CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS
Ongoing study will inform resiliency best practices for the first responder community in wake of COVID-19
Calling all first responders! If you are a member of a first responder organization responding to COVID-19 (including law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency medical services), please take a moment to complete this short questionnaire (about 6-8 minutes). A few minutes of your time now can help first responders facing pandemics in the future. This research is part of a larger study funded by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate to measure the impact of COVID-19, identify best practices organizations can put in place to protect themselves in the short term, and identify strategies to make first responder organizations more resilient.
NEWS
CTED and New York University co-host event highlighting 20 years of counter-terrorism
Last month, START Director William Braniff participated in a virtual roundtable event with the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the New York University’s Center for Global Affairs (CGA) titled “20 years of UN Security Council resolution 1373 (2001): Past trends, current threats, and future developments in terrorism and counter-terrorism.”
START researchers and students present virtually at the Department of Homeland Security COE Summit
Several START researchers and students attended and participated in the first virtual Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Centers of Excellence (COE) Summit in May. The COE Summit is a unique opportunity for attendees to connect and network with COE researchers, DHS components and federal, state and local stakeholders, as well as industry partners.
START research travels far in the cyber-physical domain
Lawrence Livermore National Labs (LLNL) is using a START cyber-physical attack dataset to assist in one of their projects to better understand adversaries’ multi-domain behavior and motivations. START researchers collected the first-of-its-kind Significant Multi-Domain Incidents against Critical Infrastructure (SMICI) dataset by using only publicly available information.
New editor takes on post for START-Oxford University Press book series
Former University of Maryland (UMD) Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJS) Laura Dugan will be taking on a new role as editor for the START-Oxford University Press book series, replacing UMD CCJS Department Chair Gary LaFree. Professor Dugan recently accepted a job as Professor of Sociology at The Ohio State University, but will maintain her ties to START in her role as editor.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Open to All: Online Summer Courses
START offers fully online summer courses on violent non-state actors in Latin America and geospatial analysis, which are open to any current degree seeking student or non-degree seeking individual. Current University of Maryland students may register through Testudo. Non-University of Maryland students must apply as non-degree seeking students, visiting students, or students with Golden ID Cardholder Status through the University of Maryland’s Office of Extended Studies. Apply by July 12.
Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree in Security and Terrorism Studies
Prospective students can now apply for START’s brand new, fully online MPS in Security & Terrorism Studies. The program is appropriate for individuals interested in (and/or currently) working in fields related to intelligence analysis, national security analysis, or analysis of other relevant topic areas, and individuals interested in (and/or currently) conducting scholarly research on terrorism and security. Sign up for one of our upcoming virtual information sessions to find out more, and apply by August 3.
EVENTS
Virtual Information Session: MPS in Security and Terrorism Studies
6 p.m. ET July 15, Online
START's Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Security and Terrorism Studies prepares students to examine the complex social, political, economic, and psychological underpinnings of terrorist and security threats. Students are exposed to the theoretical and methodological skills necessary to pursue advanced research and/or be successful in an analytic career. RSVP to education-start@umd.edu for login information.
Meet the Faculty: MPS in Security and Terrorism Studies
12 p.m. ET July 21, Online
Geospatial Research Unit (GRU) researcher Dr. Samuel D. Henkin will provide a virtual talk on his teaching style, learning objectives and course themes in the classes he teaches for START’s Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Security & Terrorism Studies.
START IN THE NEWS
Forbes: A Congressman, ejected reporters and calls for a coup: Here's what went down at the 'QAnon conference'
This article about a QAnon-themed conference uses data from the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) dataset.
Orlando Sentinel: Capitol riot arrests reveal far-right Oath Keepers' extremist influence in Florida, experts say
START researcher Michael Jensen is quoted in this article about the Capitol insurrection arrests.
Modern War Institute: We ignore the human domain at our own peril
START researcher Devin Ellis co-wrote this article on influence and information campaigns in the human domain
NBC: Biden administration announces new strategy to fight domestic terrorism
START Director Bill Braniff is quoted in this article about the White House domestic terrorism strategy.
Forbes: QAnoners may be quiet now but FBI warns waning trust in 'Q' could fuel more real-world violence
This article on QAnon uses data from the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) dataset.
Washington Post: As refugee numbers rise, many countries want to shut them out for security concerns
This article on the lack of any link between terrorism by foreign groups and countries accepting refugees and migrants uses data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
This is a selection of news clips from the past month.
A complete list of START’s media coverage can be found here.
SUPPORTING START
Help Support START Research and Education
The START Consortium is dedicated to generating knowledge of the human causes and consequences of terrorism. Applying rigorous standards to both research and education, START seeks to illuminate one of the most highly politicized and understudied phenomena in the social sciences for students, practitioners and policy-makers. Funded primarily through research grants to date, START is seeking to generate an endowment that will provide the flexibility and autonomy to ensure that it can continue to serve as an objective source of data and empirically based analysis into the future. To donate, or for more information, please click here.
Copyright © 2021 The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
PO Box Number 266
5245 Greenbelt Rd
College Park, MD 20740