2024 News Release Archive
NCITE Welcomes Three Research-to-Practice Fellows
November 22, 2024NCITE is bringing on three research-to-practice (R2P) fellows to ensure its research is relevant and ready for government partners.
A New Home for Critical Knowledge: Read NCITE's Year 4 Annual Report
November 15, 2024In NCITE's fourth year, the Center responded quickly to a changing threat environment and found a new home on the UNO campus. Read about it in our Year 4 annual report.
NCITE Insights No. 15 — Forecasting Post-Election Threats to Public Officials
November 14, 2024On the latest episode of the podcast, interim host Blake Ursch speaks with NCITE senior research faculty and policy associate Seamus Hughes about his research on threats to public officials in light of the recent presidential election.
NCITE Summer Research Teams Receive DHS Follow-On Funding
October 31, 2024Research teams that worked with NCITE last summer have received follow-on funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate to continue their work.
NCITE Insights No. 14 — Threats To Election Workers
October 28, 2024On the latest episode of the podcast, host Erin Grace speaks with NCITE researcher Steven Windisch, Ph.D. about his research investigating threats to election officials during the 2024 election cycle.
RECAP: NCITE Speaker Series – Countering Extremism Around Elections
October 18, 2024On Oct. 17, NCITE hosted a webinar with researchers in the consortium to discuss the threat environment surrounding the 2024 election, including conspiracy theories, threats against election workers, and public support of political violence.
Securing the 2024 Election: CISA Director Jen Easterly Visits NCITE
October 10, 2024On Oct. 8-9, NCITE hosted Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and five Midwestern secretaries of state to discuss the challenges of the 2024 election and priorities for keeping it secure.
Haskell Indian Nations University Works with NCITE to Develop Drone Program to Prevent Terrorism on Tribal Land
October 04, 2024This summer, a team from Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, spent 10 weeks with NCITE creating a program that would train public safety officers on tribal lands to use drones to prevent crime and domestic terrorism. The team was paired with NCITE through DHS's Summer Research Team program.
October 7: One Year Later
October 04, 2024On the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, NCITE experts offer their perspectives on how the attack and its aftermath have shaped the violent extremist landscape in the U.S. and internationally.
NCITE Insights: A Closer Look At Hezbollah
October 02, 2024On the latest episode of the podcast, host Erin Grace sits down with Stanford University's Martha Crenshaw, Ph.D., to discuss Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah, covering its conflict with Israel, its ties to Iran, and recent developments in the Middle East.
WEBINAR RECAP: Avoiding Failure of Imagination – Protecting Against Novel Threats
September 20, 2024On Sept. 19, NCITE hosted a webinar discussing new research that addresses how to protect individuals and organizations from unexpected threats. Panelists were NCITE's Sam Hunter and Kat Parsons, and Rik Legault of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
NCITE Secures First-Ever Patent for Chatbot Technology
September 18, 2024After years of research and design, an NCITE research team has successfully secured a patent for chatbot technology designed to streamline suspicious activity reporting forms.
NCITE Insights: Misogynist Extremism
September 11, 2024On a two-part episode of the podcast, host Erin Grace speaks with two guests who share their perspectives on misogynist extremism. Sam Hunter, Ph.D., and Brenna Helm discuss the manosphere, the factors that can lead men to misogyny, and intervention opportunities.
Marking the Day: Reflections from NCITE on 9/11
September 11, 2024On the 23rd anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil, NCITE asked researchers and practitioners gathered in Omaha for a workshop to reflect on the impact of 9/11.
NCITE Insights: Extreme Rhetoric Online
August 21, 2024On the latest episode of the podcast, host Erin Grace speaks with NCITE researcher Matt Jensen, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Applied Social Research at the University of Oklahoma, to discuss extreme rhetoric in online spaces.
NCITE Insights: Emergency Response to Critical Infrastructure Failures
August 14, 2024On the latest episode of the podcast, Erin sits down with Diane Mack, director of emergency management for the University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska Medical Center, to discuss emergency response in the wake of critical infrastructure failures.
