We are happy to announce that the University of Maryland is the 2008 host of the American leg of the Global Security Challenge. The University of Maryland is a world class institution widely recognized for its work in the areas of national security. It is ranked among the nation's top 20 public research universities, and its close proximity to DC makes it a convenient starting point when you want to reach some of the most influential decision-makers in security technology.

Last week we blogged about IARPA moving to UMD. Senator Barbara Mikulski commented on that by saying, "I can think of no better place than the University of Maryland for IARPA's headquarters. Its innovative academic research, world-class facilities and proximity to federal intelligence agencies make it an excellent choice."

To name a few reasons for its well deserved reputation, the university performs research within its campus against different aspect of national security:

• Center for Advanced Study of Languages - the nation's largest foreign language laboratory


• Center for Information Policy and Electronic Government (CIPEG) - projects will include those devoted to emergency response technologies


• M-Square, UMD's research park, is also home to the National Foreign Language Center; NOAA National Weather and Environmental Prediction Centers; the FDA Center for Food Safety; the Maryland Center for Food, Nutrition, and Agricultural Policy; and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

We echo the words of Congressman Ruppersberger, who as chair of the House Technical and Tactical Intelligence Subcommittee, stated "...the University of Maryland will continue to be a center for technology and innovation that will keep our country safe."

This is exactly the type of forward thinking we support and we applaud the University of Maryland's focus on national security-related research. Stay tuned for an announcement of the date of the GSC's American Regional and for details about how you can attend.