

Like many events scheduled for 2020, the ALERT Technology Showcase had to be postponed due to the pandemic. As operations shifted online, ALERT leadership saw an opportunity to expand upon the show to demonstrate better the impact and transition of its research to the homeland security enterprise.
Leading up to the showcase, ALERT launched the SPARC (Seminars to Promote ALERT Research and Collaboration) webinar series—giving attendees a preview and deep-dive into some of the Center’s technology solutions—and shifted the ALERT Technology Showcase, which is typically held in person, to a fully virtual format. The newly imagined two-day event was successfully held on April 21 – 22 and brought together 137 stakeholders from academia, industry, and government for presentations, demonstrations, and panel discussions highlighting ALERT’s many research accomplishments, technologies, and collaborations.
“Shifting to the virtual format was a difficult challenge,” said Michael Silevitch, ALERT Director. I want to commend the entire ALERT team for accomplishing this important task. Their efforts went above and beyond the normal preparation for this event.”
The keynote address on the first day of the showcase was delivered by LaFonda Sutton-Burke, the Port Director for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) at Los Angeles International Airport, who presented at ALERT’s inaugural CBP-ADEPT Workshop in 2018. On the second day, the keynote address was provided by Rebecca Medina, Director of the Office of University Programs at the Department of Homeland Security.
Over the course of the ALERT Technology Showcase, attendees observed nine technology demos, including:
In addition to the technology demos, the event also included networking sessions in virtual breakout rooms where participants could approach presenters with follow-up questions and connect with one another, as well as two engaging panel discussions on the following topics:
While in-person events are generally preferred, the virtual format of the ALERT Technology Showcase resulted in a turnout that was on par with that of ALERT’s previous showcase but with greater flexibility and convenience for attendees who could log into the event from anywhere.