Structurally Sound - Institute for Homeland Security
by Michael Aspland and Marcus Funk
Structurally Sound is a podcast produced by the Institute for Homeland Security (IHS) at Sam Houston State University. The podcast will be a game-changer for small to medium-sized businesses looking for the latest best practices in security and resilience. We want to inspire professionals like you to help you achieve your goals. New episodes are available on first and third Wednesdays each month!
Episodes
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Huachicol Fiscal & Energy Infrastructure with Dr. Nathan Jones
Do you know where the gas in your car originated? Was it all above board, or was it smuggled into the country and injected into legal supply chains without taxes or fees? This week, we unpack oil fraud and gas smuggling from Mexican drug cartels, a diversified revenue stream that might be more...
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Batteries, Recruiting & Resiliency in the Electrical Grid with Donald Wright
Resiliency is key for any electrical grid. That includes breadth and modernization, along with savvy recruiting. This week, we chat about battery storage, electric lines and updates to the grid with Donald Wright, the director of operations for Quanta Infrastructure Solutions Group.
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Insider Threats with Dave Pezzutti
The phrase "insider threat" calls to mind high-profile conflicts, like corporate sabotage or international espionage. Those definitely count - but garden variety accidents do, too. This week, we've got part two of our conversation with Dave Pezzutti, a senior official for insider threats and...
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International Supply Chain Security with Dave Pezzutti
International supply chains are critical to any business - and disruptions vary from subtle to very high profile. This week, we've got part one of our chat with Dave Pezzutti, a senior official for insider threats and counterintelligence at Lockheed Martin, about evolving supply chain risks,...
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Special Pathogens & MCI Training with Kara Marshall
Everyone in healthcare knows training is important. How do you quantify or measure that training, though - and make it engaging? This week, we chat about pernicious bugs and mass casualty incident training exercises with Kara Marshall, the program manager for institutional preparedness at UTMB's...
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Healthcare Continuity Planning & Risk with Adam Lee and Lisa Spivey
Sooner or later, a disaster will strike your business. Business continuity plans are common but they're uniquely critical in healthcare, where natural crises or cyberattacks could complicate or compromise patient care. This week, we explore those challenges with Adam Lee, the director of…
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"STEM Had Its Moment" - Workforce Training & AI
What does job training look like in the age of artificial intelligence? What about education? This week, we replay a panel discussion from our recent "AI at the Crossroads: Impacts at the Nexus of Critical Infrastructure, Security & the Future of Work," a webinar exploring AI as emerging critical...
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Critical Infrastructure & Talking Dogs with Dr. Judy Clemens-Smuckers, Dr. Brandon West & Erik Peterson
School is finally back in session - from college all the way to preschool - and my daughter's long-awaited new favorite movie is in theaters. "Paw Patrol 3: The Dino Movie" presents an offbeat opportunity to talk about kid-friendly portrayals of critical infrastructure protection and careers, and...
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Calculating Criminal & Structural Social Networks with Dr. Nathan Jones and Braell Dotson
Every actor is within six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon. We can measure and chart that professional network - and we can do it with Mexican drug cartels and critical infrastructure assets. This week, we chat with Dr. Nathan Jones, professor and chair of the Security Studies department at...
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Emerging Threats & Risk Management in Trucking with John Contestabile
The trucking industry faces myriad modern challenges. Some are conventional, but plenty of others are emerging and evolving quickly. This week, we're podcasting a keynote address from our transportation symposium earlier this summer. John Contestabile, the director of public safety solutions at...
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Risk Management in Critical Trucking Infrastructure with Angelica Garcia and Daniel Sandoval
Trucking and transportation are all about logistics - and risk management. How can you run lean while keeping your eyes on the road? This week, we're revisiting a panel from our livestreamed transportation symposium in May with John Suarez from the Institute for Homeland Security and Angelica...
