Strategies for addressing terrorism and homeland security will be the focus of a new center that Duke University is establishing with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and RTI International.
David H. Schanzer, a government lawyer and former Capitol Hill staff member, has been hired to plan the new Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security, Duke Provost Peter Lange announced Monday.
Initially headquartered at Duke, the center will draw upon the resources of the two universities to stimulate cross-disciplinary discussion and scholarship on military, diplomatic and domestic counterterrorism strategies and policies for preventing and protecting against future terrorist attacks. The center will provide a bridge between the academic community and policymakers at the state, federal and international levels.
It also will take advantage of expertise at RTI International to conduct federally supported research on homeland security topics and seek partnerships with private companies engaged in developing security technologies or addressing security challenges.
"Terrorism has become one of our country's leading concerns, and we think our three institutions have much to offer in helping policymakers think through the difficult issues," said Lange, Duke's top academic official. "David Schanzer understands from long personal experience how scholars and others here in the Triangle can best help those who have the responsibility of fighting terrorism and keeping Americans safe."
Schanzer said the threat of terrorism presents enormous policy and technological challenges to the United States and the world. "I expect the new center to marshal the resources of the Triangle region toward meeting this critical challenge," he said.
Schanzer served since 2003 as the Democratic staff director of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security and as principal advisor to former U.S. Rep. Jim Turner of Texas, who was the ranking Democrat on the committee. While in this position, he was the supervising editor of a series of strategy documents and reports on homeland security.
He previously served as legislative director for U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan, D-Mo., and special counsel in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Defense, where he handled special projects such as the investigation into the department's role in the 1993 Branch Davidian incident.
He has undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard University, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.
In addition to his appointment at the center, Schanzer will teach one public policy course each semester, alternating between Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill.
"Attracting David Schanzer to lead this center and teach courses at Duke and Carolina is another powerful example of academic cooperation between the two
universities that benefits our students and the state of North Carolina," said Robert Shelton, provost and executive vice chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill.
As director, Schanzer will oversee projects related to the center's goals, which include:
-- Increasing understanding of the causes of terrorism and its philosophy and ideology; the tactics, structure and methodology of terrorist organizations; and how the issue of terrorism intersects with U.S. foreign policy, the politics of the Middle East and other parts of the world and international security institutions.
-- Exploring the effectiveness and ramifications of current military, diplomatic and law-enforcement strategies to disable terrorist organizations.
-- Promoting dialogue and scholarship about homeland security issues, with the specific focus of bringing scientific, technological and theoretical scholarship to bear on practical public policy problems.
The center also may seek to collaborate with the State of North Carolina and area health care facilities to study and improve protective measures and response capabilities.