Technologically Speaking

Host John Verrico sits down with Dr. Nick Bergman, director of S&T’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC). Dr. Bergman is a bit of a germaphobe, but it’s hard not to be when you run a Biosecurity Level 4 lab that studies pathogens for which no vaccine or treatment exists. Hear an insider’s perspective of the COVID pandemic, find out how NBACC regularly helps the FBI, and meet a guy living a “pretty typical life” of helping save us all from superbugs.

In this episode, host John Verrico sits down with Dr. LaTasha Thompson, Program Director of S&T’s Office of SAFETY Act Implementation. LaTasha breaks down the SAFETY Act for us—explaining its significance, how it works, and even how it could impact you. You’ll learn about the important legal liability protections provided under the SAFETY Act, hear how anti-terrorism technologies are being evaluated and assessed under the Act, and discover some innovative ways lotion and trash cans are being used to protect the nation. You’ll also find out how LaTasha and her team are helping keep stadiums around the country safe and secure from nefarious actors. 

S&T Division Director for Infrastructure and Security Solutions, Brannan Villee, talks about the crucial role S&T plays in protecting our critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure is a lot more than just bridges and dams, it also includes the power grid, the water we drink, our access to 911 in an emergency, and even the internet itself. As the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law hits its two-year anniversary, Brannan talks about how this historic funding has helped shape and support the Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Research Program, the single largest appropriation that S&T has ever received for one program.

S&T Senior Science Advisor for Cybersecurity Donald Coulter talks about the vital role that cybersecurity plays in the safe operation of our digital world and in the design and conception of future products. He shares that the AI revolution is already happening, and it is just a tool, not something to fear. Cybersecurity, he explains, is about preserving the availability and integrity of systems, as well as preserving the confidentiality of the data they contain.

If you’ve heard that familiar emergency alert sound blaring from your phone, you already know a little bit about what’s in store in this episode. Wireless Emergency Alerts are already helping keep people safe from nearby fires and floods; now, S&T is working to pair them with cutting-edge sensors to deliver warnings not just via mobile phones, but also through vehicles’ infotainment centers. We’re bringing you behind the scenes as S&T and FEMA tested the sensors and alerting capabilities this summer at a live demonstration of the Wildland Urban Interface Integration Model in Stafford, Virginia. More than 100 million people live within the wildland urban interface space and are at risk of wildfire—a stat that not many people know. Learn how these alerts are keeping you safe with S&T program manager Norman Speicher; Virginia Department of Emergency Management State Coordinator Shawn Talmadge; and Antwane Johnson, Director, Integrated Public Alert and Warning Systems.

C-THRU is a real-time, indoor visualization system that enhances firefighters’ situational awareness in low visibility environments. The technology is an augmented reality heads-up display that attaches to a standard helmet and makes it possible to “see through” dark, dense smoke. S&T and industry partner Qwake Technologies recently field-tested C-THRU with members of the fire service at the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department at the end of August—learn more about this exciting technology and find out what the firefighters had to say about it.

In this very special episode of Technologically Speaking, listen as past and present S&T leaders recall the lifechanging impacts of 9/11, discuss how S&T came to be, and reflect on their personal legacies at the Directorate. You’ll hear everything from where they were when the Twin Towers fell and the increasing risk of chemical threats in S&T’s early days to the science and technology battling the COVID-19 pandemic and rise of artificial intelligence today. These eight leaders share their accounts of what it was like to helm a research and development agency in the face of some of the most significant national events of our time. 

The Developmental Test and Evaluation Alarm Resolution team at the Transportation Security Laboratory is using machine learning to verify the effectiveness of newly developed explosives detection solutions. This allows new and improved detection systems to be validated and certified more quickly and efficiently, with the goal of providing safety and security at checkpoints.

Small businesses, particularly startups, provide a wealth of ingenuity and innovation when it comes to developing emerging technologies. Harnessing this is the powerful idea behind S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program, which hosted a Demo Week this spring with 30 startups, venture capitalists, and operational agencies in attendance. In this episode, join us as we talk with startups on the Tech Expo floor at the event—hear about the early days of the program and how these industry partners found success pursuing a nontraditional approach. Government officials and startups agree that tapping into this source of technology development yields major benefits for the greater homeland security enterprise.

In this Tech Speak mini episode, listen to the keynote address S&T Under Secretary Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov delivered at the July 6 commencement ceremony for the Master of Business Administration in Security Technology Transition program at George Washington University, an S&T Center of Excellence. Dr. Kusnezov addressed 26 mid-career federal employees, who not only were the first to complete the program but did it during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen as Dr. Kusnezov honors the graduates’ accomplishments and congratulates them on their monumental achievements.