PSCR Webinar: Cybersecurity in Public Safety

This October, in recognition of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, NIST’s Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division will host a webinar featuring the research and development (R&D) efforts of the PSCR Security portfolio. Security, including cybersecurity, is an area which affects every aspect of public safety communications. PSCR serves to develop and enhance security solutions to current and future public safety communications.

In this webinar, PSCR's Security Portfolio lead John Beltz will discuss the transition that is taking place in public safety communications technology to solve interoperability issues, and the R&D that is under way to ensure that transition is happening securely. Mr. Beltz will also be joined by PSCR Prize Challenge Manager Gary Howarth to discuss the new Mobile Fingerprinting Innovation Technology (mFIT) Challenge. Read more about the speakers below, and register now!

John Beltz, NIST PSCR

John is the cybersecurity lead at Public Safety Communications (PSCR) Division at NIST, where the research portfolio he manages includes critical topics such as: identity management, mobile device and application security, and LTE/5G security. John also manages the security and operations of the PSCR research lab to include the diverse demonstration network used to research cutting edge technologies for public safety. He has 20 years of experience as a cybersecurity professional where he has served in many important roles including: security specialist in the NIST CIO, senior consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, and Staff Sergeant in the US Army Signal Corps. John’s education includes a master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Information and Telecommunications Systems and multiple technical security certifications.

 

Gary Howarth, PSCR Prize Challenge Manager

Gary Howarth, PhD is a Presidential Management Fellow and Prize Challenge Manager for the National Institute of Standards of Technology, Division of Public Safety Communications Research. In that role, he interfaces with diverse stakeholders from academia, government, the first responder community, and the public to develop and deliver programs that accelerate the development of technology for first responders. He earned his PhD in the Department of Chemistry at Columbia University where his thesis research focused on the development of techniques to detect mobile regions of membrane proteins by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. He has previously taught high school science and co-founded the NET Charter High School in New Orleans.