September 2018 - In This Issue:

ALERT Launches "Students of ALERT" Video Series
Katherine Graham, ALERT Undergraduate Researcher

In ALERT's new video series, "Students of ALERT," Katherine Graham, a Northeastern University undergraduate researcher, shares her experience working with ALERT and her interest in security-related projects. From participating in the ALERT/Gordon CenSSIS Scholars Program to the ALERT SEWDP (Science and Engineering Workforce Development Program), she has been involved with ALERT since her first year at Northeastern University. Katherine, who works with Professor Jose Martinez-Lorenzo, walks us through the SICA lab (Multi-wave Sensing, Imaging, Control, and Actuation Laboratory) and describes her work as a mechanical engineer for the "On-the-Move Threat Detection System" project.

NEWS & EVENTS
Best Paper Award at 2018 ICDSC 
ALERT Researchers Earn Best Paper at 2018 International Conference on Distributed Smart Cameras (ICDSC)

Dr. Camps (Northeastern University), Dr. Radke (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), and their research team ( Ashraful Islam, Yuexi Zhang, Dong Yin)  received the Best Paper Award at the recent 2018 International Conference on Distributed Smart Cameras (ICDSC) in Eindhoven, Netherlands.  Titled "Correlating Belongings with Passengers in a Simulated Airport Security Checkpoint," this paper is based on data collected from ALERT's  CLASP (Correlating Luggage and Specific Passengers) project. 

ALERT Leads Trace Detection Seminar
ALERT Industrial Partner, Rapiscan Systems, Participates in Trace Detection Seminar Led by Dr. Beaudoin

ALERT Thrust R2 Lead, Dr. Beaudoin (Purdue University) led a seminar on Trace Detection at Rapiscan Systems, an OSI Systems Company, in Andover, Massachusetts on August 17th. Rapiscan Systems, an ALERT Industrial Partner, specializes in providing state-of-the-art products, solutions, and services to meet the threat detection needs at airports, border crossings, railway stations, government and military installations, and high-risk facilities around the world.  Under the ALERT Industrial Partnership model, members have multiple options for allocating their membership fees, including a full-day seminar on a topic of their choice that is relevant to one of ALERT's four research thrusts

ALERT REUs Deliver Final Presentations
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program Participants Present their Research Contributions
 
Summer is a time for soaking up the sun, but for seven ambitious undergraduate students who participated in ALERT's 10-week long  Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program , this summer was dedicated to ALERT research! On August 9th, ALERT and Gordon-CenSSIS REUs based at Northeastern University delivered final presentations to friends, family, mentors, and professors on their project's mission, their research contributions, and the knowledge and skills they gained from the program. 
The ADSA19 Workshop is Approaching!
October  16th & 17th at Northeastern University

The 19th Advanced Development for Security Applications (ADSA19) Workshop  will be held on October 16-17, 2018 at Northeastern University (Boston, MA). The workshop's theme "Rapid Response to an Adapting Adversary" will address the topic of collecting and using metadata. Examples of topics that will be discussed include characterization of emerging threats, development and use of automated threat recognition (ATR) algorithms, metrics for assessing adaptability, and r isk-based screening using video tracking of passengers and belongings. 

ALERT Year 5 Annual Report 
Now Available Online!
 
ALERT is pleased to announce that the ALERT Phase 2 Year 5 Annual Report is now available online! The report details the continued research in ALERT's four research thrusts: Characterization & Elimination of Illicit Explosives, Trace & Vapor Sensors, Bulk Sensors & Sensor Systems, and Video Analytics & Signature Analysis. The report also contains a full bibliography of the journal articles and conference proceedings published under ALERT support in the past year (July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018), as well as comprehensive descriptions of the Year 5 activities that took place in the following areas: ALERT Phase 2 Overview and Year 5 Highlights; Research and Transition Plan; Education Program; Transition and Engage to Excel (E2E) Projects; Strategic Studies Program; Safety Program; Information Protection Program; Industrial Liaison Initiatives and Partnerships; and Infrastructure and Evaluation.

STUDENT & RESEARCHER OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities at Smiths Detection 
Full-time Positions Available in Edgewood, MD and Newark, CA

ALERT Industrial Partner, Smiths Detection has full-time positions available  in both their Edgewood, Maryland (North of Baltimore) and Newark, California (San Francisco Bay Area) facilities. Please visit the link below for more information about their most recent job postings!

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Pathways to Science 
Funding Opportunities for STEM Students  

The Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) Pathways to Science project supports pathways to the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) by connecting students to programs such as REUs, graduate fellowships, and postdoctoral positions. Students can sign up online to automatically receive information on research, funding, and professional development opportunities customized to their interests.

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ALERT Core Partner Institutions

Northeastern University (lead)

ALERT is supported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate through the DHS Office of University Programs.
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