Universities and Judges Set for National Security Innovation Competition 2011

March 22, 2011 - PRLog -- The fifth annual National Security Innovation Competition (NSIC) has attracted 25 entries, and a distinguished slate of judges and numerous private sector sponsors, according to the National Homeland Defense Foundation organizers for the 2011 event.

Competition entries were received from a number of prominent universities, to include:  UCLA, University of Notre Dame, Virginia Tech , Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Carleton University (Canada), Colorado State University, University of Colorado at Boulder, North Carolina State University, University of Tennessee, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS), University of Calgary (Canada), University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, University of Manitoba (Canada), University of New Mexico, University of Ottawa (Canada), University of San Diego, University of Utah, USAF Academy, and Yale University.

“Innovation has always been the backbone of our success as a nation, and today more than ever, we need to find innovative ways to strengthen our national security. The annual competition is an important part of that process and we’re delighted to conduct this event,” said GEN Gene Renuart (USAF ret), Chairman of National Homeland Defense Foundation (NHDF) and former Commander of NORAD/USNORTHCOM. NHDF merged in February with the Colorado Homeland Defense Alliance (CHDA) which originated the event in 2007.

“The competition has drawn participation from U.S. and Canadian universities with undergraduate and graduate students to allow us to highlight national security related, innovative research. This year looks to be the best competition ever,” according to Mark Volcheff, NSIC Executive Director.

An impressive list of judges for the 2011 event has been assembled from the federal government and research organizations, the U.S. military, Fortune 50 defense industry and security firms.

“The level of judges at the chief scientist or national security policy leadership levels both in the federal government and private sector are extraordinary for an event that is only in its fifth year,” Volcheff said.

The list of Finalist judges includes:

Mr. Chris Doyle, Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology (S&T) Director, Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency
Mr. Sean Roche, Central Intelligence Agency, Office Director, Office of S&T
Dr Steven Aoki, Department of Energy, Deputy Under Secretary Counterterrorism
Dr Susanne Wirwille, North American Aerospace and Defense Command (NORAD) and US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), Director Science and Technology
Ms. Catherine Steele, The Aerospace Corporation, VP Strategic Space Operations
Mr. Tim Worrall, Dorsey and Whitney, Intellectual Property and Patents Senior Partner
Ms. Mary Petryszyn, Raytheon Company, Mergers and Acquisitions

List of first round judges are:

Dr. Keith A. Blanks, The Aerospace Corporation
Magdalina Boogaard, The International Science Technology and Research Group--ISTAR
Dr. Joel Brand, Brand-Gaus, LLC
Dr. Jay Brasseur, Neumann Systems Group
Jeffrey L. Carson, Air Force Space Command (AFSC)
Lt Col Christopher Chew, USAF, NORAD and USNORTHCOM
Lt Col Dean A. Clothier, USAF, AFSC
Danielle Curcio, Raytheon Company
Ed Doray, NORAD and USNORTHCOM
Thomas Emsley, Camber Corporation
Dr. Ellen Jeanne Ferraro, Raytheon Company
Dr. Randall B. Garrett, Northrop Grumman Technical Services
Daniel Hannan, US Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Forces Strategic Command
Dr. Larry Hettinger, Northrop Grumman Technical Services
Dr. Peggy Brooks-Davis Hillebrandt, The Aerospace Corporation
Mitchel Hudson, Booz Allen Hamilton,
William R. Johnson, AFSC
Dr. James M. King, Battelle
James Knies, Booz Allen Hamilton
John Knutson, NORAD and USNORTHCOM
David Lee, Whitney, Bradley & Brown
Don Loren, The Tauri Group
Dr. Edmund Mitchell, Wyle
Bill Montgomery, Whitney, Bradley & Brown
Hal Moore, NORAD and USNORTHCOM
Dana Muchow, Booz Allen Hamilton
Dr. Roger Neeland, Colorado Springs Technology Incubator
Dr. David Neumann, Neumann Systems Group
Vayl Oxford, The Tauri Group
Dr. Brooke Pearson, Cubic Applications Inc.
Steven Peterzén, The International Science Technology and Research Group--ISTAR
LTC Andrew C. Riter, USA, US Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Forces Strategic Command
Paul Ryan, Whitney, Bradley & Brown
James Schulte, Booz Allen Hamilton
Michael M. Sebring, L-3 Communications Corporation
W. Wyatt Starnes, Advanced Concepts, Harris Corporation
Tim Thompson, Booz Allen Hamilton
Dr. Paul M. Thompson, Northrop Grumman Technical Services,
Julie Veazey, Booz Allen Hamilton
Dr. Raymond L. Wagner, The Boeing Company,
Lt Col Brian Young, USAF, NORAD and USNORTHCOM

The best and brightest US and Canadian undergraduate and graduate level students conducting national and homeland security-related research are drawn to this one-of-a-kind competition. “We’ve received outstanding interest and support from industry and government sponsors, they want to be a part of this venue that not only highlights innovative technologies, but can also provide brilliant engineering and program management students to serve their future workforce.”, Volcheff said.

The NSIC has also generated interest throughout the technology, homeland security, and defense industry.  Sponsors and partners for the competition  include:  Neumann Systems Group, Booz Allen Hamilton, the Canadian Consulate Denver, Boeing, Raytheon; ARINC, Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, Dorsey and Whitney LLP, 5 Star Bank, Aerospace Corp, INTECON, CENTECH Group, Homeland Security Solutions, LLC, the Colorado Springs National Defense Industrial Association; the Rocky Mountain Technology Alliance, the Global Security Challenge Competition, and the Air Force Academy Association of Graduates.

NHDF will host the competition on April 29, 2011 at Doolittle Hall on the campus of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  

The competition involves two rounds.  The first round involves a peer-review of white papers.  The review then leads to the selections of up to 10 Finalist teams for oral presentations to a panel of national level judges on April 29.  

Scholarship prizes are awarded to the top three finalists selected from a national level set of judges. More than $35,000 dollars have been awarded with the most ever dollars planned for the 2011 competition.

Topics can cover the full scope of national security to include technology or concept solutions. Previous entrants have introduced innovations in biometrics, UAVs, cyber security, infrastructure security, border security and first responder support systems.

“The purpose of the competition is to stimulate college undergraduate and graduate student interest to address national security problem solving by exposing their university-sponsored projects to a broad audience including industry, academic, and government organizations involved in aerospace, defense, security, and first responder activities,” said Don Addy, President of NHDF.

All submissions will be included in post-event Proceedings and circulated among federally funded research centers, industry, and government offices.  Visit http://www.coloradohda.org/

About NHDF:  NHDF was founded in 2004 with the mission of “Security the Future of Liberty” and conducts the annual NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM on Homeland Security and Defense™ held at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Visit http://www.nhdf.org

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