IEEE Homeland Security Conference Business Panel to feature experts on technology commercialization

WASHINGTON (7 May 2008) -- Dr. Thomas Cellucci, chief commercialization officer for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate; and Peter Ciganer, executive vice president, In-Q-Tel, will be featured “Business Panel” speakers at the 2008 IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security.

The eighth-annual conference is scheduled for 12-13 May at the Westin Hotel in Waltham, Mass. For more information and to register, go to http://www.ieeehomelandsecurityconference.org/ .

The “Business Panel,” set for Tuesday, 13 May from 8 to 9:30 a.m., will feature organizations contributing to the commercialization of homeland security technologies.

Cellucci and Ciganer will be joined by Ralph E. Taylor-Smith, general partner, Battelle Ventures; Arthur Robert, industry director, Defense & Renewable Energy Technologies, Massachusetts Office of Business Development; Dennis Treece, director of corporate security, Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) and director, Massport Transportation Security Center of Excellence; and Robert Seelandt, partner manager, MetaCarta, Inc.

Gregory Bialecki, undersecretary, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, will deliver the keynote address and welcome the panel.

Cellucci is responsible for identifying, evaluating and commercializing technology that rapidly develops and deploys products and services that meet the specific operational requirements of DHS and its end users. Cellucci, who holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry, came to DHS after founding a management consulting company that raises capital and provides strategic business services for global high-tech firms.