Presented by the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) with subject matter support provided by the Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the theme for the conference is "First Responder Frontiers: Enabling First Responders Today and Tomorrow."

The S&T Directorate is the gateway into DHS for innovative ideas and technologies from the private sector and academia that support the homeland security mission at the national, state, and local levels. The purpose of the conference is to inform First Responders (Federal, state, and local), state and local governments, industry, and academia of the direction, emphasis, scope, and status of the research investments by the S&T Directorate, and to describe the business opportunities for private sector organizations and universities, in the United States and around the world.

Keynote speakers will include the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology, leaders in the First Responder community, and officials from government, academic, and private sector organizations partnering with S&T in science & technology research. The event will have a significant international component. Conference attendees will hear from the S&T Directorate's Directors, who will describe their areas of responsibility, and highlight key deliverables and technologies.

The 2009 Homeland Security S&T Stakeholders Conference West provides an unprecedented venue for substantive discussion regarding the investment of resources that specifically address the breadth of future capabilities that First Responders need, and to mobilize the industrial and academic interest and resources necessary to bring critical technologies into general availability. The leadership and key staff of the S&T Directorate will be broadly represented throughout the Conference. Registered attendees will have extensive opportunities for formal and informal interaction with Directors and Program Managers from the S&T Directorate.