About HSRD

A naturalization ceremony takes place at Lincoln Center for Performing Arts in New York City.

A naturalization ceremony in New York City

Photo by Benjamin Applebaum/DHS

The RAND Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD) focuses its analytic efforts on enhancing the security, safety, and resilience of communities by improving their ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from dynamic and emerging threats and hazards, which include natural disasters, transnational crime, acts of terrorism, large-scale accidents, and domestic attacks perpetrated by nation states.

HSRD operates the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC), a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). HSRD also conducts research and analysis for other federal, state, local, tribal, and public- and private-sector organizations that make up the homeland security enterprise. In addition, HSRD conducts research and analysis on homeland security matters for U.S. allies and private foundations.

More about HSOAC

Research Programs

  • Disaster Management & Resilience Program

    The Disaster Management and Resilience Program (DMR) assists the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the broader emergency management community in identifying strategies to mitigate, plan for, respond to, and recover from natural and human-caused disasters, hazards, and catastrophic incidents.

  • Officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, process international arrivals of passenger flights at Boston.

    Infrastructure, Immigration, & Security Operations Program

    The Infrastructure, Immigration, & Security Operations Program (IISO) supports a broad range of operational components inside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as sponsors across the Homeland Security Enterprise to proactively adapt to changing opportunities, threats and hazards, and resulting risks.

  • The crew of the Coast Guard Guard Cutter Hollyhock, homeported in Port Huron, Mich., transits Lake St. Clair en route to the western basin of Lake Erie for ice-breaking operations, Jan. 13, 2015. U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard ice breakers, as part of Operations Coal Shovel and Taconite, have been working tirelessly to keep vessel traffic and important economic supplies moving throughout the Great Lakes.

    Management, Technology, & Capabilities Program

    The Management, Technology, & Capabilities Program (MTC) seeks to strengthen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and assist sponsors across the Homeland Security Enterprise by advancing research and analysis that ensures that the overall organization, workforce, resources, and technological capabilities are appropriately aligned to confront urgent threats and execute missions.

DHS Fellows

Each year, DHS and RAND select a small number of senior DHS personnel to work and study at the RAND Corporation.

Learn more about the DHS fellows program