Biological invasions may represent a larger threat to health, economic, and national security than natural disasters but are largely insidious and unappreciated threats. Recent estimates place the costs of invasive species as >$26B every year for the last decade in North America, with significant costs coming from the food and agriculture; emergency services; and nuclear energy, hydropower, and other water dependent sectors – all essential components of U.S. critical infrastructure. Despite this, collective awareness and action remains discouragingly low. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Agriculture are working together and with other partners to amplify existing efforts to address this critical threat and develop new approaches to early warning and response. Collective work includes developing case studies to strengthen messaging; conducting exploratory analyses to develop shared priorities for action and identify opportunities to harmonize funding for capacity building; and strengthening early detection and response efforts. Effectively addressing invasive species requires a fuller appreciation of their direct national security impacts and an expansive, multidisciplinary, One Health approach to address the threat before it is too late.

Speakers:

Matthew Kuhn, DVM, Ph.D. – Veterinary Medical Officer with the Department of Homeland Security
Matt Kuhn is a Veterinary Medical Officer with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Health Security. Dr. Kuhn first joined DHS in 2021 as a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, supporting the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office’s policy office on biodefense issues. Here, he coordinated the Department’s input on topics such as the 2022 National Biodefense Strategy and re-writing and exercise of the BINA protocol. Matt has prior experience in the Department of Defense as a Deputy Senior Scientist providing technical and regulatory affairs support for Warfighter vaccine development. Matt graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Animal Science (BS), Veterinary Medicine (DVM), and Immunology (PhD) and currently resides in Michigan. Matt is a father of two, an avid Michigan State fan, and looks forward every Spring to tapping his backyard trees to make real maple syrup.