Legal Definitions - Science and Technology Directorate

The Science and Technology Directorate is a division of the Department of Homeland Security. Its main responsibility is to coordinate research and development efforts to prepare for and respond to terrorist threats involving weapons of mass destruction.

The Directorate works closely with other organizations such as the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Countermeasures Program, the Environmental Measurements Lab in the Department of Energy, the National BW Defense Analysis Center in the Department of Defense, and the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.

For example, the Science and Technology Directorate may work with the Plum Island Animal Disease Center to develop new methods for detecting and preventing the spread of animal diseases that could potentially be used as bioweapons. This collaboration helps to ensure that the United States is prepared to respond to any potential threats.