Defense and Security Research Centers & Initiatives

What Is It?

Carolinas’ hightech centers and initiatives offer access to talent and research opportunities to manufactures of defense and homeland security products as well as the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Universities Involved

North Carolina State University 

  • Research for DHS in areas of agriculture and toxicology including surveillance and control of chemical contamination in food crops, removing threats in all aspects of U.S. food manufacture, tracking agricultural and food-borne pathogens throughout the food chain
  • Protective clothing - thermally protective fibers, barrier layers and smart textiles

Clemson University 

  • Chemical/biological sensing research based upon optical polymers

University of North Carolina - Charlotte (Charlotte Research Institute)

  • Information security curriculum linked to the needs of DHS
  • Collaboration with NCEITA (N.C. Electronic and Information Technologies Association) who has a significant focus on Homeland Security and working with the FBI
  • Working closely with startups in the SCADA detection space
  • Chemical and biological detection

North Carolina A&T 

  • Research into fire resistant materials under a grant from the U.S. Navy

University of South Carolina - Columbia 

  • Largest PhD program in fuel cells in the U.S.
  • Collaborative agreement with the Savannah River Lab