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"No Pasa Nada" and Crisis Preparedness with Catherine Martin-Trujillo
In a crisis, knowing who to call is critical - and when to call for backup. This week, we unpack a crisis management and tabletop hurricane exercise down in the Valley with Catherine Martin-Trujillo, the emergency preparedness coordinator for the Brownsville Public Utilities Board, and explore…
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Screwworm Eradication & Hurricane Preparation with Dr. Monty Dozier, Heberto Villarreal & Dr. Robert Gauthreaux
The new world screwworm is a nasty pest that's back in Texas for the first time in decades. Monitoring and communication are key - but so is old-school technology to eradicate the parasite without pesticides. Also, the Institute for Homeland Security is headed to Brownsville this week to help...
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Everybody's Getting Too Much Information All The Time with Dr. Robert Gauthreaux & Dr. Tony Yao
Information is everywhere. Do you have a plan to cut through the noise in a crisis? This week, we chat about information overload and effective communication strategies with Sam Houston State's Dr. Robert Gauthreaux, an assistant professor of practice of journalism and emerging media, and Dr.…
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Predicting and Managing Risk in the Energy Sector with Brandon Martin
There's always some subjectivity in security assessments, but translating that expertise into business speak and statistical equations can make a world of difference in corporate security. This week, we chat with Brandon Martin, the executive director of the Energy Security Council, about his...
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Decoding AI Processes & Networking at INFORMS Analytics+ Conference
Generative artificial intelligence has the potential to upend most industries - but it only works if you know how to work with it, not hide behind it. This week, we look back on last month's INFORMS Analytics+ conference with Daniel Windle, director of sales operations at Trinity Industries…
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Wastewater Monitoring and Viral Alerts with Dr. Michelle Crum & Dr. Blake Hanson
Imagine a ladle on a stick. Now imagine you're dipping in untreated waste water. How many viruses would you pull up - and what could those pathogens say about local health? This week, we chat about wastewater monitoring, viral DNA and public health with Dr. Michelle Crum, the interim chair of the...
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Innovating MCI Hospital Training with Donald Berger & Joel Hendryx
How do you plan for mass casualty incidents, especially in healthcare? Tabletop exercises and planning are a good start - especially when they prompt unexpected or innovative questions. This week, we chat with Donald Berger, Administrative Director of Safety Operations at University Medical…
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The Importance of Trust Networks with Dr. JD and Mike Maloney
Who do you trust? Who would you call right now if your industry took a sudden left turn? If a name isn't springing to mind, then you might want to work on building your trust network. This week, we chat with Dr. Jason Davis and Mike Maloney about the importance of trust, how to build likeability...
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Retained Losses & Conflicting Terminology with Safety Bob
Everyone notices when something expensive breaks. Smaller issues, like water leaks and electrical issues, can fly under the radar - but those charges really add up. They can also fall under different terms or onto different expense reports, making them harder to track and prevent. This week, we...
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Trust & Crisis Communication in Agriculture with Blair Fannin
Effective communication is all about cutting through the noise and providing accurate information - especially during a crisis. This week, we chat about agricultural crises, trust networks and a bit of farm economics with Blair Fannin, the media relations manager and disaster assessment and...
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Internet Infrastructure & Disconnecting Dissent
A few months ago, when the Iranian government faced major nationwide protests, they turned off the internet for most of the population. Could that happen in the United States? This week, we chat with Dr. Karpoor Shashidhar and Dr. Cihan Varol of the computer science department at Sam Houston…
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Resilient Planning & The El Paso Airport Shutdown
Let's imagine your company relies on a major transportation hub or port of entry. You get a call in the middle of the night - that hub is shut down for ten days. Do you know who to call? Do you have a plan? Those aren't hypothetical questions for anyone in El Paso, where the airport was suddenly...
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AM Radio & Communication Resiliency with Oscar Rodriguez
In a crisis, reliable and direct communication strategies are key - and sometimes old technology is the most robust. This week, we chat with Texas Association of Broadcasters President Oscar Rodriguez about AM radio's resiliency during disasters, and why Congress is interested in preserving car...
