GMU Presentation at 2009 SARMA conference

Think. Learn. Succeed.

George Mason University

Center for Infrastructure Protection and Homeland

Security Infrastructure Protection

Higher Education Programs 5th Annual Security Analysis and Risk Management

Association (SARMA) Conference Security Risk 10 Years After 9/11: How Far Have We Come

and What Lies Ahead?

September 15, 2011


CIP/HS Overview

  Established at the Mason School of Law in May 2002

  Integrates the disciplines of law, policy, and technology in order to conduct comprehensive infrastructure protection analysis and research relevant to improving United States and international security

  Publish the monthly newsletter, The CIP Report, which highlights key infrastructure protection issues

 15 full time employees supplemented by over 50 subject matter experts

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Overview   Support the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the development of critical infrastructure courses and programs that will become part of a comprehensive, unified approach to homeland security education.

 The critical infrastructure higher education initiative includes:

•  Assessment •  Curricula Development •  Deployment

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Overview   Courses and other materials will be made available and shared with colleges and universities to provide a consistent foundation for critical infrastructure education programs.

  The long-term objective is to foster critical infrastructure education programs that produce and sustain the leaders and workforce required for government and the private sector to effectively achieve this Nation’s critical infrastructure mission.

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Execution   Year 1: Create seven graduate courses in critical infrastructure protection – electives for Schools of Business, Public Policy, Engineering, Public Heath, and Government.

  Year 2: Create and modify courses for a critical infrastructure protection concentration in an executive master’s and a graduate/professional certificate program.

  Long Term: Obtain funding to develop and deploy an executive master’s program, a graduate and/or professional certificate program, and a master’s degree program.

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Base Year  Base Year : June 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011

•  Assessment (4 months): Completed September 30, 2010 •  Higher Education Assessment Final Report

•  Curricula Development (8 months): Completed June 1, 2011 •  Subject-matter experts •  Roundtables •  Seven graduate courses

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Assessment   Searched a total of 785 U.S. institutions for courses, concentrations/minors, degree programs, and training programs in critical infrastructure protection.

 Sources searched:

•  The Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School •  The Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management Institute •  A random sampling of other accredited institutions (525 institutions)

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Results   The team found the following:

•  69 courses provide significant instruction in critical infrastructure protection (some courses were no longer taught and some courses were the same course at different universities, etc.)

•  2 new degree programs at the same university are offered (a third degree program is temporarily on hiatus)

•  1 training program

•  1 concentration (may no longer be offered)

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Results •  Academic Fields: The courses collected were separated

(subjectively) into academic fields: •  Homeland Security; •  Emergency/Disaster Management; •  Criminal Justice; •  Public Policy/Administration; •  Public Safety; •  Engineering; •  Government/National Security; •  Business Administration; •  Urban Planning and Design •  Leadership

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Key Findings   Needs Assessment: Critical infrastructure protection courses exist but there is no cohesion in the development and there are challenges in execution:

• Offered only on demand • Being modified • No longer taught or are on hiatus • Taught through a consortium

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Key Findings  Core Competencies: Some of the core competencies are being

addressed, but not identified as a professional competency area

1.  Risk Analysis 2.  Protective Measures/Mitigation Strategies Development 3.  Technical and Tactical Expertise (Sector-Specific) 4.  Partnership Building/Networking 5.  Metrics and Program Evaluation 6.  Information Collection and Reporting (Information Sharing) 7.  Program Management

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Key Findings  Best Practices: Not always evident in the course syllabi

•  Clearly stated objectives •  Clear expectations •  Learner Centered Principles

•  Critical Thinking/Reflective Thinking •  Rationale for course content listed in the syllabus

•  Authentic, real-world assessments and rubrics •  Use of technology •  Reflective practices •  Use of different instructional modalities •  Flexible grouping practices and cooperative learning

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Recommendations Develop career paths in critical infrastructure protection

Guidance required on course content in critical infrastructure programs

Critical infrastructure core competencies need continuous validation

Implement higher education best practices

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Assemble SMEs Armstrong Atlantic State University CENTRA Technology Dutko Worldwide George Mason University (Education Department) InfraGard MITRE National Security Professional Development Integration Office Naval Postgraduate School Office of the Secretary of Defense Pennsylvania State University Security Analysis and Risk Management Association (SARMA) Stockholm University Tougaloo College National Transportation Security Center of Excellence (NTSCOE) University of New Haven University of Virginia U.S. Department of Homeland Security (former) Westfield State University

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First Roundtable  October 2010

