CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
Center of Excellence for Awareness & Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT)
Northeastern University
360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Email: alert-info@ece.neu.edu
http://www.northeastern.edu/alert/
University of Rhode Island
Energetics Materials Research Lab
Pastore Chemical Lab
51 Lower College Road
Kingston, RI 02881
Email: joxley@chm.uri.edu
http://energetics.chm.uri.edu/
The Center of Excellence for Awareness & Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT) seeks to conduct transformational research, technology, and educational development to characterize, detect, mitigate, and respond to explosives-related threats facing the country and the world. ALERT’s researchers bring strengths in designing advanced sensors; detecting weakly defined targets from a standoff distance; signal processing and sensor integration; characterizing explosives; understanding improvised explosive device (IED) detonator signatures; shock physics; and material science.
ALERT’s research areas:
- Explosives Characterization
- Explosives Detection Sensors
- Explosives Detection Sensor Systems
- Blast Mitigation
ALERT Education Spotlight
Below you will find brief descriptions of some of the many Education opportunities available at ALERT. To learn more about ALERT's complete education portfolio visit: http://www.northeastern.edu/alert/.
Educating First Responders
ALERT has taught courses in explosives to almost 450 professionals. Classes include:
- Fundamentals of Explosives for EoD and Military (New 2011 course!)
- Fundamentals of Explosives
- Thermal Hazards of Homemade Explosives
- Material Response to Blast
- Explosive Devices
- Environmental Aspects of Explosives
- Material Characterization and Processing
- Explosive Operations: Safety and Protocol
- Propellants and Combustion
- Unintended Ignitions Sources
- Materials Response under Impulsive Loading
- Air Blast & Structural Response
- Terrorism issues
- Nanomaterials
- Pyrotechnics
Homeland Security-oriented Strategic Study Workshops
Part of ALERT’s mandate from DHS is to develop a research strategy to identify the fundamental sciences for IED Detect and Defeat capabilities. To carry out this effort, a series of “strategic study” workshops is being held. The outcomes of each workshop are documented in a report which articulates a roadmap recommending prioritized areas of long-range fundamental research. A workshop planned for May 2011 at Northeastern focuses on “Algorithm Development for Security Applications: Fusing Orthogonal Technologies.”