In this episode of Tech Speak, our podcast team travels to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, as S&T, the Transportation Security Administration, and regional partners introduce a new cutting-edge self-service screening technology to the media. Listen as former Season 2 guest, Dr. John Fortune, and the Transportation Security Administration’s Christina Peach and Karen Burke talk about how the Screening at Speed Program team is working to change the airport screening experience...

In our special Women’s History Month Tech Speak minisode, S&T Deputy Under Secretary for Science and Technology Julie Brewer and Season 3 guests, LaTasha Thompson and Brannan Villee, offer advice, give their perspectives on science and technology, and talk about how their careers in STEM took off.

The final episode of Technologically Speaking Season 3 is out of this world! Host Deepak Saini is joined by Technical Manager Ernest Wong of S&T’s Technology Centers for a discussion about critical infrastructure resiliency. Learn about position, navigation, and timing and how it impacts numerous aspects of everyday life on Earth. And find out what the future may hold when it comes to research and development in outer space. 

Technologically Speaking Host John Verrico, who retires this week after 15 years as S&T’s chief of Media and Community Relations, takes a surprising turn in the hot seat as a guest—talking with co-host Dee Saini about what it takes to make sure audiences know about the great work being accomplished at S&T. The innovation and research happening across the many diverse and varied S&T programs rely on skilled and dedicated media specialists who connect scientists and administrators...

In this episode, host John Verrico sits down with identity technologies expert Jon Prisby of S&T’s Biometric and Identity Technology Center. Jon touches on the future of digital credentials and discusses how biometrics may influence deep fakes. You’ll hear about the role digital credentials play in our daily lives, learn about how mobile driver’s licenses (a future digital credential) work, and discover why biometrics can be both the solution to deep fakes and also part of the problem....

In this episode, host John Verrico is joined by Dan Cotter, executive director of S&T’s Office of Science and Engineering and DHS Scientific Integrity Officer, for a wide-ranging discussion of the complex world of emergency management. Learn how a hydrology major wound up helping ensure government research is free of political interference and discover some of the many S&T efforts to enhance preparedness for individual citizens and their families, state and local first responders, and...

Host John Verrico sits down with Dr. Nick Bergman, director of S&T’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC). Dr. Bergman is a bit of a germaphobe, but it’s hard not to be when you run a Biosecurity Level 4 lab that studies pathogens for which no vaccine or treatment exists. Hear an insider’s perspective of the COVID pandemic, find out how NBACC regularly helps the FBI, and meet a guy living a “pretty typical life” of helping save us all from superbugs.

In this episode, host John Verrico sits down with Dr. LaTasha Thompson, Program Director of S&T’s Office of SAFETY Act Implementation. LaTasha breaks down the SAFETY Act for us—explaining its significance, how it works, and even how it could impact you. You’ll learn about the important legal liability protections provided under the SAFETY Act, hear how anti-terrorism technologies are being evaluated and assessed under the Act, and discover some innovative ways lotion and trash cans are...

S&T Division Director for Infrastructure and Security Solutions, Brannan Villee, talks about the crucial role S&T plays in protecting our critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure is a lot more than just bridges and dams, it also includes the power grid, the water we drink, our access to 911 in an emergency, and even the internet itself. As the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law hits its two-year anniversary, Brannan talks about how this historic funding has helped shape and support...

Matt Barger, director of S&T’s Maritime and Immigration Security Solutions Division, talks about how we’re safeguarding the nation’s borders and ensuring the safety and integrity of trade and travel, especially when it comes to maritime security. He explains that borders are not a linear map or a two-dimensional picture—they exist underwater, in the air, over land, underground, and even in space and cyberspace. Matt also weighs in on whether Jack could have survived in the movie Titanic.

In this episode, host Deepak Saini is joined by Dr. David Alexander, Senior Science Advisor for Resilience. Dr. Alexander explains the interconnected nature of global climate change, local weather patterns, and the constant challenge of shoring up our critical infrastructure to withstand it all. You’ll hear about advanced modeling, smart sensors, and next generation materials designed to mitigate the deadly risks of flooding and be able to explain exactly what a compound flooding event is....

S&T Senior Science Advisor for Cybersecurity Donald Coulter talks about the vital role that cybersecurity plays in the safe operation of our digital world and in the design and conception of future products. He shares that the AI revolution is already happening, and it is just a tool, not something to fear. Cybersecurity, he explains, is about preserving the availability and integrity of systems, as well as preserving the confidentiality of the data they contain.

