Summer 2005

Eric Dietz Heads Indiana’s Homeland Security

Securing the safety of yourself and your family at times may seem like a difficult task. Imagine being responsible for the safety of six million Hoosiers. Insuring the safety and security of Indiana residents is the goal of alumnus Eric Dietz and the staff he coordinates in the new Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS)

Dietz was appointed in March by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels as the state's first executive director of homeland security. He heads a department that combines the state's emergency management and homeland security efforts.

Responsibilities include developing a strategic plan for responding to homeland security emergencies, overseeing the application and disbursement of federal homeland security funds, acting as the single emergency operations coordinator during a terrorist or homeland security attack and serving as the director of the Indiana Counter Terrorism and Security Council.

"Our strategy is an all-hazards approach, meaning addressing any event from natural to human caused," Dietz stated. "This includes planning, training and exercise goals to help Indiana prepare, prevent or respond to any event. In a nutshell, our goal is to achieve an optimum level of preparedness," he explained.

His work also involves a partnership with national Homeland Security personnel. "My department receives funding from the United States Department of Homeland Security for our efforts," he noted. "We also maintain numerous opportunities to exchange intelligence with the national homeland security officials, and we interact with FEMA when our response and recovery efforts require it."

He has also been directing the reorganization of many of Indiana's homeland security related agencies. "Bringing together agencies covering a broad spectrum of interests can unearth opportunities but also create challenges," Dietz commented.

Dietz earned the bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering from Rose-Hulman in 1984 and 1986 respectively. The Michigan City, Ind. native, earned a doctorate from Purdue University and recently retired after a 22-year career in the United States Army. While in the military, he oversaw a number of technology-oriented projects. These included development of detection programs for weapons of mass destruction, chemical demilitarization and decision-making software.

"Rose-Hulman prepared me to succeed in the Army as a leader and technical manager," he stated. "My current job requires organizational leadership, technical understanding of a variety of problems and decision making that are essential for developing a path that had not existed for Indiana or any other state until September 11, 2001," Dietz said.

Dietz believes the development and deployment of new technology is vital in our nation's fight against terrorism.

"New technologies to prevent cyber-terror that could deliver a tremendous blow to our computer infrastructure are easily applicable in the private sector to help businesses combat viruses, competitive mischief or more garden-variety cyber-crimes like online identity theft," he said.

Port security is another potential area where new technologies could be applied, according to Dietz. "Automatic identification technologies can streamline cargo screening, reducing the time needed to identify and secure freight shipments," stated Dietz.

"Creating and managing systems that connect new technologies like radio frequency identification seamlessly with inventory tracking mechanisms and enterprise management software would also have benefits in the manufacturing and retail sectors. In these sectors, just-in-time inventory and lean operational principles have made taming the modern supply chain a priority, according to Dietz.

Dietz said it is educational institutions like Rose-Hulman that he describes as key players to create new technologies to safeguard Hoosiers and all Americans.

"Rose-Hulman and other universities house the nation's best minds that we need to help develop and apply technologies to advance homeland security efforts from biosecurity and power-grid security to economic security," Dietz emphasized.