University News
Railroad Security Conference Set for Feb. 27
January 16, 2007
MOLINE, IL -- As part of the Western Illinois University Homeland Security Research Program, a partner in the Illinois Homeland Security Network, a conference focusing on railroad freight security will be held Tuesday, Feb. 27 in Northbrook (IL).
"Technology and Security Solutions to Challenges Facing Railroad Freight" will be held from 9 a.m.-2:45 p.m. at the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (building 6) in Northbrook, and will feature numerous presenters from international businesses and industries.
According to Dean Alexander, Western law enforcement and justice administration (LEJA) assistant professor and director of the Homeland Security Research Program at WIU, the daylong conference is the second in the series of three planned workshops as part of a $60,000 grant funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's (DCEO) Homeland Security Marketing Development Program. A conference was held Oct. 13, 2006 in the Quad Cities that addressed intelligence sharing to reduce homeland security risks, public and private cooperation and the roles of business and government in assisting homeland security companies.
Panelists at the Feb. 27 conference will include professionals from security operations, transportation organizations, state departments, universities and international companies. Michael Brody, assistant deputy director of the DCEO Homeland Security Marketing Development Bureau in Chicago, will offer closing remarks.
"In the post 9/11 era, aviation and maritime security issues have received significant attention; however, other transportation sectors -- such as railroads -- have not garnered adequate attention," Alexander explained. "Through this conference we hope to bring more attention to security and railroad freight by addressing various technology and security solutions to traditional and new threats to security."
The final workshop will be held in May 2007 and will focus on terror financing. A portion of the DCEO grant is also being used for student-related research in the area of homeland security. Four undergraduate WIU students are currently working on a variety of projects, including market research for a directory of homeland security companies in the state of Illinois.
To register for the Feb. 27 conference, send your name, address, company affiliation, phone number and e-mail, with the $35 fee (payable to WIU), to: Illinois Homeland Security Network c/o Dean Alexander, Stipes Hall 403H, Macomb, IL 61455. For more information contact Alexander at 309/298-2120 or DC-Alexander@wiu.edu.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
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