The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has selected the George Washington University to lead a new Center of Excellence (COE) that will deliver a pilot Master of Business Administration program focused on security technology transition (STT) from federal research and development to operational use.

S&T will provide upwards of $5.8 million through a Firm-Fixed-Price contract to fund three cadres of 25 students. 

“Transition of security technologies from applied research and development of prototypes into operationally beneficial tools has always been a challenge,” said William N. Bryan, DHS Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology. “By developing an educational program tailored to address the Department’s security technology needs, the MBA STT pilot program will produce a pipeline of high-quality professionals prepared to apply invaluable knowledge to the Department’s operational components and the broader homeland security enterprise.”

George Washington University will leverage their already existing MBA program’s core management curriculum and supplement the core curriculum with security technology-focused courses and real-world case-study learning applicable to private- and public-sector research and development programs, including DHS S&T.  

Working closely with DHS Components and private industry, the new COE will enhance the acumen of DHS personnel by providing education and practical experience in the legal, technical, and business aspects of research, development, and transition to public and private-sector security agencies. This will include developing and administering courses on topics such as navigating established federal acquisition programs and utilizing more flexible alternative approaches to get technologies into operational use.  

The DHS COEs were established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to be a “…coordinated, university-based system to enhance the Nation’s homeland security.” S&T COEs are a well-integrated network of researchers and educators focused on specific high-priority DHS challenges. The COEs work directly with the Department’s operational agencies to solve complex and difficult problems across the homeland security enterprise.

For more information about S&T’s COE program, visit www.dhs.gov/st-oup.