On March 4, 2024, CBTS joined its DHS Board of Directors at the George Bush School in Washington, DC to conduct our 2024 Biennial Review. The review brought together CBTS staff, researchers, and DHS program leaders to discuss the Center’s current portfolio of mid-stage projects, the management of the Center, and to develop ideas about future research and education topics that could be added to the Center’s portfolio. The review provided an opportunity to exchange ideas, address administrative and programmatic accountability, and to consider strategies that will be designed to enhance the Center’s ability to successfully achieve its mission in the future.
These reviews are a critical component to the success of the Center and help all involved to corporately reflect on the effectiveness of institutional arrangements and collaborations needed to address emerging homeland security issues. These conversations promote information sharing and enhance the understanding of issues that the Center and its investigators need to know as they develop project ideas. They also allow multiple voices to be heard in a common setting which aids future dialogues, builds trust, and fosters engagement among project stakeholders.
A Center-wide RFP
The development of a combined Center-wide request for proposals (RFP) will be one of the most notable outcomes of the meeting. Once drafted, this comprehensive call will help define the direction of the Center’s research and education programs in the coming years as it approaches emeritus status. While still in a formative stage, the March 4th discussions helped frame the topics that may be included in this Center-wide RFP. Once finalized, this call will seek proposals that address threats to public health, food and agriculture, trade-reliant supply chain explorations, and the training, tools and innovative data systems needed to foster and secure the legitimate movement of goods and people across our borders.
Biennial Review and User Feedback Event
The Center staff thank DHS’s Hilary Shackelford, Aaron Conrado, and the Center’s DHS Board of Directors who were able to attend in-person and virtually. The Center also applauds the African Swine Fever, and Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Monitoring research teams who presented their work and plans at the Biennial. We look forward to receiving feedback on the Center’s research, education, and management performance and promise to act on recommendations for improvement.
The following day, March 5th, CBTS convened its first ever User Feedback event. This event provided an opportunity for two of our mature projects to provide an overview of their work and to allow users to describe their experiences with the tools and information developed by those two projects. The goal of these user sessions was to gain a better understanding of the needs of users and to gain insights into ways CBTS can more effectively foster the transition of project deliverables. CBTS thanks the Orion Integrated Biosciences Inc. and Quantifind Inc. teams for investing in their respective feedback sessions and for their dedication to conducting excellent research.
For additional information about the Center’s research and education programs, our Distinguished Speaker Series, and open RFP’s, please visit the CBTS website.