Structurally Sound - Institute for Homeland Security

Structurally Sound - Institute for Homeland Security

Structurally Sound is a podcast produced by the Institute for Homeland Security (IHS) at Sam Houston State University. The podcast will be a game-changer for small to medium-sized businesses looking for the latest best practices in security and resilience. We want to inspire professionals like you to help you achieve your goals. New episodes are available on first and third Mondays each month!

Episodes

Future Water Economic Impact on Small and Rural Communities with Lia Clark & Jason Knobloch

March 3, 2025 • 46 mins
The vast majority of community water systems in Texas are rural, with 10,000 or fewer residential connections. That's also where most of our population growth is headed. How can small water systems plan, update and adapt their aging infrastructure? This week, we chat with Ms. Lia Clark, Community Engagement Manager with the Water Finance Exchange, and Mr. Jason Knobloch, Deputy Executive Director with the Texas Rural Water Ass...
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Vulnerabilities of Critical Infrastructure Interdependencies with Mike Mastrangelo and Elston Johnson

February 23, 2025 • 39 mins
What happens if the water goes out at a hospital? What if the tap dries up during a broader crisis, like a hurricane or a winter storm? With thoughtful planning and careful training, plus cooperation and coordination between sectors, some of those risks can be reduced. This week, we chat with Mike Mastrangelo, Emergency Management and Public Health Expert, and Elston Johnson, president and owner of Elston Johnson & As...
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A Dry Tap: Water Supply Challenges with Dan Hunter and L'Oreal Stepney

February 7, 2025 • 46 mins
There are at least two ways of approaching water challenges - conserving and maximizing the water we have and strategizing solutions for water we don't have. That's especially true in the Rio Grande Valley. This week, we chat about both with the newly appointed Chairwoman of the Texas Water Development Board, L'Oreal Stepney and Assistant Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Dan Hunter. We also explore an important water treat...
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Unique Water Challenges for a Unique State with Trey Gerfers and Dominik Sobieraj

February 4, 2025 • 58 mins
Texas is big. So are our water challenges. This week, we chat with guests in the far corners of the Lone Star State about varied challenges and opportunities in water infrastructure and preservation. We're joined by Trey Gerfers, General Manager with the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District in Marfa and Dominik Sobieraj, Chief Operating Officer, with the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District in ...
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Against the Flow: Workforce Challenges with Adelaida Mayorga and Jacquelyn Knobloch

January 27, 2025 • 43 mins

Water and wastewater are essential parts of our daily routines and our critical infrastructure. It only works, though, if talented employees sign up to build and innovate the field. How can we encourage folks to explore water careers? This week, we chat with Adelaida Mayorga, Continuing Education Professor at Houston Community College Northeast Campus, and Jacquelyn Knobloch, Apprenticeship Progra...

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Security Spotlight: Hardening Water Security with Dr. Narasimha Shashidhar, Dr. Cihan Varol and Robert Warren

January 17, 2025 • 36 mins

Some security threats to water and wastewater security are new and unique. Others are the same threats faced by every organization in the digital age. This week, we talk about proactive security strategies in the water and wastewater sector with Dr. Narasimha Shashidhar, Dr. Cihan Varol and Robert Warren. 

Additionally, our guests mentioned a 2021 cyberattack on a water treatment facility in Florida. Here's a link to ...

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Water Security and Critical Infrastructure Intro with Reyna Loosmore

January 6, 2025 • 20 mins

You may not think much about your tap water until it stops working - but you should. Keeping clean water flowing is a vital and complicated part of our infrastructure. This week, we're launching a new mini-series on water security and critical infrastructure with Reyna Loosmore, a project manager for water and wastewater at the Institute for Homeland Security.

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Getting Started in Emergency & Crisis Management with Vincent Ng

December 16, 2024 • 48 mins
What's the difference between emergency management and crisis management, and how can someone get started in either? The short answers are internships, saying yes to career opportunities, and not as different as you might think. This week, we chat with Vincent Ng, the Chief Operating Officer at Prestige Analytics, about opportunities and changes in emergency management careers.
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Transitioning from Military to Critical Infrastructure Careers with David Glaser, Jim Platt & Robert Crane

December 1, 2024 • 25 mins
Critical infrastructure is constantly evolving. Public and private sector careers need dedicated and adaptable employees to innovate new strategies and solutions; often, military veterans and those transitioning out of active service are strong candidates for those jobs, although the transition out of uniform can feel daunting. This week, we chat about networking and career moves with Ret. Major General David Glaser, President...
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Overreliance and Resiliency in Space The Whens and Wheres of GPS Technology with Jim Platt and Rob Crane

