York, Pa. -- Post-modern warfare can be characterized as unknown, unpredictable combatants using both conventional and unconventional weapons in unexpected, radical engagement against nontraditional targets. Given the dramatic shift in warfare tactics, American universities need to adapt the nature and pace of academic research to counter such threats, said Henry C. "Hank" Foley, dean of Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), during a presentation recently to the University's Board of Trustees.
In an initiative led by President Graham B. Spanier, Penn State's College of Information Sciences & Technology has developed an innovative undergraduate major in security and risk assessment to prepare students for technological careers in both corporate and homeland security. In addition, the University created its International Center for the Study of Terrorism (http://www.icst.psu.edu online), a collaborative partnership of several international universities headquartered at Penn State and sponsored by the Colleges of IST and Liberal Arts, to study the social psychology of terrorism.
"We need to take as much advantage of our intellectual enterprise as possible to avert conflict and to promote understanding, but also to be as prepared as we possibly can be when conflict is inevitable," said Foley.
In 20th-century warfare, he explained, foes were clearly defined and understood, and combat was direct, targeting infrastructure before humans. Academia played a role in giving the United States an offensive advantage through research-driven contributions, from advanced weaponry to intelligence and information-gathering systems, such as radar and sonar, and occasionally science-based initiatives. "Top academics were recruited to the war effort at specialized labs and locations and also by the creation of the affiliated research centers," said Foley.
Since World War II, Penn State has been one of the nation's leading developers of technology for the United States Navy, Marines, Homeland Security and other federal agencies. In particular, the University's Applied Research Laboratory, or ARL, has focused its work in several areas including acoustics, fluid- and hydrodynamics, underwater vehicles and robotics systems, materials and manufacturing, and communications and information systems.
Following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, what has come to be termed post-modern warfare brought about tactics using terror and uncertainty, often focusing attacks on non-combatant human targets through physical and psychological means. Today's American military intelligence relies on both hard technologies, such as sensors, electro-optics, radar systems and listening devices, and soft technologies, including knowledge management systems, decision support systems, asset allocation and simulation technologies, to try to thwart terrorist attacks.
Penn State resources in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, as well as multidisciplinary faculty and their research across the University, provide the opportunity to combine advances in both hard and soft technologies to both benefit American military intelligence and to educate students for careers in homeland and corporate security.
Core classes in the security and risk assessment major include Threat of Terrorism and Crime, Decision Theory and Analysis, and Risk Management Assessment and Mitigation. Options within the major include Intelligence Analysis and Modeling, Information and Cyber-Security, and Social Factors and Risk.
A short video explaining Penn State's Homeland Security Initiatives is available for viewing at http://www.ist.psu.edu online.