The Labs That Go Boom: The DHS Center of Excellence Destroys IEDs
Fire in the Hole A mixture of gunpowder and coffee creamer explodes at the University of Rhode Island. JJ SulinLearning to stop bombmakers--even before an explosion goes off This month, as part of our special on the future of education, PopSci presents 10 labs where students do serious research (and career training) by blowing stuff up. Lab: DHS Center of Excellence for Explosives, Mitigation and Response at the University of Rhode Island Career: FBI explosives expert, government defense contractor Car bombs, improvised explosive devices and pipe bombs-for students at the University of Rhode Island's energetic materials lab, those tools are as common as a hammer is to a carpenter. The lab, run by chemist Jimmie Oxley and supported largely by the Department of Homeland Security, offers the most diverse explosives curriculum in the U.S. And many of the students who study there will advance to jobs on the front lines in the...