Katherine Costello

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is designed to enhance security at U.S. ports. It demonstrates that the holder has passed a Transportation Security Administration security threat assessment and is required of anyone with unescorted access to a secure area at a regulated facility. This report provides the findings from an assessment of the TWIC program, along with the assessors' recommendations.

This report documents a research project that focused on identifying priority potential Arctic capability gaps with respect to U.S. Coast Guard operations in the region in the present and in the 2030s. It is becoming increasingly important to determine how to operate in the region, given changing conditions and the potential for increasing activity that will drive demand for more frequent U.S. government presence across a spectrum of roles.

Service members must meet U.S. Department of Defense standards to ensure that they are fit to serve. However, the services set standards for specific career fields. To meet critical needs, the Air Force seeks to better align personnel to certain fields (those with higher technical levels but lower physical demands). The authors explore the implications to Air Force culture of tailoring standards to expand or limit the pool of qualified personnel.

Russia has long used political, military, economic, informational, and clandestine tools against countries in the Black Sea region. In this report, the authors present elements of a Western strategy to counter Russian malign influence and aggression.

Amid a growing global forced displacement crisis, refugees and the organizations that assist them have turned to technology as an important resource in solving problems in humanitarian settings. This report analyzes technology uses, needs, and gaps, as well as opportunities for better using technology to help displaced people and improving the operations of responding agencies.

Over 5 million Syrian refugees entered Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon due to the civil war. This report examines the labor market for refugees in these countries. In Turkey, a barrier was speaking Turkish; in Jordan and Lebanon, the refugees' arrival exacerbated existing economic slowdowns. Working legally was a challenge for all. Recommendations are tailored to each country in order to improve the socioeconomic environment for all.