NIJ's Communications Technology (CommTech)

March 16-20 in Las Vegas, Nevada
NIJ's CommTech program will participate and exhibit at the upcoming International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) in Las Vegas, Nevada to be held March 16-20, 2009. NIJ's CommTech program will be conducting a panel presentation on Wednesday, March 18th from 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm titled:

Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice/CommTech R&D Efforts:
Providing the Communication Tools of Tomorrow

Moderator
Joseph Heaps, Deputy Chief, Information Sensor Technologies Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice

Panelists
Charles W. Bostian, Alumni Distinguished Professor, Wireless @ Virginia Tech, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech;
Jim Martin, Associate Professor, School of Computing, Clemson University;
Ahmed Eltawil, Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California Irvine.

Panel Description: Communications is a key issue for public safety. This panel will discuss research and development efforts sponsored by the National Institute of Justice in the areas of cognitive radio, software defined radio (SDR) and broadband technologies for public safety, as well as the potential of future technologies to address communication requirements. Specifically, this panel will provide an overview of the NIJ CommTech program and what the program offers public safety agencies who solicit assistance. Additionally, panelists will address CommTech's current communications and interoperability projects targeting the use of WiMAX, VoIP and SDR.

About the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) CommTech Program
NIJ is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and is dedicated to researching crime control and justice issues. NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of crime and justice, particularly at the State and local levels. NIJ is addressing the issue of public safety communications technologies through its CommTech program, which focuses on many aspects of first responder communications operability (Is the technology in place and working?) and interoperability (Can multiple agencies communicate when and where they need to?).

CommTech aims to raise the awareness of communications issues through education and outreach so that policymakers and public safety leaders can make informed and cost effective decisions.

About IWCE
The IWCE Conference will be held from March 16 - March 20, 2009 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Exhibit Hall will be open March 18th, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, March 19th, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and March 20th, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

For more information regarding NIJ's CommTech program please stop by booth # 1716 during the IWCE Conference.

For more information regarding IWCE please visit the IWCE web site at: www.iwceexpo.com/iwce2009/public/MainHall.aspx?ID=11256.