Abstract
Reaffirming America's role as the global engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation has never been more critical. Challenges like climate change, pandemic disease, and resource scarcity demand innovation. Meanwhile, the nation that leads the world in building a clean energy economy that will enjoy a substantial economic and security advantage. That is why the administration is investing heavily in research, improving education in science and math, promoting developments in energy, and expanding international cooperation. This chapter is aimed to provide the introduction of the significant role of STEM education for national security. The chapter will provide an introduction to integrating the awareness training of national security into higher education with the demonstration of the practice of our education module of DHS CFATS in the chemical engineering course of plant safety and security.
TopIntroduction
Reaffirming America’s role as the global engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation has never been more critical. New developments in science and technology (S&T) play a key role in predicting and addressing threats to our national and economic security. When threats are unavoidable, S&T is critical to minimizing negative impacts and helping our Nation recover as quickly as possible. At the same time, international cooperation in S&T plays a key role in meeting transnational priorities that improve the quality of life and global security.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy’s National Security and International Affairs (NSIA) division is committed to advancing policies that apply S&T in the following areas:
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Cybersecurity: Facilitate Federal research and development (R&D) efforts to develop innovative technological tools that can thwart cyber threats.
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Biological Threats: Promote S&T for a robust global biological surveillance enterprise, a strong response and recovery capability in the case of a biological incident, and forensics techniques to identify the source of a biological attack.
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Nuclear Threats: Strengthen the Nation’s capability to detect and control the transfer of nuclear explosive devices and weapons-usable nuclear material.
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Intelligence Capabilities: Apply S&T to help address the Nation’s most pressing intelligence challenges.
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International S&T Cooperation: Enhance international S&T initiatives and strengthen global S&T cooperation in priority areas such as energy, environment, health, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.
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National Security and Emergency Preparedness: Leverage technology and innovation to improve the Nation’s resilience to both man-made and natural disasters, especially with respect to communication systems.
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National Security R&D Enterprise: Strengthen the health and sufficiency of the national security R&D enterprise, including its workforce, infrastructure, and other resources.
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Transborder Security: Strengthen S&T initiatives to improve transborder security in key areas such as aviation security, countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs), narcotics interdiction, and identity technologies.
TopBackground
Provide broad definitions and discussions of the topic and incorporate views of others (literature review) into the discussion to support, refute, or demonstrate your position on the topic.1 The Associate Director of the National Security and International Affairs Division at OSTP is co-chair of the National Science and Technology Council's Committee on Homeland and National Security (CHNS). The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is the principal means within the executive branch to coordinate science and technology policy across the diverse entities that make up the Federal research and development enterprise. The CHNS supports the NSTC's efforts to increase the overall effectiveness of S&T related to the homeland and national security. The CHNS also addresses significant national and international policy matters that cut across agencies and promotes interagency policy coordination and collaboration.
Key Terms in this Chapter
STEM: Science, technology, engineering, mathematics.
Virtual Reality: Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world. Applications of virtual reality can include entertainment and educational purposes
Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity is the protection of internet-connected systems such as hardware, software, and data from cyber threats. The practice is used by individuals and enterprises to protect against unauthorized access to data centers and other computerized systems.
DHS (United States Department of Homeland Security): The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terrorism, border security, immigration and customs, cybersecurity, and disaster prevention and management.
AIChE (The American Institute of Chemical Engineers): The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is a professional organization for chemical engineers. AIChE was established in 1908 to distinguish chemical engineers as a profession independent of chemists and mechanical engineers.
NFPA (The National Fire Protection Association): The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is an international nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. In 2018, the NFPA claims to have 50,000 members and 9,000 volunteers working with the organization through its 250 technical committees.
National Security and Emergency Preparedness: Leverage technology and innovation to improve the Nation’s resilience to both man-made and natural disasters, especially with respect to communication systems.
Higher Education: Higher education is tertiary education leading to the award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completion of secondary education.
CFATS: Chemical facility anti-terrorism standards.
National Security: National security or national defense is the security and defense of a nation-state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government.
EPA (The United States Environmental Protection Agency): The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. The agency conducts environmental assessment, research, and education. It has the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws, in consultation with state, tribal, and local governments. It delegates some permitting, monitoring, and enforcement responsibility to U.S. states and the federally recognized tribes. EPA enforcement powers include fines, sanctions, and other measures. The agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts.
International S&T Cooperation: Enhance international S&T initiatives and strengthen global S&T cooperation in priority areas such as energy, environment, health, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.
API (American Petroleum Institute): API represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 600 members produce, process, and distribute most of the nation's energy. The industry supports more than ten million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. In our first 100 years, API has developed more than 700 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency, and sustainability. API’s mission is to promote safety across the industry globally and to influence public policy in support of a strong, viable U.S. oil and natural gas industry.
National Security R&D Enterprise: Strengthen the health and sufficiency of the national security R&D enterprise, including its workforce, infrastructure, and other resources.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration): The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. OSHA's mission is to “assure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance”. The agency is also charged with enforcing a variety of whistleblower statutes and regulations. OSHA's workplace safety inspections have been shown to reduce injury rates and injury costs without adverse effects on employment, sales, credit ratings, or firm survival.
CSB (The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board): The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, generally referred to as the Chemical Safety Board or CSB is an independent U.S. federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the United States Senate. The CSB conducts root cause investigations of chemical accidents at fixed industrial facilities.
AFPM (American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers): American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers is an American trade association. AFPM is a trade association representing high-tech American manufacturers of virtually the entire U.S. supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, other fuels, and home heating oil, as well as the petrochemicals used as building blocks for thousands of vital products in daily life.