  Small groups of topical subject-matter experts

  Reviewed, critiqued, and advised on the assessment and the development of new critical infrastructure protection graduate courses

Result: Identification of seven graduate courses in critical infrastructure protection

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First Roundtable   Introduction to Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience

  Critical Infrastructure Protection and Information Sharing

 Critical Infrastructure Protection and Risk Management

 Critical Infrastructure Protection Systems Analysis

 Critical Infrastructure Protection Methods, Policies, and Strategies

 Critical Infrastructure Protection: The Cyber Dimension

 Critical Infrastructure Protection Capstone 16


Week 1 Lesson Goals – Intro Course

Lesson 1 Topic: Introduction to Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience

Lesson Goals/Objectives: •  Become familiar with the scope of course, administrative requirements, instructional methodology, evaluation criteria and feedback processes •  Understand the evolution of critical infrastructure protection and resilience as a national policy focus area •  Become familiar with the various statutes and Presidential policy documents governing the application of critical infrastructure protection and resilience in the U.S. •  Understand how critical infrastructure protection and resilience policy has changed as a function of the all-hazards risk environment, including specific threats and hazards •  Understand why the definition of critical infrastructure and the scope of the critical infrastructure protection and resilience Sector construct have changed over time •  Understand the general critical infrastructure operational landscape across the sectors and the U.S. regionally

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Week 1 Discussion Topics – Intro Course

Discussion Topics: •  What are critical infrastructures and why are they important to us? •  Why does critical infrastructure protection and resilience represent such a challenge? •  How has the critical infrastructure protection and resilience mission changed over time from a historical

perspective? •  What are the general principles we typically associate with critical infrastructure protection and resilience

in the U.S. context? •  How has the Nation’s approach to critical infrastructure protection and resilience changed over time with

regard to certain threats/hazards? •  How would you characterize critical infrastructure protection and resilience as a policy area prior to the

Clinton Administration? •  What are the differences between and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the various Presidential

policies focused on critical infrastructure protection and resilience over the last 15 years? •  How does the United States Congress view the critical infrastructure protection and resilience mission

area? •  Does legislation clarify or complicate the critical infrastructure protection and resilience mission space? •  Where should the next Administration/Congress take the critical infrastructure protection and resilience

mission area?

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Exercise – Intro Course Module 1: Pre-Incident 1. Scenario Build •  A new Al Qaeda video is released on several Arabic internet sites focused on attacks

targeting European and American interests worldwide, with a particular emphasis on transportation, commercial facilities and sports venues, religious worship sites, iconic symbols, systems, and government centers. The video describes “striking the infidels where they are most vulnerable.”

•  There is only a brief mention of the video in daily news reporting, and the general public is unaware of any threat.

•  Officials in the UK apprehend a person described as being an “Operational Chief to multiple terrorist cells worldwide.” The man’s name is withheld, but he provides information describing future attacks within Europe (timing unspecified) and admits to planning a failed attack in Rome late last year.

•  Extremist group Internet “chatter” and Jihadi website activity are on the increase, with focused pronouncements of violent intent with near-term implications. The number of websites featuring home bomb-making instructions has proliferated greatly in recent months.

2. One Month Later…

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Second Roundtable   February 2011

  Small groups of subject matter experts (non-Federal and Federal)

  Discussed the issues emerging from the syllabi reviews (case studies, international, deployment, etc.)

  Discussed, evaluated, and strategized about the development of an executive master’s degree, a graduate and/or professional certificate, and a master’s degree in critical infrastructure protection

  Discussed outreach strategies/opportunities 20


Outreach   The seven graduate courses are currently available on the CIP/HS website at http://cip.gmu.edu/course-offerings.

  Outreach:

•  Conferences •  Newsletters and journals •  Academic collaboration •  Practitioner collaboration

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Option Year   The option year extends from June 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012

  The option year includes the following tasks: •  Develop five certificate courses (adapt base year curricula) •  Modify an executive master’s degree to provide a concentration in critical

infrastructure protection •  Evaluate all tasks under the project, with near- and long-term

recommendations for improving critical infrastructure protection education, training, and professional development

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Long-Term Goals  Reading list and “library” of case studies*

  International assessment

 Accreditation and revisions

 Deployment and instruction

  Update Critical Path: A Brief History of Critical Infrastructure Protection in the United States (2006)

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Contact Information

Devon Kathleen Hardy Center for Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security (CIP/HS)

George Mason University, School of Law 3301 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 1G7

Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-993-8591

Email: [email protected] Website: http://cip.gmu.edu/

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Documents

GMU Presentation at 2009 SARMA conference