Strengthening Government Laboratory Science and Technology Programs: Some Thoughts for the Department of Homeland Security

摘要

Members of the Center for Technology and National Security Policy (CTNSP) at the National Defense University in Washington, DC, examined various management practices and implications of laboratory administration for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This paper summarizes the second phase of a research and analysis project that stemmed from the initial work which provided DHS Science and Technology (S&T) leadership with examples of practical approaches to risk-informed decisionmaking and metrics for program and project selection. The second phase was undertaken to provide additional relevant information to DHS as it seeks to strengthen its laboratory programs. This paper is in three parts. Part One summarizes the CTNSP Team s key lessons learned based on their experiences leading Department of Defense (DoD) laboratories. In Part One, the Team developed responses to several questions posed by DHS leadership. To develop Part One, the Team compiled a study on the management and organization of DOD laboratories and documented lessons learned from their personal experiences leading laboratories in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Additionally, the Team conducted research into existing methods and practices outlined in journals, periodicals, and publications dealing with the topic of managing laboratories. Part Two of this paper contains a synopsis of the factors considered by the Team to be important to the development of an S&T workforce. In Part Three, a summary and recommendations are provided.