DHS Directorate For Science and Technology - Organization

Organization

The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is led by the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology. The current Under Secretary is Tara O'Toole, who was appointed by President Barack Obama on November 4, 2009.

The Under Secretary is assisted in the management of the Directorate by an Deputy Under Secretary and several Directors. The Science and Technology Directorate is organized into four groups which work together to ensure each aspect of the Directorate's work is given the appropriate amount of emphasis.

  • Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology
    • Deputy Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology
      • Director - Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency
        • Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency
          • DHS Border and Maritime Security Division
          • DHS Chemical and Biological Defense Division
          • DHS Cyber Security Division
          • DHS Explosives Division
          • DHS Human Factors and Behavioral Sciences Division
          • DHS Infrastructure Protection and Disaster Management Division
      • Director - Support to the Homeland Security Enterprise and First Responders Group
      • Director - Acquisition Support and Operations Analysis Group
      • Director - Research and Development Partnerships Group
        • National Urban Security Technology Laboratory
        • Plum Island Animal Disease Center
        • National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center
        • National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility

Each of the primary divisions has a different set of missions and goals:

  • The Border and Maritime Security Division develops and transitions tools and technologies that improve the security of the United States' borders and waterways, without impeding the flow of commerce and travelers.
  • The Chemical and Biological Division works to increase the United States' preparedness against chemical and biological threats through improved threat awareness, advanced surveillance and detection, and protective countermeasures.
  • The Command, Control, and Interoperability Division develops interoperable communication standards and protocols for emergency responders, cyber security tools for protecting the integrity of the Internet, and automated capabilities to recognize and analyze potential threats.
  • The Explosives Division develops the technical capabilities to detect, interdict, and lessen the impacts of non-nuclear explosives used in terrorist attacks against mass transit, civil aviation, and critical infrastructure.
  • The Human Factors Division applies the social and behavioral sciences to improve detection, analysis, and understanding and response to homeland security threats.
  • The Infrastructure and Geophysical Division focuses on identifying and mitigating the vulnerabilities of the 17 critical infrastructure and key assets that keep the United States' society and economy functioning.

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