Table of Contents
- CINA MSI Activities
- CINA’s Four 2022 MSI Summer Research Teams Awarded Follow-on Funding
- CINA Distinguished Speaker Series
The following compilation describes workforce and outreach efforts of the CINA DHS Center of Excellence at George Mason University. As you review this report, you can select these phrases noted below to review stories in each separate section.
CINA MSI Activities
CINA MSI Summer Programs offer life transforming opportunities, a DHS introduction
The opportunity to learn about pathways and possibilities within the Department of Homeland Security, often in direct discussion with DHS representatives, is priceless to the current and future leaders of the MSI community. In cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, the CINA-supported MSI Week at George Mason University provided multiple opportunities for students and faculty to participate in professional development opportunities and activities.
In August of 2022, the Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis (CINA) DHS Center of Excellence hosted its fourth annual MSI Week program. Although last year’s program was adapted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year CINA safely and successfully supported 25 students and faculty from seven universities who attended site tours and briefings across three George Mason University Campuses.
Participants actively engaged in face-to-face briefings with experts in digital forensics and human trafficking; learned about DHS Science and Technology offerings and DHS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access programs; and attended a DHS Component Spotlight on Customs and Border Patrol operations.
In addition to a full agenda of skill building workshops, talks, tours, networking events, and meetings with researchers and administrators, the students and faculty from Bowie State, the City University of New York, Eastern New Mexico University, Jackson State University, Lincoln University, Sul Ross University, and the University of North Texas also were paired into multidisciplinary teams. Each team selected a topic from a list shaped by DHS and CINA research priorities, researched it, and presented opportunities to help the Homeland Security Enterprise address the chosen topic.
To learn more about CINA’s student and faculty enrichment and training partnership opportunities, contact CINA Workforce Development and Education Lead, Dr. Joe Rogers, at jroger17@gmu.edu.
CINA’s Four 2022 MSI Summer Research Teams Awarded Follow-on Funding
Four CINA research teams sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security’s Summer Research Teams (SRT) Program for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) received additional funding to continue research conducted during the 2022 summer program hosted at CINA. The MSI SRT program seeks to increase and enhance the scientific leadership at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in research areas that support the mission and goals of DHS, and provides teams of faculty and students with the opportunity to collaborate and conduct research with a university-based DHS Center of Excellence.
Congratulations to the four CINA MSI partners who received follow-on funding to extend their research in 2023:
- Dr. Omar Camarillo (Eastern New Mexico University), “The Impact of Covid-19 on Transnational Criminal Organizations: Disruption, Adaptation and Propaganda”
- Dr. Gary Kowaluk (Lincoln University), “The Patricio Transnational Criminal Organization: a Network Analysis of Forced Labor Trafficking”
- Dr. Jie Yan (Bowie State University), “A lightweight Digital Image Forensic Analyzer to detect AI-generated fake images through Raspberry Pi”
- Dr. Boyan Kostadinov (NYC College of Technology – CUNY), “Using Modern Data Science Tools for Investigating an English Version of Chat Logs from the Conti Ransomware Group”
CINA Distinguished Speaker Series
The CINA Distinguished Speaker Series, which pivoted to a virtual and then hybrid format, highlighted experts among various fields that included:
- Jay Kennedy: “The Future of Counterfeiting”
- Lindsey Roberson: “Human Trafficking Enforcement Efforts: 20 Years Later”
- Gurvais Grigg: “Deconstructing Cybercrime Through Blockchain Forensics”
- Arun Ross: “Privacy in the era of automated face recognition”
- Joe Wheatley: “Working with Law Enforcement and Brands to Hold Bad Actors Accountable and Protect Consumers”
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