News Release

Admiral to Discuss Piracy on High Seas at IEEE Homeland Security Conference

WASHINGTON (6 May 2009) — The Maersk Alabama incident and the latest threats to shipping on the high seas will be featured during the opening session of the 2009 IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security (HST 09) at the Westin Waltham Boston Hotel, 11-12 May.

Rear Admiral Richard Gurnon, USMS, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA), will address piracy during his keynote address Monday 11 May at 8 a.m.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1970, Gurnon flew anti-submarine aircraft throughout the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. He came to MMA in 1978 and became president nearly four years ago. MMA, one of six state maritime academies in the country, has been training business leaders, ship captains, engineers and professional officers since the 19th century.

HST 09 is an annual conference that began following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It focuses on innovative technologies addressing some of the nation’s most-pressing national security problems.

Accepted peer-reviewed papers will be presented in the following tracks: weapons of mass destruction detection; border & maritime; counter IED (improvised explosive device); disaster response; and critical infrastructure protection. Presenters come from government, industry, academia, national laboratories and small business.

The IEEE Boston Section produces the event with organizational support from IEEE-USA. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Organization and the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration provide technical assistance.

For more information and to register, see  http://www.ieeehomelandsecurityconference.org/.

HST 09 is part of the IEEE Engineering the Future Global Event Series, in celebration of IEEE’s 125th anniversary. The occasion will be featured during the welcome reception, Monday 11 May from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 210,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of IEEE. IEEE-USA is part of IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society with 375,000 members in 160 countries. See http://www.ieeeusa.org.

Contact: Chris McManes
IEEE-USA Public Relations Manager
Phone: 1 202 530 8356
E-mail: c.mcmanes@ieee.org

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