IN REMEMBRANCE
Ohio State commemorates 9/11


Homeland Security Begins at Home At The Ohio State University

Todd I. Stewart
Director, Program for International and Homeland Security

It’s been a year since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, in which more than 3,000 of our fellow citizens were brutally murdered in a well-planned, well-coordinated, well-supported and -- unfortunately -- well-executed terrorist attack. By some assessments, this attack was a turning point in the history of our nation. Since "911," our nation has begun a national debate, a debate that focuses on two important issues: (1) Is the threat to our homeland security real, significant and persistent, and (2) If it is, what can and should we do about it?

Unfortunately, all evidence suggests that the threats to our homeland and to our vital national interests around the world, especially from terrorist attacks, is indeed real and significant. With the dissolution of the Warsaw pact and the former Soviet Union, America no longer has a "peer competitor" that can threaten it conventionally. Consequently, we can – and should – expect future attacks against America to be asymmetrical and unconventional, most likely involving terrorist methods and means. What is especially worrisome, is the corresponding proliferation of weapons of mass destruction – chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear – and their potential availability to terrorist states, groups and individuals.

Given the reality and likely persistence of these threats to our homeland, what can and should we do about it? President Bush has declared war on terrorists and states that sponsor terrorists. He has also called for the establishment of a new Department of Homeland Security, to place more emphasis on this area and better focus and coordinate efforts to improve our national security. Finally, the president has also proposed a National Homeland Security Strategy to provide government agencies, private enterprise, academia and individual citizens a road map to follow.

Any effective national strategy for homeland security and terrorism must be comprehensive, considering (e.g.) deterrence, prediction, prevention, detection, prevention, crisis and consequence management, attribution and response. Currently, for each of these aspects, we have more questions than answers. This implies the need for focused scientific research and study to better understand the challenges we face and the need for technology development to provide effective, affordable solutions.

Scientific research and technology development are also important for another reason. Some argue that increased homeland and national security must, by necessity, come at the expense of our societal freedoms, civil liberties and economic vitality. That is certainly true, only if our policies, processes and technologies don’t change. However, through scientific research and technology development, we have the potential to change our policies and processes in such a way that we can improve our security without necessarily compromising our freedoms, liberties and economic strength.

It is clear that America’s major universities need to get involved in the scientific research and technology development necessary for this national homeland security strategy to be successful. The leadership of The Ohio State University recognized this national security imperative and in April 2002, established the Program for International and Homeland Security, aligned under the Office of Research. The purpose of this new program is to promote and support research, study and technology development across all of the university’s colleges into problems and issues with homeland security. This initiative directly supports the university’s Academic Plan (Initiative 3): "Develop new initiatives that draw on university-wide strengths to attack problems of the next quarter century." This new program is also consistent with Ohio State’s fundamental land-grant charter of research, education and service.

The vision for the program is for OSU to be recognized internationally as a center of excellence for research, study and solution development in problems and issues of international and homeland security. The program has three specific goals: (1) increase our understanding of international and homeland security issues, especially the causes and nature of terrorism; (2) promote the development of better-informed public policy, at the international, national, regional, state and local levels; and (3) develop new technologies and transition those technologies into effective, practical and affordable solutions to (current and future) international and homeland security problems.

The strategy for accomplishing this vision and goals capitalizes on the scale and diversity of the research capabilities at Ohio State, especially the capability to do innovative, multidisciplinary research involving several departments, centers and colleges. The program strategy also involves collaborating with strategic partners, including other universities and other research and development organizations, e.g., the Battelle Memorial Institute. For example, OSU is developing a proposal to the National Institutes of Health to be designated as a "Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense Research." Development of this proposal will involve collaboration of five OSU colleges, Battelle, and other major research universities in the Midwest region.

All of us – faculty, staff, students and administrators – share responsibility for helping the university realize the program’s vision, for accomplishing the program goals, and more importantly, for helping the nation meet its homeland security challenges. The program office is responsible for promoting and supporting scientific research and technology development across the university. It is also responsible for reaching out to federal and Ohio government agencies responsible for homeland security to identify research requirements and opportunities. In turn, university faculty members need to examine their research and teaching programs to consider opportunities to help the nation meet its challenges in this area. To support this work, the president’s budget for FY 2003 includes almost $3 billion for research related to homeland security problems and issues.

Homeland security begins at home – right here at The Ohio State University. On the anniversary of the tragic events of last September, I encourage everyone to seriously consider what they can do as a member of the OSU team – and as individual citizens – to help improve the security of our nation, while preserving the freedoms and liberties we value.