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Nature 447, 516-517 (31 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/447516a; Published online 30 May 2007

Open Innovation Challenges

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Special report Changing course

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Science and technology have not always gone down well at the US Department of Homeland Security. Geoff Brumfiel reports on a retired Navy admiral trying to turn around the troubled research wing.

Thankfully, Jay Cohen's job did not begin with a bang. He assumed his post as undersecretary for science and technology at the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on 10 August 2006 — the day that British authorities reported a plot to smuggle liquid explosives aboard US-bound aircraft.