In Fifth Year, NCITE Adds Projects on Drones, AI, Intervention Programs, and More
August 13, 2024For the 2024-25 fiscal year, UNO-based NCITE once again received $4.6 million from the Department of Homeland Security to manage and conduct counterterrorism research. The new research projects pull in 12 new academic partners.
NCITE Launches Targeted RFP Seeking Projects to Address Cyber Threats
August 02, 2024NCITE is seeking research projects that examine the terrorist threat to cyber critical infrastructure. The deadline to submit a proposal is Sept. 19.
RECAP: NCITE Webinar on Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management
July 29, 2024On July 25, NCITE hosted a webinar on behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM). Panelists were Melissa Zisler (NTER) and CJ Wren (AZ-STAMP).
NCITE Insights: Outdoor Event Security
July 24, 2024On the latest episode of the podcast, Erin sits down with Tin Nguyen, Ph.D., NCITE senior research associate, to discuss the challenges of outdoor event security and the attempted assassination of former President Trump.
RECAP: NCITE Webinar on Countering IEDs
July 22, 2024On July 18, NCITE hosted a webinar to discuss new research on countering improvised explosive devices. Panelists were Austin Doctor (NCITE), Kirk Yeager (FBI), and Jason Stewart (CISA-OBP).
NCITE Publishes New Research on Combating Terrorist Use of Explosives
July 15, 2024In a new report, NCITE outlines the current terrorist IED threat environment and identifies key priorities for explosives experts – in government, industry, and academia – for preventing and disrupting future attacks.
NCITE Insights: Attempted Assassination
July 15, 2024On the latest episode of the podcast, Erin sits down with Sam Hunter, Ph.D., NCITE head of strategic initiatives, to discuss the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. Hunter shares his research examining the U.S. domestic violent extremism landscape.
In a ‘More Challenging, More Complex, More Complicated’ Threat Environment, ENVISION24 Sparks Hope, Vigilance
July 12, 2024For the second time, NCITE invited its consortium of expert researchers and its board of interagency government officials to gather in Omaha to share their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most complex and pressing challenges.
ENVISION24 Conference Showcases Rising Talent with Student Posters
July 10, 2024At NCITE's recent ENVISION24 conference, students from the consortium participated in a poster competition, presenting their work to an audience of fellow researchers and government practitioners.
Early Career Researchers Explore Opportunities at ENVISION24 Workshop
July 10, 2024On June 25, NCITE kicked off its annual ENVISION conference with a workshop for early career researchers (ECRs). The event connected students and ECRs across the NCITE consortium with experts from academia, government, and the private sector.
'Imagine a World That's Free of Terrorism': Photos and Video from NCITE's Ribbon Cutting
July 08, 2024On June 25, NCITE students cut the ribbon on the Center's new offices at the Scott Technology Center. Check out photos and videos from the event.
Thanks for Joining NCITE for ENVISION24!
July 08, 2024NCITE hosted its annual ENVISION conference June 25-27, 2024. Our consortium of expert researchers came together in Omaha for three days of knowledge-sharing and problem-solving, tackling some of the most complex challenges our world faces today. Find links to recaps and recordings below.
NCITE Insights: The Deep Roots of Modern White Supremacy
June 03, 2024On this episode of NCITE Insights, Erin sits down with NCITE researcher Pete Simi, Ph.D., professor of sociology at Chapman University, to discuss white supremacy in the U.S.
Hearing to Heal: NCITE Researchers Host Workshop Exploring Trauma in the Counterterrorism Workforce
May 14, 2024Counterterrorism practitioners consume violent media constantly as a part of their work. In April, NCITE researchers Joe Young, Ph.D. and Daisy Muibu, Ph.D. held a workshop with practitioners at American University to examine their experiences with vicarious trauma and to source feedback on what can be done to fight it.
RECAP: NCITE Webinar with John Picarelli
May 03, 2024On May 3, NCITE hosted a discussion with John Picarelli, Ph.D., director for targeted violence and terrorism prevention for the Counterterrorism Directorate of the National Security Council.
How Much Can Bomb Threats Cost a Business? MBA Students Find Out in NCITE-Funded Project
April 26, 2024This spring, a group of UNO MBA capstone students built a tool for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) that helps retail stores estimate the cost of bomb threats. "The experience is easily one of the best I can remember in over a decade working in my current position," said Curtis Tilley of CISA.
