The Colorado Springs-based headquarters wants to find help close to home with accomplishing its mission — protecting the homeland from terrorists and coordinating responses to natural disasters.

The Air Force Academy and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs are being asked to assist the military with safeguarding vulnerable targets such as computer networks and power plants.

Army Col. Larry Klooster, deputy director of Northern Command, said CUSprings and the academy have the tools, techniques and researchers NorthCom needs.

Klooster was the guest speaker at Friday’s CU-Springs 2003 Fall Security Research Poster Session, during which researchers made 33 poster presentations about ways to fight terrorism, computer hacking and other threats to the nation’s security.

“I want to know what you have here, what kind of skills you see and what kind of research will help us in the future,” Klooster said.

If researchers can come up with prototypes that will improve NorthCom’s operations, Klooster said he will find funding for their development.

“I’ve never been in a position where I can’t get money,” he said.

One presentation, from Bob Camley, Zbigniew Celinski and Tom Christensen of CUSprings’ Physics Department, shows the need for using small devices to see through fog, cloud and smoke.

The devices could improve cell phones and emergency communications.

A presentation from Maj. William Casebeer and Capt. Jake Bartolomei of the Engineering Department at the Air Force Academy showed the need to understand how and why terrorists gain recruits and allies and move around the United States.

Talking to researchers, Klooster spoke about the challenges NorthCom faces, such as exchanging information between agencies via computer programs without giving terrorists an opportunity to intercept private information.

NorthCom is trying to define at what level information should be classified and who should have access to it. The majority of the government works with unclassified information, he said.

“If you guys want to give us something that we can pass information through, classified or unclassified . . . that is a demand item . . . it’s a big item that we need.”

NorthCom is seeking a way in which standardized mapping and databases can be established for all to use to identify critical areas such as power plants and roadways, Klooster said.

Officials are looking for better sensors to detect bombs, bomb-making or biological materials.

“The terrorists are coming with much better explosives,” he said. “As clever as you are, they are just as clever or more so.”

Funding is what researcher Sudhanshu Semwal, of CUSprings’ Department of Computer Science, needs to get his program up and running.

His presentation addressed cyberhacking and ways that could prevent personal and government databases from being invaded.

Part of his research involves using personal items such as a ring to gain access to computers.

He and his students have been working on the program for eight months.

David Schmidt, dean of the Graduate School Senior Faculty Associate for Research Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, said Friday’s session highlighted the institution’s research.

The session provided researchers with a chance to know what other researchers are doing.

“Much of this research is interdisciplinary, and with forums like this, the faculty and . . . departments can connect.”