DHS S&T Provides $2.8 Million in Scientific Leadership Award Grants to Six Minority Serving Institutions

Newswise — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) today announced the award of six new Scientific Leadership Awards (SLAs) to the following institutions: Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Jackson State University, Tennessee State University, Texas Southern University, the University of the District of Columbia, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. These institutions will partner with S&T Centers of Excellence to develop course content and engage students and faculty in research relevant to the nation’s complex homeland security challenges. “Our universities are incubators for innovation and creative problem solving,” said S&T Under Secretary Dr. Reginald Brothers. “We look forward to working with these institutes of higher learning to help foster a homeland security culture within the academic community through research and educational programs.” This year’s award represents the first of a two-year funding effort where each university would ultimately receive up to $1 million. These grants are one of the numerous ways that S&T is helping to build a diverse, highly capable, technical workforce for the homeland security mission. SLA grants are competitively awarded to accredited Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to develop educational programs in homeland security science and engineering; establish related curricula and courses of study; support the development of early career faculty; and recruit and mentor students. Since 2007, the SLA Program, administered by the S&T Office of University Programs, has provided 60 awards to various MSIs. The grants will help develop enduring educational and research capabilities within MSI communities, which include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities. For more information about the S&T Office of University Programs, visit http://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/office-university-programs. For more information about the DHS Centers of Excellence see http://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/centers-excellence.