Keywords: security, data analytics, policy, decision support
From securing the U.S. borders (while also facilitating trade) to enabling community resilience in the face of natural disasters and innumerable other critical duties, the mission space of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is vast and varied. Critical to carrying out these many tasks is processing and analyzing large amounts of complex data from multiple sources. The Apex Data Analytics Engine at the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) supports the Department, as well as first responders and other DHS partners nationwide, with big data solutions and by supporting research in data analytics. This talk will provide an overview of the kinds of challenges faced by DHS, starting with the scale and diversity of data that needs analyzed. The talk will also consider the policy challenges faced in addressing DHS data analytics problems such as respecting privacy and civil rights, the analytic maturity of partner organizations, and the complex competing needs and constraints facing policy-makers.