November 18, 2024 • 39 mins
Are we over-reliant on global positioning satellites? The technology is an essential part of a spectrum of technologies, including in critical infrastructure, and losing access to it could be disastrous. This week, we chat with Jim Platt, president and CEO of Strategic Risk Integration, and Robert Crane, a project manager for the energy sector and Position-Navigation-Timing for the Institute for Homeland Security, about steps ...
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Rural Jails & Telemedicine Opportunities with Dr. Eric Connolly

November 4, 2024 • 24 mins
Telemedicine has greatly increased opportunities for mental health treatment, especially in isolated and rural areas. Texas prisons have taken advantage of telemedicine options, but access is more limited and complicated in local jails. This week, we're joined by Dr. Eric Connolly, associate professor of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State University, to explore his research on opportunities and cha...
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Defending Critical Infrastructure from Political Polarization with Dr. Miyah Hutchens

October 21, 2024 • 41 mins
Critical infrastructure depends on collaboration and teamwork - not distraction and hostility dividing employees. Political polarization presents a threat to the public and private sector's ability to develop and maintain critical infrastructure protections. In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Myiah Hutchens, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Public Relations at the University of Florida, to explore workpl...
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Disinformation as a Weapon of War: Reflections on the Second Thought Leaders Conference

October 18, 2024 • 53 mins
In a hot or cold war, enemies have a say in defining the nature of the conflict. Experts at the second Thought Leaders Conference argued hostile nations are waging a disinformation war against the United States right now, often targeting critical infrastructure by encouraging hostility, polarization and chaos in the general public. We reflect on the conference with Scott McHugh, program executive at the Institute for Homeland Secur...
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The Future of AI Detection with Dr. Jason Davis & Dr. Tony Yao

October 6, 2024 • 52 mins
Generative AI programs can create a surge of bogus images, videos and audio at a moment's notice, often damaging trust and credibility across critical infrastructure sectors. Our brains can't keep up, but what about AI detection software? This week, we chat with Dr. Jason Davis of Syracuse University and Dr. Tony Yao of Sam Houston State about how AI technology is outrunning our cognitive abilities and legal fra...
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New Cybersecurity Playbooks with Mike Mastrangelo

September 16, 2024 • 31 mins
Cyberattacks are becoming unavoidable in healthcare - and they're evolving quickly. Mike Mastrangelo, the associate vice president for institutional preparedness at the University of Texas Medical Branch, chats with us this week about clinical continuity frameworks and strategies for staying one step ahead of cybersecurity threats.

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Predicting the Artificially Intelligent Future of Texas Transportation with Alston German

September 3, 2024 • 35 mins
Is it worthwhile to invest in AI sensors to measure traffic flow and road stress? Alston German says yes - and it could be a big benefit for predictive maintenance and transportation planning throughout Texas.  For a deeper investigation, read Alston's paper, AI in Critical Infrastructure for Transportation.
For more information about the IHS Thought Leaders Conference coming in October, click here...
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How to Influence Safety and Cybersecurity Without Alienating People, with Dr. Robert Emery and John Suarez

August 19, 2024 • 36 mins
What safety or security concerns do you have? Would you enjoy a gamified cybersecurity exercise, or would you be worried if your boss came by with a checklist? This week, we talk with Dr. Robert Emery and John Suarez about collaborative risk management techniques, strategies for reducing "oblivious" cybersecurity threats and resources for disease outbreaks at the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute. Dr. Rober...
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Pandemic Preparation with Dr. Corri Levine & Kara Marshall

August 5, 2024 • 22 mins
Preparing for pandemics and outbreaks comes down to logistics and planning. That's challenging enough for major healthcare providers, let alone rural hospitals. This week, we chat with Dr. Corri Levine and Kara Marshall from the Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment Readiness & Education Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch about resources and nuts-and-bolts approaches to pandemic preparedness.
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Forecasting & Resilience After Hurricane Beryl with Eric Berger & Matt Lanza

July 12, 2024 • 39 mins
In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, we sit down with Space City Weather's Eric Berger and Matt Lanza to discuss forecasting and communication challenges for meteorologists and emergency planners. We also touch on artificial intelligence forecasting, emergency planning and the importance of investing in a resilient energy grid. You can find their work at Space City Weather and The Eyewall.

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Enhancing the Grid with AI & Embracing Digital Multimedia in Workplace Training with Tom Watson and Bryce Allen

July 1, 2024 • 53 mins
This week, we chat with Dr. Thomas Watson, Senior Fellow for Homeland Security at The Center for Climate and Security
about integrating modern artificial intelligence into the Texas electrical grid.
https://ihsonline.org/research/sponsored-research
After that, we explore digital professional training and education with Bryce Allen, Emergency Manager, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Could some training...
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