Secretary Jeh Johnson
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, joined by National Protection and Programs Directorate Deputy Under Secretary for Cybersecurity Dr. Phyllis Schneck, visited the Georgia Tech Information Security Center and Morehouse College today to participate in roundtable discussions with students on developing the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.
Dr. Schneck received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Georgia Tech, and pioneered the field of information security and security-based high-performance computing at Georgia Tech. These meetings are the latest step in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ongoing efforts to attract the best and brightest cyber talent to support the Department’s important cybersecurity mission.
During the roundtable discussions, Secretary Johnson highlighted DHS programs such as the Cyber Student Volunteer Initiative which provides assignments across the Department at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations computer forensics labs, state and major urban area fusion centers, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration, the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, and the DHS Office of the Chief Information Officer. This year, the initiative received almost 1700 applicants for over 110 volunteer assignments at local DHS field offices at more than 60 locations across the country.
At his alma mater, Morehouse College, Secretary Johnson also delivered remarks at the inauguration ceremony for College President John Wilson.
Earlier today, ahead of his previously scheduled trip to Atlanta, Secretary Johnson visited the Georgia Emergency Operations Center with Governor Nathan Deal for briefings on the ongoing response efforts to the winter storm as well as to make sure state and local responders continue to receive all eligible support from the federal government.
DHS, through FEMA, continues to monitor severe weather impacting states up and down the east coast. In addition to the emergency declaration provided earlier this week from Georgia, a FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team is located at the Georgia Emergency Operations Center and another team has deployed to the South Carolina Emergency Operations Center.
FEMA also has liaisons in the Emergency Operations Centers of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. FEMA has also activated an Incident Support Base in Augusta, Ga. to provide commodities including generators, meals, water, blankets, tarps, and cots closer to impacted areas, should supplies be needed and requested.
FEMA, through its regional offices in Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Denton, Texas, and its National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C. as well as its federal partners, including the National Weather Service, continues to closely monitor the severe winter weather impacting several states.
