"National Counter-Terrorism Institute Might be
Headquartered in Oklahoma"
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by Nester Gonzales, OSU News Bureau The talents of researchers from several states and numerous academic disciplines may one day be pooled in an institute that focuses on countering terrorism activities and has its headquarters in Oklahoma. Dr. Tom Collins, Oklahoma State University's vice president for research, said the institute might be one result of a March conference held in Stillwater. OSU hosted an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference, "Research in Domestic Preparedness: Ensuring Security, Protecting Infrastructure and Preventing Violence." AAAS invited scientists from several states that participate in the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program. States selected for the conference included Oklahoma, Alabama, Maine, South Carolina and West Virginia. "These particular states were selected by AAAS because of their reputation in basic and applied research areas and in training programs directed at countering terrorism," Collins said. For example, OSU has a Sensor Center, which could develop better sensors for detecting chemical and biological agents, Collins pointed out. Dr. James Wicksted, director for the OSU Center for Sensors and Sensor Technologies, participated in the conference. A Center display highlighted general information about the CSST, along with example CSST SEED projects related to the detection of chemical and biological agents. A recent Center proposal submitted to NSF EPSCoR included a component focusing on the development of sensors with immediate relevance to chemical/biological detection in air and groundwater. Other research universities in Oklahoma and in other states have strong programs in DNA and forensic analysis, image processing, visualization and virtual reality, geographical information systems and training of first-line responders. The social sciences areas in these institutions also will play a part in investigating the social, cultural, psychological, legal and economic issues that have an impact on terrorism. "The research that counters terrorism encompasses the academic spectrum," Collins said. "In fact, I'm hard pressed to think of a discipline which could not be a part of this effort." He says the conference provided researchers with up-to-date information about national priorities in domestic preparedness and also focused on the logistics of how researchers from across the country might collaborate on projects. The conference included sessions on how to use the Internet more effectively for communication and collaboration. "The Internet and modern information technology have erased geographical barriers to research collaboration," Collins said. "It is possible to set up virtual laboratories that encompass several disciplines in several states." The researchers shared ideas, talked about their efforts in domestic preparedness research and heard experts describe research opportunities that will help in the nation's effort to prevent or deal with terrorism. Speakers included representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Science Foundation, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As a result of the conference, AAAS will fund a project to ensure continued collaboration by the selected EPSCoR universities. AAAS also will work with the Oklahoma Alliance for Public Policy to finalize details for the creation of an Institute to Counter Terrorism. The alliance, established by former Oklahoma Governor Henry Bellmon, is composed of Oklahoma's major research universities and works toward attracting more research funding to the state. Oklahoma universities in the alliance have already offered their assistance in the establishment of the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism and Violence, one of three components developed by the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation. Collins said one of the primary goals of this week's conference was to demonstrate that such multi-state collaborations are not only feasible, but can result in much better research. "Our goal is to get federal funding agencies to create and fund programs which will support multi-disciplinary research programs which encompass researchers from several different institutions in different states," Collins said. |
