Trump nominates former Energy official to lead Homeland Security tech research arm

President Trump on Thursday announced that he is tapping William Bryan, an Army veteran and former Department of Energy official, to lead the Department of Homeland Security’s technology research and development arm.

Bryan has been serving as undersecretary of science and technology at the department in an acting capacity since May 2017. Trump’s decision will allow him to formally assume the position, if confirmed by the Senate.

{mosads}Bryan has held various positions in the Defense and Energy departments, including a role in which he helped spearhead federal efforts to enhance security of the nation’s energy infrastructure. He served as president of ValueBridge International’s Energy Group before joining the Trump administration.

The department’s Science and Technology Directorate spearheads research and development of emerging technologies, working with the private sector and academia to develop and test high-tech security solutions.

For instance, on Thursday, the directorate announced that it has partnered with Silicon Valley-based cyber firm Lookout to bring a new mobile device security platform to the government and private sector that protects iOS and Android devices from phishing attacks. 

Trump’s fiscal 2019 budget proposal slashed funding for the directorate, instead reallocating some of the funds for cybersecurity research to Homeland Security’s chief cybersecurity and infrastructure protection unit — known formally as the National Protection and Programs Directorate.