Articles

Go to CALENDAR (EVENT SIGN-UPS)

above to register for workshops.

 

 

Course Title:  Threat Assessment for Laboratory Biosecurity Programs

Instructor:      Ben Perman, PhD // US Coast Guard

                       Lindsey Odell, PhD // Defense Threat Reduction Agency                                     

Course Length:  8 hours

Course Time:  8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Date:  June 7, 2021

Description:

This course combines basic threat assessment and intermediate threat assessment skills in on 8 – hour session. The purpose of this course is to provide laboratory staff, security managers and responsible officials with intermediate threat assessment skills so that they can identify and classify threats and effectively implement personnel security procedures that directly mitigate those threats at their institutions. The course material supports implementation of suitability and reliability programs that comply with the U.S. Select Agent Regulations for Tier 1 agents. The course is not limited to Tier 1 biosecurity solutions because it provides cost effective and minimally intrusive approaches to personnel security that is broadly applicable to all biomedical laboratories. This course targets laboratory staff responsible for developing and/or implementing effective biosecurity measures. This includes Responsible Officials, Principal Investigators, laboratory managers, and research scientists, and non-scientific staff including Human Resource administration and Facility Security Officers. Theoretical concepts will be demonstrated through case studies that support the lecture materials.

Key Objectives:

Describe the application of intermediate threat assessment techniques in a laboratory biosecurity program and how threat assessment can be implemented in a successful insider threat mitigation program

Characterize specific personal security vulnerabilities or indicators and link these vulnerabilities to threats

Understand the purpose and requirements of suitability, reliability and other personnel security programs and how to successfully integrate threat assessment into these programs 


Course Title: Techniques for Garnering the Resources Necessary to Operate Your Biosafety Program Successfully

Instructor:      Bob Emery, CHP, CIH, CBSP, CSP, CHMM, CPP, ARM // University of Texas School of Public Health

Course Length:  4 hours

Course Time:  8:00 AM  - 12:00 pm 

Date:  June 8, 2020

Description:  

 All biosafety programs are confronted with three operational “true-isms”:

 1.Successful biosafety programs function largely in the realm of prevention, so programs need to be adept at objectively demonstrating the amount of resources needed to “make nothing happen”, such as injuries, illnesses and exposures.

  1. 2.What gets measured is perceived to be managed effectively This may not always be the case)
  2. 3.Comparison is the “mother of insight” for administrators

Key Objectives:

This workshop will address these issues through the active engagement of participants to begin to answer some critical questions plaguing the biosafety community, such as:

  1. What are the key institutional drivers that influence biosafety program resourcing?
  2. Where might this data reside and how might it be assembled for optimal analysis and interpretation?
  3. What parameters should biosafety programs be collecting beyond those for regulatory compliance?
  4. What types of comparisons might be possible and valid?

NOTE: 

Participants in the workshop are asked to come prepared with the types of data they collect for their programs and to actively engage in the dialogue so that the collective knowledge of the group can be leveraged. Each topic of conversation will include a brief presentation to display of examples currently in use at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston’s (UTHealth) Biosafety Program (UTHealth BP). Given the lack of consensus regarding biosafety program operational characteristics, the knowledge gleaned from the workshop will serve as foundational information to support the Biosafety Program Analytics Initiative that is being undertaken by the UTHealth BP in conjunction with the University of Texas School of Public Health’s Prevention, Preparedness and Response (P2R) Academy. The P2R Academy is a group dedicated to the advancement of the health and safety professions through the dissemination of scientifically sound education, training and research. As such, the information and conclusions from this workshop will be shared with the practicing biosafety community so that improved understanding of profession’s collective efforts can be instilled.

 


 Course Title:  How to Flip Between Working in a Lab to Virtual in the Blink of an Eye

 Instructor:      Susan McCoy // Wichita State University

 Course Length:  4 hours

 Course Time:  1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

 Date:  June 8, 2021

 Description: 

Wichita State Univerisity faced a unique challenge when it came time to manage not only a laboratory environment but a laboratory environment with all the extra challenges of student in the lab.  This will be an interactive event to allow participants to know what pitfalls you need to be aware of when changing over from "business as usual" to a new norm.  Key parameters discussed during this session will focus on how to keep faculty and students safe while remaining compliant.  While this session will focus on how to do remote/on-line work participants will be able to use the knowledge in the event of another need to go to a "new norm".

 Key Objectives:

 Attendees will learn:

 How to integrate parameters of safety established by administration for lecture into the laboratory.

 How to manage in person labs using the vast limitations set by administration.

 How to get faculty and teaching assistants on board.

 Attendees will learn the accommodations that had to be provided for students that remained off campus.

 Attendees will be introduced to the processes that had to take place behind the scenes to have a successful lab experience.

 How will future semesters be navigated.

 How plans for reintegration will be managed and timeline for reintegration.

 Issues encountered and how they were managed.