Dimitri Kusnezov, Ph.D., the Undersecretary for the Science and Technology Directorate at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, visited the University of Oklahoma for a two-day engagement in Feb. 2023. The event brought together the OU community, industry leaders, tribal nation partners and other prominent leaders in Oklahoma.
A townhall and fireside chat was hosted at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, during which Kusnezov discussed ways to drive innovation, engage the nation's full ecosystem, and address future challenges of homeland security.
“The visit by Under Secretary Kusnezov and the DHS S&T team was a great opportunity to discuss the technology challenges of today and tomorrow, partnership potential, and opportunities for disruptive transformation to improve the security and resiliency of Oklahoma and our nation,” said David Ebert, Ph.D., director of the Data Institute for Societal Challenges and associate vice president for research and partnerships.
Kusnezov and his team also had the opportunity to engage with OU students and met with various researchers to learn more about their work. Kusnezov commented on the important role university science and research play in understanding different risks and identifying solutions to address today’s complex problems.