Neel Mehta
Rutgers University opened the Rutgers Institute for Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security on June 6 to address issues such as emergency preparedness, disaster response and homeland security.
The Institute includes both new and existing programs at the university that will aim to protect both people and property from emergencies, while also partnering with other federally funded Rutgers-led research efforts, Rutgers said.
Two Department of Homeland Security centers there will focus on methods and tools to solve data problems, a National Institutes of Health center will develop drugs to counter chemical terrorism and an Environmental Protection Agency-funded center will hone on exposure and risk modeling.
The institute will work on policy development; information assessment and intelligence analysis; preparedness planning and initiatives; theoretical and applied research and development; education and training; business development; clinical and practice enhancements; and service and outreach to the community.
“It brings together experts from the broad spectrum of disciplines that exist at Rutgers University – to forge collaborations among those professionals and between Rutgers faculty and entities in the public and private sectors,” said Clifton Lacy, the institute’s director.
The institute aims to connect Rutgers experts statewide in many fields including medicine, public health, life sciences, engineering, physical sciences, humanities, social sciences, public policy, public safety, and law, Rutgers said.
