Class Descriptions & Schedule

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The 2024 Summer Institute offers advanced Homeland Security Human Factors topics so participants can continue building their knowledge base. Participants can register for individual courses, or the entire five-session certificate program. All classes are broadcast live online on Wednesdays from July 24 through August 21 at 1:00 to 2:00 PM EDT and recorded for convenient on-demand viewing. Participants in the full series will receive certificates of achievement to demonstrate their successful completion of the program. A link to the recorded programs, as well as a PDF of the training materials, is made available in the Institute Library later on the day of the broadcast.

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July 24 | Burnout in Security, Emergency Management & Business Continuity Professionals in an Era of Increased Disaster Activity 

 

A look at data over the last century shows a dramatic rise in the number of catastrophic events with an increase in natural disasters on a global scale by a factor of ten.  2023 was a record year in the U.S. for disasters, with one $1 billion catastrophe occurring on average every 13 days. 2024 has already been equally busy. From the ongoing threat of new variants and seasonal surges in COVID-19 to bird flu, predictions of a record hurricane season, heatwaves, floods, and wildfires, many tasked with emergency and crisis management-related roles are beginning to wear thin. Some theorists have claimed that we have entered an era of "polycrisis," defined as "a cluster of related global risks with compounding effects, such that the overall impact exceeds the sum of each part.”  The same experts suggest that experiencing simultaneous and overlapping crises represents a new normal and that revised plans for adaptation and mitigation will be needed. 

 

Among professionals, exhaustion and burnout are increasing in public and private-sector settings.  A 2023 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that, at the beginning of 2022, FEMA’s disaster workforce was operating at approximately 65% capacity. At the same time, the prescient report states, FEMA faced “an all-time high in disasters and an unparalleled demand on its workforce.”  Burnout in security, emergency management, business continuity, and related disciplines can be costly and dangerous. When professionals are mentally and physically exhausted mistakes become more likely, as judgment, risk perception, and situational awareness degrade. Employee morale, cohesion, and performance also suffer. Recruitment and retention can become more difficult with fewer workers willing to work in such high-stress roles.  

 

Given the unique constellation of threats on the 2024 Q3-Q4 landscape, leaders and decision-makers must recognize the impact of increased frequency, severity, and duration of major disasters, alone or in combination with other societal and organizational crises. This is an important time to learn more about managing burnout and other consequences of an increasingly challenging threat landscape.  

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July 31 | Preparing Your Organization of Civil Unrest

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Campuses and communities across the country and around the world were rocked by protests and civil unrest during Q1 and Q2. Given world events and national politics a resurgence of demonstrations is highly likely. Recent polls indicate that 1 in 5 Americans believe that political violence is acceptable and may be necessary to address current political divisions. Current communications technologies help facilitate the collective action of people responding to perceived injustice in a synchronized, hyper-connected, and geographically dispersed manner, and cyber-attacks can be coordinated with physical demonstrations or riots to increase their disruptive potential.  An incident occurring anywhere can trigger reactions everywhere. Organizations of all types and sizes must be in a state of readiness to address the security and business continuity challenges presented by protests and demonstrations. 

 

Organizations may face increased risks during times of civil unrest. The events can disrupt operations, damage property, and cause employee safety concerns. Understanding the human dynamics that drive civil unrest, as well as the impact of such events is important in developing effective plans and procedures. Insider threats in the form of employee sympathizers are also a concern in the contemporary protest environment. Whether the cause is related to military conflicts abroad, climate change, immigration, reproductive rights, or current political developments, increased civil unrest in Q3-Q4 is a foreseeable risk that every organization must prepare for. 

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 Register for this single session​

 

August 7 | Personal & Family Safety in Challenging Times

 

There is a heightened potential for hostile encounters in a hyperpolarized, stressful environment. The American Psychological Association's most recent Stress in America survey indicates that 68% of participants feel less tolerant of others. Extreme heat events also increase the possibility of hostile and aggressive behavior. In this time of increased tensions, it is important for everyone to have basic skills in situational awareness, verbal de-escalation, and personal safety and security. ​

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RADAR™ provides an easy-to-learn, easy-to-remember, and easy-to-employ approach to handling hostile encounters safely and effectively. It is an empowerment model that is taught in a nonfrightening, non-traumatizing way. RADAR™ provides instruction on how to recognize, avoid, defuse, and redirect anger and aggression. It increases confidence and decreases fear. No special strength, speed, or skill is required to utilize the RADAR™ approach for increasing personal safety and security.

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August 14 |  The Impact of AI and Social Media on Mass Shooter Copycat and Contagion

 

The well-known communications theorist, Marshall McLuhan famously said, "The technology that communicates changes us."  AI has already inspired suicidal and homicidal behavior and AI companions created in the likeness of Hitler, Osama bin Laden and the Columbine shooters encourage violence. Mass shooting contagion theory is the studied nature and effect of media coverage (including social media) of mass shootings and the potential increase of mimicked events.

 

Academic study and interest in this theory have grown in recent years due to the nature of mass shooting events, the frequency of references to previous attacks shooters have used as inspiration, and the acquisition of fame and notoriety using violence, particularly in the United States. The rise of a mass shooter culture and specific aesthetic have also helped fuel copycat attacks emulating the cultural script that has evolved since Columbine. Both historic and recent attacks are often claimed as being a source of inspiration for would-be copycat mass shooters. Future trends, including assaults occurring in the metaverse, may further motivate and de-sensitize the next generation of violent actors. This session is not focused on an apocalyptic vision of AI, but rather a very narrow discussion of the effects of AI on violence potential via copycat and contagious behavior.   

 

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August 21 | Extreme Heat: A Focus on Workplace Safety & Performance

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The U.S. Marines are tough; not many people would argue that point. Even when managing some of the physically and psychologically toughest people on earth, Marine leadership understands the risks of extreme heat and adjusts their activity accordingly. In the Marine Corps, any day with a wet bulb temperature over 90° F is designated a Black Flag day, meaning that all non-essential activity is ceased. The U.K. Health Security Agency and Met Office have a similar model, and California’s new law, AB 2238, is creating the nation’s first statewide ranking and early warning system for heat waves. The White House is convening a summit for state, local, Tribal, and Territorial leaders to help protect U.S. communities and workers from extreme weather.

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Extreme heat will be an important issue for Q3-Q4 in the U.S. and around the world. With an increase in extreme heat events, attention to safety and health is critical but the focus of these efforts is almost exclusively on the physical impact of extreme heat, with little discussion of the behavioral effects that can impact safety, productivity, and performance, even levels of workplace violence. This program provides an introduction for managers to some of the recognized behavioral risks associated with extreme heat events, including a discussion of the impact on safety and performance.

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Register for this single session​​

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