If you’ve heard that familiar emergency alert sound blaring from your phone, you already know a little bit about what’s in store in this episode. Wireless Emergency Alerts are already helping keep people safe from nearby fires and floods; now, S&T is working to pair them with cutting-edge sensors to deliver warnings not just via mobile phones, but also through vehicles’ infotainment centers. We’re bringing you behind the scenes as S&T and FEMA tested the sensors and alerting...

C-THRU is a real-time, indoor visualization system that enhances firefighters’ situational awareness in low visibility environments. The technology is an augmented reality heads-up display that attaches to a standard helmet and makes it possible to “see through” dark, dense smoke. S&T and industry partner Qwake Technologies recently field-tested C-THRU with members of the fire service at the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department at the end of August—learn more about this exciting technology...

In this very special episode of Technologically Speaking, listen as past and present S&T leaders recall the lifechanging impacts of 9/11, discuss how S&T came to be, and reflect on their personal legacies at the Directorate. You’ll hear everything from where they were when the Twin Towers fell and the increasing risk of chemical threats in S&T’s early days to the science and technology battling the COVID-19 pandemic and rise of artificial intelligence today. These eight leaders...

The Developmental Test and Evaluation Alarm Resolution team at the Transportation Security Laboratory is using machine learning to verify the effectiveness of newly developed explosives detection solutions. This allows new and improved detection systems to be validated and certified more quickly and efficiently, with the goal of providing safety and security at checkpoints.

Small businesses, particularly startups, provide a wealth of ingenuity and innovation when it comes to developing emerging technologies. Harnessing this is the powerful idea behind S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program, which hosted a Demo Week this spring with 30 startups, venture capitalists, and operational agencies in attendance. In this episode, join us as we talk with startups on the Tech Expo floor at the event—hear about the early days of the program and how these industry...

In this Tech Speak mini episode, listen to the keynote address S&T Under Secretary Dr. Dimitri Kusnezov delivered at the July 6 commencement ceremony for the Master of Business Administration in Security Technology Transition program at George Washington University, an S&T Center of Excellence. Dr. Kusnezov addressed 26 mid-career federal employees, who not only were the first to complete the program but did it during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen as Dr. Kusnezov honors...

H2Rescue is a first-of-its-kind hydrogen fuel cell/battery hybrid vehicle and it’s an emergency truck like no other—a zero emission, self-propelled electric generator that may just be the future of disaster response. This project is a collaboration between the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), Federal Emergency Management Agency, industry partner Accelera by Cummins Inc., and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. S&T Under Secretary Dr. Dimitri...

The final episode of Technologically Speaking Season Two delves into the world of soft target security with S&T’s Ali Fadel. Host Dee Saini chats with Ali about what a soft target is (hint: check out the episode title), how S&T is collaborating with agencies at every level of government to keep venues and civilians safe, and promising new technologies being used to get the job done—including barriers recently deployed to Kansas City for the 2023 NFL Draft. 

In this episode, host John Verrico chats with S&T’s Robert Klueg from our Transportation Security Laboratory (TSL) about how the lab is servicing the existing fleet of screening systems—a key part of the Screening at Speed Program. In part two of our two-part series on the program, John and Robert discuss new technologies that will make the screening process both quick and secure and reflect on the origins of TSL following the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. Be sure to listen to part one, “300...

Could the future of the airport security line function like the self-checkout process at your local grocery store? Join host John Verrico and S&T Screening at Speed Program Manager Dr. John Fortune as they explore the future of passenger screening. Dr. Fortune and his team are working to improve the traveler experience during this vital process, and you won’t want to miss the discussions about new technologies in development that could make it happen. While this work is not without its...

Technologically Speaking spends some time with Syed Mohammad, lead for the Science and Technology Directorate’s Modeling and Simulation Technology Center.  Host Dee Saini has a fascinating conversation about the creation and accuracy of simulations and how they can be used to train first responders in realistic scenarios, plan large events and the movements of crowds through complex venues, and many other important tasks. Syed also talks about the metaverse—how it’s already here and what you...

Host Deepak Saini is joined by Orly Amir, program manager for Radiological/Nuclear Response and Recovery (RNRR) at S&T’s National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL). Orly, a proud New Yorker, explains how this research and development program boosts preparedness for communities of all sizes across our nation and reveals why she finds planning for disasters to be fulfilling rather than stressful. You’ll appreciate the importance of NUSTL’s role in enhancing first responder...