Homeland Security: Inside & Out

This week: Tracking convictions of terrorists, the president's strategy for homeland security, inside the DHS, the EU's approach to terrorism, and graduate education in homeland security studies

Tuesday, December 18, 7 p.m. CST (KAMU 90.9 FM, College Station)

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1. News Media

Writer, investigative reporter and researcher David Burnham is the co-founder and co-director of the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. TRAC is a data-gathering, research and data-distribution organization associated with Syracuse University. Brunham is also an associate research professor at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Burnham will discuss tracking the convictions of terrorists.

2. Inside the Beltway, Take One

Joel Bagnal is the White House's deputy assistant to the president for homeland security. He talks about authoring the White House strategy for homeland security strategy.

3. Inside the Beltway, Take Two

Chad Sweet is the chief of staff for the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff. Sweet is credited with coordinating interagency planning and policy on a number of high priority issues for the DHS. He also orchestrated an improvement in management performance metrics and information flow processes within DHS and between DHS, the White House and Congress. Additionally, Sweet acted as the secretary’s primary representative to implement Operation Jump Start – the president’s initiative to deploy 6,000 national guardsmen to enhance U.S. border security.

4. Outside the Beltway

Frank Schmiedel is the first secretary for political, justice and home affairs at the European Union's Delegation to the USA.

5. Perspectives

Valerie Lucas, emergency manager at the University of California, Davis, answers the question, "if you had five minutes with the presidential candidates, what would you tell them?"

6. HLS at Home

Dr. Jeannine Kantz of the Integrative Center for Homeland Security at Texas A&M University will discuss progress on establishing an interdisciplinary master's degree program in homeland security studies.

This week: Media panel on homeland security topics, tainted food, limits on executive power, campus security, standards for emergency management, and an overlooked resource for disaster response

Tuesday, December 11, 7 p.m. CST (KAMU 90.9 FM, College Station)

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1. Inside the Beltway

Part II of our media panel with homeland security reporters Ellie Stables of Congressional Quarterly and Shane Harris (left) of National Journal. They discuss a variety of topics including new HLS national strategy, immigration and wire tapping.

2. News Media

Julie Schmit of USA Today talks about how a loophole in the law keeps  the Food and Drug Administration in the dark on tainted food imports.

3. Outside the Beltway

Attorney Ed Wilson of Venable L.L.P. discusses what limits (if any) Congress can place on the powers of the president during time of war. Wilson has served as Associate Counsel to the President; General Counsel, Office of Administration, Executive Office of the President; and, Special Assistant to the President for Management.

4. Spotlight

Dennis Sullivan, the University of Louisville's assistant director of environmental health and safety, discusses his recent survey to find out what universities are doing about campus security.

Steve Charvat, the University of Washington's director of emergency management, talks about standard for emergency management and business continuity programs recently established by the National Fire Protection Association.

5. Perspectives

Jim Carafano, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, answers the question, "if you had five minutes with the president, what would you say.

6. HLS at Home

In times of catastrophe, cities often overlook a ready source of transportation, equipment, space and manpower: the parks and recreation department. Steve Beachy, who recently retired as the director of parks and recreation for College Station, Texas, makes the case that the parks department should be included in any emergency management plan.

This week: Media panel, Ready New York, Mexico border issues, emergency managment, and how terrorists might obtain nuclear weapons

Tuesday, December 4, 7 p.m. CST (KAMU 90.9 FM, College Station)

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1. News Media, Take One

Ellie Stables of Congressional Quarterly and Shane Harris (left) of National Journal discuss a variety of topics including new HLS national strategy, immigration and wire tapping.

2. News Media, Take Two

Amber Green of New York City Office of Emergency Management discusses a new program called "Ready New York" which is helping New York prepare for terrorism and other disasters.

3. Outside the Beltway

Fred Burton is the vice president for counter-terrorism and corporate security at Stratfor. Burton will give an update on the violent situation along the Mexico and United States border.

4. Spotlight

Dave Bujak, emergency management coordinator for Florida State University (FSU) discusses FSU's International Association of Emergency Managers student chapter. Bujak is an advisor to the program, which aims to help students further their emergency management careers.

Andre LeDuc is the director of Oregon Natural Hazards Workgroup (ONHW). The University of Oregon is one of only four universities in the West to receive a $100,000 Disaster Resistant University (DRU) planning grant. As the director for ONHW, LeDuc will help facilitate the development of their new plan.

5. Perspectives

Randy Larsen and Dave McIntyre discuss Randy's book and the chapter on what communities can and are doing to prepare for disasters and terrorism

6. HLS at Home

Grant Ford, a graduate student in Texas A&M University's engineering department, talks about his research on how a terrorist or nation would most likely obtain nuclear weapons.