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Bridging the Gap Between IT & OT with Joe Weiss
How secure are your physical devices? Are they engineered to be cyber-secure overall, or is the focus on protecting data? This week, we chat with Joe Weiss, a managing partner at Applied Control Solutions, about building inroads and translations between the different worlds of IT, OT and...
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Risk-Based Wildfire Preparation with Joel Hambright
Fighting wildfires is all about risk management - weather patterns, wind strength, fuel conditions and equipment locations all play a role in planning and prevention. AI and emerging technology could make a big difference, too. This week, we chat with Joel Hambright, the longtime Regional...
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Metrics & Communication with Dave Komendat
It's tough to measure things that don't happen, especially in dollars and cents, but a quantitative approach and well-honed communication skills go a long way. This week, we chat with Dave Komendat, a retired vice president and chief security officer for Boeing and a member of the inaugural Hall…
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Sovereign AI & Emerging Critical Infrastructure with Dr. Jason Davis
We're accustomed to prioritizing energy independence as a national security concern. Is the infrastructure for artificial intelligence also becoming critical? This week, we chat with Jason Davis, a research professor and co-director of the Emerging Insights Lab at Syracuse University, about...
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Communication & Critical Storytelling with Kirsten Meskill
Exemplary corporate security begins with effective communication - knowing your audience, knowing when to be direct and when to tell a compelling story. This week, we chat with Kirsten Meskill, the Chief Security Officer at Solventum and the second in our Hall of Fame Speaker Series following our...
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Considering the Ceasefire in Gaza with Dr. Nadav Morag
How has the war between Israel and Hamas affected the Middle East and the United States? What's next for Gaza, and what can the conflict teach us about intelligence and critical infrastructure? This week, we chat with Dr. Nadav Morag, a professor and chair of the Security Studies department at…
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Intentionality, Stretching & Bringing the Outside In with Jim Hutton
What makes a great chief security officer, or chief information security officer? It's not only about security knowledge - intentionality, agility and personnel development all play a big role. This week, we chat with Jim Hutton, a former CSO for Procter & Gamble and other major companies as well...
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Modern Drones - UASs, UAPs & TLAs with Art Wolfskill
If you put the right camera on a drone, it can spot cracks in a rooftop or nitrogen levels in crops, among other versatile and positive uses. If you're up to no good, though, the same drone could cause plenty of problems for public- and private-sector critical infrastructure operators. This week,...
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Reslient Planning and Foresight with Julio Gonzalez
Safety, security and resilience require planning and agility. They also require partnerships both within a company and between private and public groups - especially in critical infrastructure. This week, we chat with Julio Gonzalez, the CEO of Sentinel Resilience Group, about building resilient...
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Introducing the 2025 Thought Leaders Conference
Most critical infrastructure is operated by private companies, not the government - and those corporations are facing existential threats emerging from cybersecurity, social media and international adversaries. This week, IHS Program Executive Scott McHugh and IHS Coordinator Shelby Payne…
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Embracing the Nuclear Renaissance with Robin Gaster & Rob Crane
Historically, nuclear energy has faced two major obstacles - it's expensive and scary. Both may be changing rapidly. This week, we chat with Robin Gaster, the research director for the Center for Clean Energy Innovation at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, about how small...
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Before, During and After a Crisis, with Justen Noakes
All disasters are local. Disaster preparation often comes down to reliable information and accessible routine. This week, we chat with Justen Noakes, the Executive Director of Before/During/After and HEB's former "hurricane guy," about how an accessible and localized information hub can help…
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Avoiding Freight Fraud with Matthew Wood
We all depend on products delivered by trucks. Shipping industries are a vital part of critical infrastructure at risk of unique scams and fraud - even when goods themselves make it from Point A to Point B just fine. This week, we chat with Matthew Wood, vice president of strategic relationships...
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Farewell Grant
This week, we give a fond send off to Grant Threat, transportation project manager and podcast co-host extraordinaire, who is moving to a new role in critical infrastructure. We also chat a bit about the devastating flooding in Kerrville, Texas. Here's a list of charities collecting donations:...
