sponsor extramural research, development, 
demonstration, testing and evaluation programs relating to homeland 
security. As part of this program, the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS) is to establish a university-based center or centers for homeland 
security (Homeland Security Centers of Excellence or Centers).
    The Centers are envisioned to be an integral and critical component 
of the Department's capability to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and 
recover from terrorist attacks. The Centers will leverage 
multidisciplinary capabilities of universities and fill gaps in current 
knowledge.
    Section 308(b)(2)(B) of the HSA lists fourteen areas of substantive 
expertise that, if demonstrated, might qualify universities for 
designation as university-based centers. The listed areas of expertise 
include, among others, food safety, first responders, multi-modal 
transportation, and responding to incidents involving weapons of mass 
destruction. However, the list is not exclusive. Section 308(b)(2)(C) 
of the HSA gives the Secretary discretion to consider additional 
criteria beyond those

[[Page 3379]]

specified in section 308(b)(2)(B) in selecting universities for this 
program, as long as the Department issues a Federal Register notice 
explaining the criteria used for the designation.
    The Secretary has previously designated three other Centers: (1) 
University of Southern California--Center for Risks and Economic 
Analysis of Terrorism Events; (2) University of Minnesota--National 
Center for Food Protection and Defense; and (3) Texas A&M University--
National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense. The 
designation of only one of these Centers was noticed in the Federal 
Register due to the use of other criteria than established in section 
308 of the HSA. See 68 FR 66842 (Nov. 28, 2003).

Criteria

    In 2002, the National Research Council (NRC) issued a report 
entitled ``Making the Nation Safer: The Role of Science and Technology 
in Countering Terrorism.'' In this report, the NRC recommended a number 
of substantive areas for research that could contribute to national 
security. Among other areas, the NRC report focused on how studying the 
phenomenon of terrorism from a social and behavioral perspective could 
help to interpret fragments of intelligence information, to broaden 
understanding of terrorists' modes of actions, and perhaps ultimately 
assist the Department in figuring out how to curtail such actions.
    The Department agrees that research in these areas will contribute 
significantly to the Department's ability to identify, and select 
among, options for enhancing national security. The behavioral and 
social sciences can provide knowledge of and insights into the 
responses of individuals and organizations to the threat of terrorism 
and to terrorist events. Through such research and educational 
strategies, a broad base of understanding will likely develop leading 
to models for intervention of terrorist activities as well as 
resiliency strategies for the United States homeland society.

Solicitation of Interest and Designation

    The DHS Centers are envisioned to be an integral and critical 
component of the new ``homeland security complex'' that will provide 
the Nation with a robust, dedicated and enduring capability that will 
enhance our ability to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover 
from terrorist attacks. On July 6, 2004, DHS sought proposals from 
universities that wished to be designated as the DHS Center of 
Excellence on Behavioral and Social Aspects of Terrorism and Counter-
terrorism. The notice, made available on Federal Business Opportunities 
(http://www.fedbizopps.gov/) and http://www.grants.gov, identified 
behavioral and social aspects of terrorism as one of the key areas of 
expertise needed by DHS. The focus of research and education will be in 
areas of the individual and social factors in persuasion and 
recruitment for participation in terrorist activities and development 
of intervention strategies, individual and group behaviors and 
dynamics, preparation and resilience of individuals and groups and 
cognition of information.
    DHS received 27 proposals and evaluated them through a peer-review 
panel process that included scientific expertise from the federal 
government, peer-institutional faculty and the private sector. After 
analysis of the panel evaluations, six sites were chosen for further 
evaluation in the form of site visits. Based on this evaluation, the 
selection team recommended that the fourth Center of Excellence, 
specifically concentrating on behavioral and social aspects of 
terrorism, be sited at the University of Maryland.
    The University of Maryland, with partners at the University of 
California at Los Angeles, the University of Colorado, the Monterey 
Institute of International Studies, the University of Pennsylvania, the 
University of South Carolina and a host of individual scientists from 
other numerous institutions, will conduct research and education on the 
subjects of behavioral and social aspects of terrorism and counter-
terrorism. This site is particularly positioned to investigate the 
social and psychological impacts of terrorism. Through the engagement 
of its partners and a few of the scientists in the other established 
Centers of Excellence, the University of Maryland will embark on 
research and education concerning individual terrorists, the dynamics 
of terrorist organizations, and societal impact of terrorism on the 
United States. The goals of this research and education are to provide 
strategies for the disruption of terrorists and terrorist organizations 
and to embolden the resilience of United States citizens. Thus, these 
strategies embracing awareness and anticipation to response and 
recovery to terrorism and counter-terrorism will be examined.
    Designation. Accordingly, the University of Maryland has been 
designated as a Homeland Security Center of Excellence on Behavioral 
and Social Aspects of Terrorism and Counter-terrorism pursuant to 
section 308 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended.

    Dated: January 13, 2005.
Tom Ridge,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-1242 Filed 1-21-05; 8:45 am]
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