CCICADA’s Homeland Security Partnership with the US Coast Guard Brings Commandant Zukunft to Rutgers University for a Visit
Admiral Paul F. Zukunft (center), US Coast Guard Commandant, and Dr. Matthew Clark (right), Director, DHS Office of University Programs, listen as CCICADA Director Fred Roberts reviews CCICADA’s homeland security partnership with the USCG.
Underscoring the remarkable collaboration between CCICADA researchers and the US Coast Guard to protect the nation against homeland security threats, CCICADA’s senior research faculty on October 9, 2014, welcomed US Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Paul F. Zukunft to Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, CCICADA’s lead institution.
Matthew Clark, Ph.D., Director of the Office of University Programs, US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), also attended the meeting. Clark represents the federal office that implements and oversees the University Center of Excellence initiative.
Admiral Zukunft’s visit recognized the longstanding and successful partnership that CCICADA and the USCG have developed under the DHS University Centers of Excellence research program.
”The collaboration is a remarkable example of the DHS University Programs’ model of advancing research through the resolution of real-world homeland security problems,” said CCICADA Director Fred Roberts.
The complex data analytics and resource management questions that the USCG has brought to the CCICADA Center have provided CCICADA researchers many challenging research questions that have ultimately led to advances in learning and science. At the same time, CCICADA’s homeland-security research on behalf of the US Coast Guard has advanced several of the agency’s most important missions.
The focus of the day’s agenda was CCICADA’s work with the USCG on boat and aircraft resource allocation, resource management in the Arctic region, social media for disaster information and response, the development of performance metrics, maritime cyber security, and large-venue protection.
“I greatly appreciate the brain trust that you (CCICADA) have brought to bear on issues that are near and dear to the Coast Guard. Thank you for sharing your precious time to include the effort that went into these thoroughly prepared briefs.”
Admiral Paul F. Zukunft
Commandant, US Coast Guard
After brief presentations, Admiral Zukunft and CCICADA researchers discussed at length the status of their projects and how to collaborate going forward. The exchange provided the Commandant with details of CCICADA’s approach and gave CCICADA researchers a greater understanding of the USCG perspective.
Admiral Paul F. Zukunft and CCICADA Director Fred Roberts exchange coins, a time-honored military tradition.
The highlight of the Commandant’s visit was the time-honored military tradition of exchanging coins. Admiral Zukunft presented CCICADA Director Fred Roberts with his official USCG coin. In return, Director Roberts gave the Admiral two coins, the University Presidential coin and a limited edition Rutgers BIG10 Inaugural Season coin.
Admiral Zukunft, who was appointed the 25th Commandant of the USCG on May 30, 2014, was accompanied on the visit by his wife, Mrs. DeNinno-Zukunft. Mrs. DeNinno-Zukunft took the opportunity to tour the Rutgers University campus, visiting both the Hale Center at High Point Solutions Stadium and the Coastal Ocean Observation Lab (COOL Room) under the Rutgers Marine and Coastal Sciences Department.
Her visit was highlighted by a walking tour of the historic Old Queens campus and College Avenue academic quad with an undergraduate University Ambassador. The tour was arranged and led by Ms. Mandy Webster, Admissions Officer, Rutgers Visitors Center.
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