News

January 21, 2016

Emergency Management and Homeland Security Headline UAlbany’s 3rd Annual President’s Forum on Data

The University at Albany will convene nationally recognized leaders for a series of conversations on emergency management and homeland security at the President’s 3rd Annual Forum Data on Thursday, February 25 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the D’Ambra Auditorium, Life Sciences Research Building on UAlbany’s Uptown Campus.

The 2016 President’s Forum on Data will provide a platform to explore the role that data and data analytics play in better protecting our citizens. The forum’s keynote speakers and discussion panelists will gather to share their insights, experiences, and knowledge on how data analytics is enhancing emergency preparedness, protecting our homeland, bolstering extreme weather resiliency, and strengthening public health response.

The forum will also serve as a catalyst to launch collaborations with emergency management and homeland security experts across the public and private sectors. Lessons learned with help from UAlbany and its partners in advancing industry education, research, and innovation.

The topic of this year’s forum is timely for the University. Last January, New York State Andrew M. Cuomo announced plans for the nation’s first College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity to be located at UAlbany. In the classroom, faculty are working to enhance the learning environment and curriculum to prepare students for an evolving job market that’s demanding skill sets and competencies in advanced data analytics.

“Without question, data analytics has emerged as a transformational catalyst that is both defining and guiding all sectors and scientific disciplines,” said UAlbany Vice President for Research James A. Dias. “Data analytics is, in fact, the essence of smart decision-making in our global society, and the cornerstone to safeguarding the public against loss of life and property. This year’s forum will shine a light on the national impact that advanced data analytics education, research, and innovation is having in protecting our citizenry.”

National, state, and regional leaders in data analytics, emergency management, and homeland security are featured as keynote speakers and panelist, including:

Keynote Speakers:

  • Haden Land, Vice President of Research and Technology, Lockheed Martin’s Information Systems and Global Solutions (IS&GS)
  • Stephen Dennis, Innovation Director, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science & Technology Directorate
  • Joseph Nimmich, Deputy Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
  • Nancy Nurthen, Director of the Fusion Division, Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Services

Panelists:

  • Meredith Lee, AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science & Technology Directorate
  • Patrick Meier, Director of Social Innovation, Qatar Computing Research Institute
  • Elizabeth Plale, Professor, Department of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University
  • Mohan Ramamurthy, Director, Unidata University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
  • Jonathan Porter, Vice President for Innovation, AccuWeather
  • Gregory Glass, Professor, EPI and Liberal Arts and Sciences, Geography, University of Florida
  • Craig Gordon, Program Manager, National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center, Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

To register for this year’s forum, or to learn more information, please click the link below.

More Information and Registration Info