From Soccer to Criminology – and Back. Meet NCITE's Callie Vitro
April 24, 2024Growing up, NCITE graduate student Callie Vitro's plans to pursue Division 1 soccer were derailed by a series of knee surgeries. A beloved TV detective helped chart her path toward security studies, which she hopes will one day bring her back into the soccer sphere.
NCITE Insights: The Early Career Researcher Perspective
April 12, 2024Guest host Blake Ursch speaks with NCITE graduate student Callie Vitro, a graduate student in UNO's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, about her research interests, travel to London, and how a classic TV detective inspired her career ambitions.
'If we're going to have ambition, it should be big': NCITE and CREST Host Inaugural IAPSS Meeting in London
April 02, 2024The first meeting of the International Academic Partnerships for Science and Security (IAPSS) consortium, held March 5-6 in London, drew more than 60 attendees from 17 research centers across 12 countries. The goal was to answer two pressing questions: What problems do our nations share? And how can we work together to solve them?
NCITE Insights: What Is IS-K?
March 29, 2024Erin speaks with Amira Jadoon, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science at Clemson University, to learn more about the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (IS-K), the terror group that has claimed responsibility for the recent deadly attack at a concert venue in Moscow.
RECAP: NCITE Speaker Series with Cynthia Miller-Idriss
March 28, 2024On April 19, NCITE hosted a webinar with Cynthia Miller Idriss, Ph.D., professor in the School of Public Affairs and School of Education at American University and founding director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL).
Staying Afloat: NCITE Speaks with the NYPD's Meghann Teubner
March 26, 2024Meghann Teubner, division director of counterterrorism intelligence analysis for the New York City Police Department, faces a diverse set of challenges every day working in America's largest city. She sat down with NCITE to discuss her career and the current threat environment.
'You have to persist': Three Generations of Women in Terrorism Research
March 20, 2024NCITE's Martha Crenshaw, Gina Ligon, and Clara Braun, describe their experiences as women in terrorism studies – how they became interested in the field, their experiences with sexism, and their roles as mentors.
A Different World Trade Center, A Different World
March 15, 2024In the time between Erin Grace's last visit to New York City in July 2001 and her most recent trip in 2024, the United States has changed dramatically. But despite the tension and uncertainty in today's world, many are working to create a safer future.
Connection for Prevention: NCITE Researchers Travel East to Learn, Speak about Prevention Efforts
February 28, 2024Several NCITE experts traveled east to attend three prevention-focused conferences in late January and early February. "There really is something to be said about being there in person and observing and interacting with people who are in this space doing this work," said NCITE's Andrea Walker.
NCITE Insights: Malevolent Use of AI
February 16, 2024Erin Grace sits down with Sam Hunter, Ph.D., NCITE head of strategic initiatives and an expert in malevolent creativity to discuss how artificial intelligence can be a dangerous tool in the hands of extremists.
NCITE Just Closed Its RFP. What Happens Now?
February 12, 2024NCITE closed its Year 5 request for proposals last week. Here, Director Gina Ligon explains how the Center goes about selecting next year's projects.
EVENT RECAP: The Public Health-Informed Approach to Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention
February 08, 2024On Feb. 28, NCITE hosted a webinar on the public health approach to prevention and how it can protect communities from terrorism and targeted violence.
Countering Violent Extremism, Countering Fear of the Other: State Department Visits NCITE
January 30, 2024Three representatives from the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Counterterrorism visited NCITE in January where they learned about NCITE research and participated in a panel discussion about government careers and the current global threat landscape.
NCITE Insights: Jordan Drone Strike, New York Weapons Cache
January 30, 2024NCITE Insights is a new broadcast series aimed at making sense of the headlines. In this inaugural episode, NCITE's Erin Grace and Austin Doctor discuss a drone strike in Jordan that killed three U.S. servicemen and a pair of New York brothers who were found with a cache of weapons that included IEDs and ghost guns.
LATEST: Understanding the Houthi Conflict
January 12, 2024As developments continue in Yemen, stay up-to-date on the situation with critical context and analysis from NCITE experts.