Structurally Sound - Institute for Homeland Security

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 department of preventative medicine and population health at the University of Texas at Tyler, and Dr. Blake Hanson, assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

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 Center and El Paso Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Joel Hendryx, the recently retired chief medical officer at University Medical Center of El Paso, about the importance of adapting and developing MCI training.

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 and memorability, and the importance of strong and weak ties.

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 chat with Dr. Robert Emery, the vice president for safety, health, environment & risk management for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and professor of occupational health at the University of Texas School of Public Health, about keeping a safety eye on small expenses and the wordswe use to emphasize and categorize them.

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 recovery public information officer for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

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 State about internet infrastructure at home and abroad. We also talk with Scott McHugh, program executive for the private sector at the Institute for Homeland Security, about the geopolitics of internet disconnection and access.

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 closed last week. It reopened after a few hours but it's a good example of the need for diversification and trust in your supply chain and professional relationships. We're joined by Dr. Pam Zelbst, a professor of supply chain management, and Dr. Ryan Randa, the research director for the Institute for Homeland Security and an associate professor of criminal justice and criminology. Also, here are some links to news articles about the closure from The El Paso Times, Wall Street Journal and NBC News.

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 radios.

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 engineering.

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 Operations Chief for region four of the Texas A&M Forest service, about forestry management and risk mitigation.

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 of Fame Speaker series at our Thought Leaders Conference last fall. We're also joined by IHS Program Executive Scott McHugh and IHS Coordinator Shelby Payne.

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 sovereign AI and the broad infrastructure it requires. We also touch on articles about data centers and related power plants and water concerns in Texas.

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 Thought Leaders Conference in October.

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 Sam Houston State as well as a former senior director for Israel's National Security Council, about the war and what might come next.

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 as a member of the inaugural Hall of Fame Speaker series at our recent Thought Leaders conference. We're also joined by IHS Program Executive Scott McHugh and IHS Coordinator Shelby Payne.

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, we chat with Dr. Art Wolfskill, professor and head of the agribusiness program at Sam Houston State, about the benefits and risks of highly mobile unmanned aircraft.

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 frameworks and avoiding silos.

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 introduce our upcoming Thought Leaders Conference featuring seasoned leaders innovating solutions and strategies for those threats. More information and registration information for the October 28 conference can be found here.

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 modular reactors could make nuclear power more affordable and accessible at home and abroad. We also talk about shifting public opinion and nuclear energy as an opportunity for bipartisan collaboration and public/private partnership.

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 small business plan, react and recover from crises. Noakes has also written a research paper for IHS on supply chain management and problem solving. We're also joined by IHS Public Sector Program Executive Robert Crane and gone-but-not-forgotten IHS transportation project manager Grant Threat.

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 and general manager of Cedar Bluff Companies, about proactive steps to detect and avoid freight fraud. You can also learn more from a recent webinar hosted by the Institute for Homeland Security and the Greater Houston Trucking Association.

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: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/where-to-donate-help-central-texas-flood-recovery/

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 can decline instructions to shut down and Echol's book on cybersecurity and his new book on AI.

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 - planning deliberately, not hopping on a bandwagon. This week, we explore that strategy in the transportation sector with digital transformation and innovation strategy adviser Nadia Vincent.

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 chat about last week's Maritime Risk Symposium and the emerging arctic landscape.

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, the regional training and exercise coordinator for SETRAC, and John Suarez, project manager for the health and public health sectors at IHS, about mock mass casualty events and how to role play disaster scenarios.

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.

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 shred conventional encryption methods and turn digital infrastructure upside-down. This week, we explore quantum computing with Nick Reese, the co-founder of the Frontier Foundry who also serves on the Homeland Security Advisory Board at George Washington University. In addition to articles at the Frontier Foundry, you may also want to check out Quantum Insider or the Emerging Technology short courses available through IHS.

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 Systems Project Manager.

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 Engagement Manager with the Water Finance Exchange, and Mr. Jason Knobloch, Deputy Executive Director with the Texas Rural Water Association, about resources and strategies for rural water and small communities.

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 Mike Mastrangelo, Emergency Management and Public Health Expert, and Elston Johnson, president and owner of Elston Johnson & Associates, about water interdependencies and healthcare. Here are articles about a chemical spill in South Korea mentioned by one of our guests and a link to a previous episode on water supply challenges after a hurricane.

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 Development Board, L'Oreal Stepney and Assistant Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Dan Hunter. We also explore an important water treaty with Mexico that was amended last year. You can read more about it in articles from the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University and from The Texas Tribune. 

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 Conservation District in Marfa and Dominik Sobieraj, Chief Operating Officer, with the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District in Hughes Springs.

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 Professor at Houston Community College Northeast Campus, and Jacquelyn Knobloch, Apprenticeship Program Manager with the Texas Rural Water Association, about their programs and opportunities in training and continuing education.

Some security threats to water and wastewater security are new and unique. Others are the same threats faced by every organization in the digital age. This week, we talk about proactive security strategies in the water and wastewater sector with Dr. Narasimha Shashidhar, Dr. Cihan Varol and Robert Warren. Additionally, our guests mentioned a 2021 cyberattack on a water treatment facility in Florida. Here's a link to CISA's cybersecurity advisory on the incident.

You may not think much about your tap water until it stops working - but you should. Keeping clean water flowing is a vital and complicated part of our infrastructure. This week, we're launching a new mini-series on water security and critical infrastructure with Reyna Loosmore, a project manager for water and wastewater at the Institute for Homeland Security.

