Carey Rappaport Archives

Suggestions for beefing up security around the U.S. Capitol include the hiring of hundreds of officers. But Northeastern security experts warn of the dangers of a police state at the heart of American democracy. Photo By Tom Williams/AP Images

Are red states and blue states on the verge of a civil war?

The one-year anniversary of the U.S. Capitol siege underscores the growing red-blue political divide in America. But don’t mistake it for full-blown civil war, which requires a large number of deaths, says Max Abrahms, who teaches national security and counterterrorism at Northeastern.

by Peter Ramjug January 5, 2022

A school principal or sports stadium security chief can gather information from multiple sources under a surveillance system Northeastern is building for the Department of Homeland Security under a $36 million contract. Getty Images Photo

Northeastern University wins $36M federal contract to build a system to protect schools, churches, and stadiums

Key to winning the Department of Homeland Security award was the design of a “Virtual Sentry” system that integrates cell phone traffic, social media posts, aerial drone footage, and other data to provide just-in-time information to decision-makers.

by Peter Ramjug November 4, 2021

Can a robot seal air leaks to help this old (and cold) house?

Northeastern won a $200,000 award from the U.S. Energy Department to scale up a model that could one day help with the back-breaking work of filling in energy-wasting air leaks in the crawl spaces of old homes.

by Peter Ramjug August 24, 2021

How can small businesses benefit from artificial intelligence?

A new Massachusetts initiative called AI Jump Start will bring together faculty from Northeastern and other universities to share their expertise in artificial intelligence with a broad range of small and midsize enterprises. The program is open to firms in defense, manufacturing, health, and other industries that would like to incorporate machine learning but aren’t sure how to go about it.

by Peter Ramjug April 15, 2021

Current airport scanners require travelers to stand in an awkward, hands-over-the-head position for several seconds while they are scanned for suspicious items under their clothes.
AP Photo/Nati Harnik

Here’s hope for those who hate the wait at the security line in airports

For many people, the worst part of air travel is the security line at the airport. Researchers at Northeastern are working to build a system that could keep travelers moving and cut down on those long wait times.

by Laura Castañón July 17, 2019

People traveling through security to the gates of Denver International Airport in the early morning of June 6, 2013. Photo by iStock.

TSA airport security screening will get a lot more accurate just in time for some holiday travelers

Airport security is getting an upgrade. New full-body scanners will result in clearer, more accurate imaging, said Carey Rappaport, a Northeastern professor who studies the antenna systems used in the scanners.

by Molly Callahan December 19, 2018

Carey Rappaport