Northeastern Voice

Northeastern launches homeland security ALERT center

From left, chemistry professor Jimmie Oxley of the University of Rhode Island, Northeastern Engineering Dean David Luzzi, university President Joseph Aoun, Homeland Security Undersecretary Jay Cohen, professor Michael Silevitch and Provost Stephen Director. Photo by HERATCH EKMEKJIAN

Northeastern launched its newly funded Center of Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT), a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, in front of the university’s Veterans Memorial, Jay M. Cohen, undersecretary of science and technology for the Department of Homeland Security, spoke to more than 100 people about the center’s vital mission.

“Universities are where knowledge is created and discoveries are made, and the DHS Centers of Excellence, like the one here at Northeastern, are where the solutions to the homeland security issues will come,” said Cohen.

Led by Northeastern and the University of Rhode Island, ALERT is a partnership among leaders in academia, industry and laboratories on research projects that lead to the development of cutting-edge technology to protect the United States from explosive-related threats.

In his opening remarks, Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun spoke of the need for collaboration between universities, industries and other partners to combat issues such as terrorism and homeland security.

“The research that Northeastern is doing through the ALERT Center is so important in light of what the nation and our world is facing today,” said Aoun. “We welcome the collaboration with the University of Rhode Island and industrial partners as we work to develop solutions to these vexing issues.”

Introduced by David Luzzi, dean of the College of Engineering, Cohen spoke about his position in Washington and about the important role education plays in solving homeland security issues.

“In defense and security, science and technology are non-partisan and bipartisan,” said Cohen, who emphasized the importance of collaborating in as many ways as possible to confront the issues head on and prevent any “seams,” which terrorist groups take advantage of, he said.

The inauguration ceremony took place during the 9th annual Gordon-Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging System Research and Industrial Collaboration Conference (RICC). Led by Michael Silevitch, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the ALERT Center, the two-day conference featured presentations and workshops by members of industry, academia and government that focused on advanced sensing and imaging technologies.

“Northeastern’s designation as a Center of Excellence by the Department of Homeland Security is particularly impressive, and it recognizes the university’s leadership and strength in the field of sensing and imaging,” said U.S. Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, in a statement. “I look forward to seeing the results of this vital research, which could lead to important advances in our country’s ability to thwart attacks involving explosives and mitigate damage if such attacks do occur.”