What's the difference between emergency management and crisis management, and how can someone get started in either? The short answers are internships, saying yes to career opportunities, and not as different as you might think. This week, we chat with Vincent Ng, the Chief Operating Officer at Prestige Analytics, about opportunities and changes in emergency management careers.

Critical infrastructure is constantly evolving. Public and private sector careers need dedicated and adaptable employees to innovate new strategies and solutions; often, military veterans and those transitioning out of active service are strong candidates for those jobs, although the transition out of uniform can feel daunting. This week, we chat about networking and career moves with Ret. Major General David Glaser, President and CEO of Strategic Risk Integration Jim Platt and IHS Program Executive Robert Crane. We also discuss the Department of Defense's Transition Assistance and SkillBridge programs, and why Sam Houston State University is a top choice for veterans.

Are we over-reliant on global positioning satellites? The technology is an essential part of a spectrum of technologies, including in critical infrastructure, and losing access to it could be disastrous. This week, we chat with Jim Platt, president and CEO of Strategic Risk Integration, and Robert Crane, a project manager for the energy sector and Position-Navigation-Timing for the Institute for Homeland Security, about steps to improve and diversify our dependence on GPS systems.

Telemedicine has greatly increased opportunities for mental health treatment, especially in isolated and rural areas. Texas prisons have taken advantage of telemedicine options, but access is more limited and complicated in local jails. This week, we're joined by Dr. Eric Connolly, associate professor of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State University, to explore his research on opportunities and challenges for telemedicine and mental health in jails and prisons.  Dr. Connolly's paper is An Evaluation of the Current Infrastructure for Treating Mental Illness In Texas Correctional Facilities.

Critical infrastructure depends on collaboration and teamwork - not distraction and hostility dividing employees. Political polarization presents a threat to the public and private sector's ability to develop and maintain critical infrastructure protections. In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Myiah Hutchens, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Public Relations at the University of Florida, to explore workplace and personal strategies for reducing polarization and improving civility. 

In a hot or cold war, enemies have a say in defining the nature of the conflict. Experts at the second Thought Leaders Conference argued hostile nations are waging a disinformation war against the United States right now, often targeting critical infrastructure by encouraging hostility, polarization and chaos in the general public. We reflect on the conference with Scott McHugh, program executive at the Institute for Homeland Security and host of the Thought Leaders Conference; Mike Aspland, executive director of the Institute for Homeland Security; and Garreth Tiefenbach, director of the De-Escalation Training Center. Special thanks to IHS Coordinator Shelby Payne for coordinating the conference.

Generative AI programs can create a surge of bogus images, videos and audio at a moment's notice, often damaging trust and credibility across critical infrastructure sectors. Our brains can't keep up, but what about AI detection software? This week, we chat with Dr. Jason Davis of Syracuse University and Dr. Tony Yao of Sam Houston State about how AI technology is outrunning our cognitive abilities and legal frameworks, and how emerging software may help close the gap.Join the conversation at the IHS Thought Leaders Conference, October 15, 2024 at The Woodlands Center.

Cyberattacks are becoming unavoidable in healthcare - and they're evolving quickly. Mike Mastrangelo, the associate vice president for institutional preparedness at the University of Texas Medical Branch, chats with us this week about clinical continuity frameworks and strategies for staying one step ahead of cybersecurity threats.

Is it worthwhile to invest in AI sensors to measure traffic flow and road stress? Alston German says yes - and it could be a big benefit for predictive maintenance and transportation planning throughout Texas.  For a deeper investigation, read Alston's paper, AI in Critical Infrastructure for Transportation.For more information about the IHS Thought Leaders Conference coming in October, click here.

What safety or security concerns do you have? Would you enjoy a gamified cybersecurity exercise, or would you be worried if your boss came by with a checklist? This week, we talk with Dr. Robert Emery and John Suarez about collaborative risk management techniques, strategies for reducing "oblivious" cybersecurity threats and resources for disease outbreaks at the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute. Dr. Robert Emery is the Vice President for Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Professor of Occupational Health at the University of Texas School of Public Health. John Suarez is a project manager for the health and public health sector at the Institute for Homeland Security.

Preparing for pandemics and outbreaks comes down to logistics and planning. That's challenging enough for major healthcare providers, let alone rural hospitals. This week, we chat with Dr. Corri Levine and Kara Marshall from the Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment Readiness & Education Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch about resources and nuts-and-bolts approaches to pandemic preparedness.We also talk about SPECTRE's weekly newsletter monitoring outbreaks, as well as resources from the WHO and CDC.

In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, we sit down with Space City Weather's Eric Berger and Matt Lanza to discuss forecasting and communication challenges for meteorologists and emergency planners. We also touch on artificial intelligence forecasting, emergency planning and the importance of investing in a resilient energy grid. You can find their work at Space City Weather and The Eyewall.

This week, we chat with Dr. Thomas Watson, Senior Fellow for Homeland Security at The Center for Climate and Securityabout integrating modern artificial intelligence into the Texas electrical grid. https://ihsonline.org/research/sponsored-researchAfter that, we explore digital professional training and education with Bryce Allen, Emergency Manager, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Could some training modules be shorter, or touch on major events? Could they be podcasts?https://ihsonline.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=tvUbiG11_Ak%3d&portalid=0

You've been in an industrial accident nowhere near a road. EMTs arrive and determine they need something from the ambulance. No problem - just send the drone. This week, we talk with Dr. Javier Ramos about how first responders are embracing drone technology, plus some of their risks and complications. We also chat with Griselda Muñoz about plans and policies to prevent workplace violence.