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Director's Message

Dear SENTRY Community,

As we look ahead to our center’s fourth year, I'd like to reflect on our recent achievements and share upcoming opportunities for continued progress. SENTRY has been closely involving our network of researchers, students, staff, industry, and academic partners in our work to better secure soft targets and crowded places. Click to read the full message.

Michael B. Silevitch

SENTRY's Inaugural Biennial Review

On March 13, 2024, at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, SENTRY welcomed delegates from the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), Transportation Security Agency (TSA), Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD), and the US Secret Service (USSS) for our inaugural Biennial Review. The Biennial Review plays a critical role in the success of a DHS Center of Excellence, providing an opportunity to reflect on the effectiveness of research and administrative practices to better address homeland security challenges.

Congratulations SENTRY Awardees!

SENTRY's Deputy Director, Carey Rappaport, joined fellow COE faculty among the top scientists worldwide selected by Stanford University, representing the top 2% of the most-cited scientists with a single-year impact in various disciplines.

Thrust lead Jun Zhuang was recently named a fellow by the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers. Similarly, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Signal Processing Society has recognized SENTRY researcher Professor Rich Radke with the 2023 Regional Distinguished Teacher Award. This prestigious honor is a testament to his commitment to bringing new technology into the classroom and tying academic concepts to real-world practice.

Deanna Beirne, SENTRY Senior Director of Technical Program Development and Strategy, has been honored as a finalist for Supervisor of the Year 2024 as part of Northeastern University's National Student Employment Week. Nominated by SENTRY student researcher Jonathan Bergeron, this honor highlights her exceptional contributions to student development, mentorship, and leadership within the SENTRY community. Jonathan and Deanna are pictured below.

Meet Practitioner Advisory Board Member Lawrence Filippelli

Larry Filippelli is the latest addition to SENTRY’s Practitioner Advisory Board (PAB), bringing decades of experience in education, safety, and administration to the role. Read on to learn more about his background in education and commitment to school safety.

Get to Know William Farmer, DHS OUP Program Manager

As a Program Manager at the Office of University Programs within the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Will Farmer works closely with two DHS Centers of Excellence (COEs): SENTRY and Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute (CIRI). Read on to learn more about Will's background and interests.

Ten Individuals Selected to the 2024 stEm PEER Academy

In 2024, COE partners identified and encouraged ten successful applications to the DHS PEERs program and the stEm PEER Academy. The stEm PEER Academy, part of the Engineering PLUS Alliance, aims to empower change agents who will enhance the implementation of evidence-based practices to increase the number of underrepresented engineering graduates. This initiative seeks to boost the number of BIPOCs and women earning engineering degrees.

The DHS PEERs program, initiated in 2023 by the DHS Science and Technology Office of University Programs, awarded funding to SENTRY for ten DHS PEERs from the DHS Centers of Excellence and affiliated Minority Serving Institutions and Community College partners. Over two years, these PEERs will undergo professional development and research experiences to create Action Plans for their institutions. They will engage with Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) experts, researchers, and practitioners to develop and fund their projects.

Learn More About the 2024 stEm PEER Academy

SENTRY Stadium Security Focus Group

On March 27, SENTRY held a virtual stadium security focus group, fostering discussion of current and future challenges in creating a safe and secure stadium experience. The focus group covered numerous topics, including the most prevalent threats to stadium security measures, the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing among government agencies, researchers, and security stakeholders, adapting to new and emerging threats like drones, and architectural design for stadium security.

Resource Library

Check out the SENTRY Resource Library, which features annual reports and marketing materials available for download. Need printed materials? Email r.rufo@northeastern.edu with more details.

Visit the Library

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