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Monitoring, Measuring & Regulating AI in Critical Infrastructure with Michael Echols
Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, emerging in a variety of programs and technologies in critical infrastructure. Michael Echols from MAX Cybersecurity argues that adoption needs to be measurable and intentional - not surprising or under the radar. We also touch on news that AI programs...
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Digital Transformation & Innovation Strategy with Nadia Vincent
Embracing new technology brings risks and rewards. On the one hand, adopting the right emerging tech and tools can enhance, elevate and streamline your business. On the other hand, adopting the wrong new tools can be expensive and burdensome for employees or customers. The key is strategy -...
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Maritime Security at the Top of the World with Rob Crane & Scott McHugh
The Arctic environment is shifting - literally and figuratively. There are unique and varied opportunities and risks for critical infrastructure and national security in and around Alaska and the Arctic Circle. This week, we're joined by IHS program executives Scott McHugh and Robert Crane to…
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Simulated Disasters and Board Games with James Meaux and John Suarez
How do you plan for a disaster? There's only so much you can do with paperwork and theory, but you also don't want to wait for an actual crisis to develop a strategy. That's where simulations come in - and, often, adaptive board games and training exercises. This week, we chat with James Meaux…
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Agility, Transparency and Resiliency: Understanding When Things Change
is recognizing when circumstances have changed and adapting to compensate, even if it means changing plans. We've got a short podcast today about responding honestly to curve balls.
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How Quantum Computers Could Break the Internet with Nick Reese
Current computers use binary code, a series of ones and zeroes that are arranged methodically in lines of code. They're entirely linear - everything is step by step by step, a one or a zero at a time. That's not the case for quantum computers, the "weird" new computational technology that could...
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Water Recap & Planning for the Future with Reyna Loosmore and Grant Threatt
This week on Structurally Sound, we share our biggest takeaways from our water infrastructure mini-series and discuss the future of water in Texas. We chat with Reyna Loosmore, Water & Wastewater Sector Project Manager and feature the triumphant return of co-host Grant Threatt, Transportation...
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Future Water Economic Impact on Small and Rural Communities with Lia Clark & Jason Knobloch
The vast majority of community water systems in Texas are rural, with 10,000 or fewer residential connections. That's also where most of our population growth is headed. How can small water systems plan, update and adapt their aging infrastructure? This week, we chat with Ms. Lia Clark, Community...
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Vulnerabilities of Critical Infrastructure Interdependencies with Mike Mastrangelo and Elston Johnson
What happens if the water goes out at a hospital? What if the tap dries up during a broader crisis, like a hurricane or a winter storm? With thoughtful planning and careful training, plus cooperation and coordination between sectors, some of those risks can be reduced. This week, we chat with…
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A Dry Tap: Water Supply Challenges with Dan Hunter and L'Oreal Stepney
There are at least two ways of approaching water challenges - conserving and maximizing the water we have and strategizing solutions for water we don't have. That's especially true in the Rio Grande Valley. This week, we chat about both with the newly appointed Chairwoman of the Texas Water...
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Unique Water Challenges for a Unique State with Trey Gerfers and Dominik Sobieraj
Texas is big. So are our water challenges. This week, we chat with guests in the far corners of the Lone Star State about varied challenges and opportunities in water infrastructure and preservation. We're joined by Trey Gerfers, General Manager with the Presidio County Underground Water...
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Against the Flow: Workforce Challenges with Adelaida Mayorga and Jacquelyn Knobloch
Water and wastewater are essential parts of our daily routines and our critical infrastructure. It only works, though, if talented employees sign up to build and innovate the field. How can we encourage folks to explore water careers? This week, we chat with Adelaida Mayorga, Continuing Education...
About this show
Structurally Sound is a podcast produced by the Institute for Homeland Security (IHS) at Sam Houston State University. The podcast will be a game-changer for small to medium-sized businesses looking for the latest best practices in security and resilience. We want to inspire professionals like you to help you achieve your goals. New episodes are available on first and third Wednesdays each month!
Hosted by
Michael Aspland and Marcus Funk