In 2003 a visionary group of professors, policy analysts, and engineers, created a plan to develop the Infrastructure Protection and International Security Program with a shared goal: to propel forward-thinking research and innovation in the critical field of infrastructure protection and resilience.
Leading the initiative were Professor Halim Abdel Halim (then the Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carleton, or CEE) and Professor Martin Rudner (a previous Associate Director of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, or NPSIA). They received the intellectual and administrative support of several colleagues, including Professor Dane Rowlands (then Associate Director at NPSIA); Dr. Felix Kwamena (Natural Resources Canada); Dr. Ettore Contestibile (engineering consultant), Professor Jeremy Littlewood (then at NPSIA); Professor Paul Van Geel (CEE), Professor Siva Sivathayalan (CEE), Professor George Hadjisophocleous (CEE) and Mr. Jacques Shore.
The IPIS program combines the unique resources of the Faculty of Engineering and Design and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, housed within the Faculty of Public Affairs, to jointly deliver an interdisciplinary graduate program specifically designed to bridge current gaps between these two groups.
As one of only a few programs of its kind, the IPIS program offers three unique degrees: a Master of Infrastructure Protection and International Security, a Master of Engineering in Infrastructure Protection and International Security and a Graduate Diploma in Infrastructure and International Security.
Shortly after the creation of IPIS, Professor Abass Bramaih (IPIS & CEE) established the Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection, Security and Resilience (CIPSeR) as part of the IPIS program, with a mandate to foster research in which policy analysts and engineers could collaborate. This initiative laid the foundational stone for what is today known as the National Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection, Security and Resilience (NC-CIPSeR), a not-for-profit entity based on a collaboration between government, industry and academia. Their foresight and commitment to addressing the complexities of protecting vital systems against emerging threats marked the beginning of a transformative journey.
The founders of CIPSeR were ahead of their time, recognizing the impending challenges and the need for a cohesive, interdisciplinary approach to safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure. Their initial vision was not just about responding to the threats of the day but preparing for the evolving landscape of global security challenges.
NC-CIPSeR is fortunate to have the opportunity to build on this foundational work.