The CINA MSI Week in-person program returned this past summer, after pausing last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CINA hosted students and faculty researchers on both George Mason University’s Fairfax and Manassas, VA campuses for a full agenda of workshops, talks, tours, and meetings with researchers and administrators.
The entire CINA Center team engaged directly with this crop of current and emerging talent at MSI schools, with CINA Center Director, Jim Jones and DHS S&T’s Rebeca Medina sharing the CINA and DHS missions while welcoming them to the community of scholars working on problems of national and global importance.
“As I have watched our Summer Research Teams and MSI week participants over the years, I continue to be impressed with the wealth of talent and energy in MSI institutions across the country,” said Jim Jones. “I am encouraged by their appetite for working on hard problems of interest to DHS and our community of stakeholders.” Jones added.
These researchers are a valuable addition to CINA’s academic network, providing skills, viewpoints, ideas, and solutions which serve to make us stronger, deeper, and more capable.
Throughout the week-long agenda, participants attended sessions on open source research and datamining, critical thinking, and collaboration skill building, which laid the foundation for their research project work when the students were grouped into cross-functional teams.
The teams presented situation analysis and recommendations on topics including crime analysis, focusing on analysis of biometrics; the scope, impact and effects of human trafficking; and illicit trading and antiquities research. Participants also met CINA interns who shared their experiences working with the U.S. DHS Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans (OSPP), toured Mason’s outdoor Forensic Research and Training Laboratory, and as a team building activity, toured the Spy Museum in Washington D.C.
The CINA MSI summer week program received rave reviews:
“This is a great workshop for students interested in working for the government, it was an amazing and unforgettable week.”
“This is absolutely an excellent program. Our students need a small push and this small push can be a life transforming experience for them.”
“I did not know what to expect since I know little about DHS and what they do. I am so glad to participate and learn about it. I will absolutely recommend this program to students.”
To learn more about CINA’s student and faculty enrichment and training partnership opportunities, contact CINA Workforce Development and Education Program Director, Deanna Sue Austin dausti@gmu.edu.