May 13, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University’s Applied Physics Institute has been awarded three Homeland Security contracts totaling about $2.12 million to develop next generation security solutions to help protect the country from disasters.
WKU also is a partner in another of the 11 initiatives by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Somerset-based National Institute for Hometown Security and Kentucky universities. The contracts, totaling $17 million, were announced Monday in Somerset by U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers, R-Ky.
“These are very competitive proposals and our faculty at the Applied Physics Institute (API) did an impressive job to secure these contracts,” said Dr. Sadiq Shah, WKU’s associate vice president for Research and Economic Development. “We congratulate the API team including Dr. Phil Womble, Dr. Ivan Novikov and Dr. Alex Barzilov for winning these contracts to solve national security problems.”
The WKU projects include the following:
In the area of threat detection, “A Compact Neutron Interrogation System for Underwater Threat Detection and Identification.” Dr. Novikov is the principal investigator in the 24-month, $796,736 project to develop a system to quickly detect threats that have been deployed underwater and confirm whether the threat is explosive, chemical or radioactive.
In the area of response and recovery, “A Portable Community Infrastructure Resiliency System.” Dr. Womble is the principal investigator on the 12-month, $971,103 project to address the need for a lightweight, rapidly deployable replacement for electric power transformers that may have been damaged or destroyed in natural disasters or as the result of terrorist activities.
In the area of prevention, “Waterborne Threat Interdiction Utilizing Underwater Impulse Generation.” Dr. Womble is the principal investigator for a $350,000 project to develop and test a new approach to a sound wave generation for use in deterring hostile underwater intruders and disrupting threats from underwater equipment.
WKU’s Applied Physics Institute also is a partner with the University of Kentucky on an 18-month, $1.175 million project to develop a milk transport security system.
“We are blazing new trails here,” Congressman Rogers said. “Homeland security is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes the coordinated efforts of many dedicated individuals working through trial and error to develop security enhancements that will keep the country safe in the years ahead.”
The non-profit National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) performs a critical role for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate. The Directorate identifies the nation’s security technology needs, and NIHS works with Kentucky’s academic community to develop and commercialize solutions for use in the private sector.
Joining Rogers and university officials at Monday’s announcement was U.S. DHS Undersecretary Jay Cohen, who oversees the Directorate.
“Something very important is taking place here today in Somerset and I’m pleased to be a part of it,” Cohen said. “The research made possible by partners such as the Kentucky Homeland Security University Consortium and the National Institute for Hometown Security lays the groundwork for developing viable technologies for protecting people and critical infrastructure.”
The Science and Technology Directorate is the research and development hub for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The mission of this organization is to help ensure that the country stays ahead of terrorists who at any given time are identifying the nation’s vulnerabilities and plotting attacks. Identifying security solutions is a daunting task involving thousands of businesses, government organizations and universities.
NIHS helps the Science and Technology Directorate accomplish this task, tapping into Kentucky’s knowledge base to move solutions out of science labs and into market.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Sadiq Shah at (270) 745-6733.
-WKU-
"A leading American university with international reach"
Office of Media Relations
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-3576
Phone: (270)745-4295 - Fax: (270)7455387 - E-Mail: western@wku.edu