The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is a component within the United States Department of Homeland Security. DHS-ST serves as the research and development arm of the Department as it fulfills its national security mission.
The Science and Technology Directorate is led by the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology, who is appointed by the President of the United States with confirmation by the United States Senate. The current Under Secretary is Dr. Reginald Brothers.
The Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&Ts) mission is to improve homeland security by working with the other operating components of the United States Department of Homeland Security, as well as State, local, tribal, and territorial emergency agencies to provide state-of-the-art technology and solutions that help them achieve their missions.
The Science and Technology Directorate has four major program activities:
Acquisition and Operations Support - Provides expert assistance to entities across the Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE) to ensure that the transition, acquisition, and deployment of technologies, information, and procedures improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the operational capabilities across the HSE mission. The five areas within AOS are: Operations Research and Analysis; SAFETY Act; Standards; Technology Transition Support; and Testing and Evaluation.
Laboratory Facilities - Provides the Nation with a coordinated, enduring core of productive science, technology and engineering laboratories; organizations and institutions, which can provide the knowledge and technology required to secure our preserve national security. ONL executes two programs: Construction and Laboratory Operations.
Research, Development, and Innovation - Provides state-of-the-art technology and solutions to meet the needs of the operational components of the Department of Homeland Security and other first emergency agencies. Includes customer-focused and output-oriented RDT&E programs that balance risk, cost, impact, and time to delivery. The six areas within RD&I include: APEX Research and Development; Border Security; Chemical, Biological, and Explosive Defense; Counterterrorism; Cyber Security; and Disaster Resilience. This includes the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency.
University Programs - Supports critical homeland security-related research and education at U.S. colleges and universities to address high-priority, DHS-related issues and to enhance homeland security capabilities over the long term. The three areas within University Programs are: Centers of Excellence, Education Programs, and Minority Serving Institutions.
S&T is led by the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology. The current Under Secretary is Reginald Brothers, who was appointed by President Barack Obama on April 7, 2014.
The Under Secretary is assisted in the management of the Directorate by a Deputy Under Secretary and several Directors. The Science and Technology Directorate is organized into four groups which work together to ensure each aspect of the Directorate's work is given the appropriate amount of emphasis.
Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology
Deputy Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology
Director - Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency
Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency
DHS Border and Maritime Security Division
DHS Chemical and Biological Defense Division
DHS Cyber Security Division
DHS Explosives Division
DHS Human Factors and Behavioral Sciences Division
DHS Infrastructure Protection and Disaster Management Division
Director - Support to the Homeland Security Enterprise and First Responders Group
Director - Acquisition Support and Operations Analysis Group
Director - Research and Development Partnerships Group
National Urban Security Technology Laboratory
Plum Island Animal Disease Center
National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center
National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
Each of the primary divisions has a different set of missions and goals:
The Border and Maritime Security Division develops and transitions tools and technologies that improve the security of the United States' borders and waterways, without impeding the flow of commerce and travelers.
The Chemical and Biological Division works to increase the United States' preparedness against chemical and biological threats through improved threat awareness, advanced surveillance and detection, and protective countermeasures.
The Command, Control, and Interoperability Division develops interoperable communication standards and protocols for emergency responders, cyber security tools for protecting the integrity of the Internet, and automated capabilities to recognize and analyze potential threats.
The Explosives Division develops the technical capabilities to detect, interdict, and lessen the impacts of non-nuclear explosives used in terrorist attacks against mass transit, civil aviation, and critical infrastructure.
The Human Factors Division applies the social and behavioral sciences to improve detection, analysis, and understanding and response to homeland security threats.
The Infrastructure and Geophysical Division focuses on identifying and mitigating the vulnerabilities of the 17 critical infrastructure and key assets that keep the United States' society and economy functioning.
Initiatives and Programs
The Under Secretary for Homeland Security Science and Technology currently administers a number of publicly available programs to promote independent development of homeland security technologies.
SAFECOM is the Federal umbrella program designed to foster interoperability among the Nation’s public safety practitioners, so that they may communicate across disciplines and jurisdictions during an emergency.
SAFETY Act provides liability protections that make it feasible for sellers of qualified antiterrorism technologies to introduce homeland security solutions to the marketplace
Homeland Open Security Technology (HOST) is a five-year, $10 million program to promote the creation and use of open security and open-source software in the United States government and military. In October 2011, the directorate won the Open Source for America 2011 Government Deployment Open Source Award for the program.
