To ensure its protection from enemies both foreign and domestic, a government must invest resources and personnel toward the goal of homeland security. It is through these endeavors that citizens are able to live out their lives in peace. Cases on Research and Knowledge Discovery: Homeland Security Centers of Excellence presents a series of studies and descriptive examples on the US Department of Homeland Security and related research. Through its investigation of interesting challenges and thought-provoking ideas, this volume offers professionals, researchers, and academics in the fields of security science, engineering, technology, and mathematics an in-depth discussion of some of the issues that directly affect the safety, security, and prosperity of the nation.

In establishing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Administration and Congress determined that science and technology should play a key role in the nation's efforts to counter terrorism. Congress included an S&T directorate prominently in the DHS. Within that directorate, is the Office of University Programs, which is responsible for sponsoring a number of homeland security centers of excellence in the nation's universities. These centers are to work on a spectrum of short- and long-range R&D and carry out crosscutting, multidisciplinary work on a variety of threats. To assist it in planning for these centers, TSA asked the NRC to hold a workshop to generate a broad range of ideas to draw on to help define the centers. This report presents the results of that workshop including the major ideas that emerged from the discussions.

Concept mapping has often been acknowledged as an efficient instrument for aiding students in learning new information. Examining the impact this tool provides in STEM fields can help to create more effective teaching methods. Advanced Concept Maps in STEM Education: Emerging Research and Opportunities highlights both the history and recent innovations of concept maps in learning environments. Featuring extensive coverage of relevant topics including object maps, verbal maps, and spatial maps, this publication is ideal for educators, academicians, students, professionals, and researchers interested in discovering new perspectives on the impact of concept mapping in educational settings.

Improving STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and strengthening the STEM workforce have long been acknowledged as national priorities. Ceaseless efforts have been made to address these national priorities through educational research, innovative STEM education initiatives, and professional development for teachers. Engaging STEM Students From Rural Areas: Emerging Research and Opportunities is an essential reference source that discusses the potential of rural schools to impact the STEM workforce pipeline, as well as Project Engage, an educational program for preparing rural undergraduate students from the Alabama Black Belt region. Featuring research on topics such as the three-pillar approach for preparing tomorrow’s STEM professionals, this book is ideally designed for academicians, STEM educational researchers, STEM educators, and individuals seeking coverage on techniques to improve the undergraduate STEM education framework.

Data collection allows today’s businesses to cater to each customer’s individual needs and provides a necessary edge in a competitive market. However, any breach in confidentiality can cause serious consequences for both the consumer and the company. The Handbook of Research on Emerging Developments in Data Privacy brings together new ideas on how to deal with potential leaks of valuable customer information. Highlighting the legal aspects of identity protection, trust and security, and detection techniques, this comprehensive work is a valuable resource for any business, legal, or technology professional looking to improve information security within their organization.

Cloud computing has quickly become the next big step in security development for companies and institutions all over the world. With the technology changing so rapidly, it is important that businesses carefully consider the available advancements and opportunities before implementing cloud computing in their organizations. The Handbook of Research on Security Considerations in Cloud Computing brings together discussion on current approaches to cloud-based technologies and assesses the possibilities for future advancements in this field. Highlighting the need for consumers to understand the unique nature of cloud-delivered security and to evaluate the different aspects of this service to verify if it will meet their needs, this book is an essential reference source for researchers, scholars, postgraduate students, and developers of cloud security systems.