Students, faculty, staff, and guests gathered together on April 14, 2022, in the Stratton Building for the 8th Annual Homeland Security Undergraduate Research Showcase. This event offered 38 students the opportunity to present posters on research topics spanning the categories of international security and terrorism studies, domestic security studies and security operations, and disaster studies.
The judging of the posters by a diverse group of professionals identified the following top performers in each of the three categories:
- Erin Williams – International and Terrorism Studies Category – Poster Topic: Al Qaeda
- Garrett Bowman – Domestic Security Studies Category – Poster Topic: Kentucky Drug Seizure Trend Report (2018-2020)
- Brandon Annen – Disaster Studies Category – Poster Topic: Integrated Public Alert and Warning System
- Kelsie Arisman – School of Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Outstanding Senior Awardee
According to Dr. Chad Foster, associate professor and program coordinator, “student research is a demonstration of many professional skills such as information literacy and critical thinking…plus, homeland security professionals continue to encounter evolving threats and complexities that require thoughtful analysis–the kind that we aim to instill in students here at EKU.”
One such problem that transcends all levels of government is that of human trafficking. Students had the opportunity to hear about the global-to-local challenges confronting those in law enforcement and others from a panel of experts during the showcase. The panel included detectives from both the Kentucky State Police and
Lexington Police Department, Det. Rugina Lunce and Det. Seth Frazier, respectively, as well as a former detective
with the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, Mr. Rick Lynn.
The panel addressed the different types of human trafficking, the scope and scale of the problem, services for victims, interagency and public-private partnerships, and the importance of public education and awareness. They concluded the session with advice for students interested in pursuing careers that address human trafficking and other homeland security challenges.
Published 6/12/2022