Monthly magazine Homeland Security Today has recognized the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, and the CHDS–Domestic Preparedness Support Initiative (DPSI) partnership as part of its annual Holiday Hero Awards.
CHDS was chosen as HSToday’s Strategic Partner of the Year, while the DPSI partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) was selected as a Mission Award winner.
In addition, CHDS alum Nadia Aman (Executive Leaders Program cohort 1902) was named a winner of the Most Innovative Campaign to Increase Security award.
CHDS Director Dr. Gregory Bernard said the awards are a testament to the Center’s devotion to collaboration in all areas of the homeland security enterprise.
“We’d like to express our appreciation to HSToday for the recognition of our efforts to lead and support the spectrum of efforts to keep our nation safe,” Bernard said.
According to the HSToday awards announcement, CHDS this year partnered with the media outlet to “bring more of [its] professors, authors, students, and content to the broader homeland security conversation. We could not be more thrilled with the partnership that helps provide a voice for leaders across the country to collaborate at HSToday on the most important challenges facing the future of homeland security. Known as one of the most well-respected educational institutions for homeland security leaders, CHDS brings the experience, real-world understanding, and leadership acumen of their students to our readership. The partnership also encourages further leadership development, and opportunities to learn more about CHSD specialties and programs. We are thrilled to name the Center for Homeland Security & Defense as our Strategic partner of the year!”
HSToday Executive Editor Kristina Tanasichuk said CHDS was chosen “because of [its] commitment to share the work and wisdom of [its] faculty, students, and graduates with the broader homeland security community. Given [its] ‘academics’ are actual homeland security professionals, they are the true experts and can explore and develop information with both an academic and operational perspective. Now more than ever we need data and facts to inform those on the frontlines of homeland security to defend, protect, and respond to threats against our country. By partnering with HSToday, [CHDS’s] research and observations are now available and promoted to tens of thousands of homeland security officials.”
In honoring the CHDS–DPSI partnership led by Profs. Rodrigo Nieto Gómez and Nick Dew, HSToday noted that the innovative partnership between CHDS Master’s Program students and DoD technologists to co-design technologies to benefit those on the frontlines of homeland security “bridges crucial homeland defense gaps in a unique way by applying proven innovation techniques to homeland defense and security challenges. CHDS is helping to transfer promising technology to first responders on a nationwide basis, truly living up to their tagline, ‘Good Government in Action.’”
Aman and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Unified Processing Team at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security were honored for deploying the Mobile Intake Application, a “groundbreaking national security tool designed to streamline and enhance the identification process for U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents and Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers,” according to the HSToday awards announcement, which added the technology “represents a significant advancement in agent and officer safety by enabling rapid identification of criminals and terrorists” and “has proven essential for rapid deployment during periods of high border activity, allowing surge forces to quickly establish processing capabilities.”
Tanasichuk, CEO and founder of the Government Technology & Services Coalition, which owns HSToday, said the media outlet that calls itself the “premier nonprofit information source for homeland security news, analysis, and insights” uses its awards program to recognize “heroes chosen by their peers from all across the country” including “federal, state, and local heroes who are working tirelessly to protect the public and our way of life. We want to be sure that these selfless, hard-working individuals know that there are people who appreciate what they do and want to honor their work on behalf of America.”
The awards ceremony will take place Dec. 5, 2024, outside of Washington, DC, in Occoquan, VA, and is open to the entire homeland security community. More information on attending or supporting the event is available here.
To see the full list of award winners, click here.
