The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), a non-partisan think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C., selected Werling to join a group of faculty from all over the United States to participate in the 10-day program, scheduled for June 9-20 at Tel Aviv University. The program will include lectures by academics, military and intelligence officials, and diplomats from Israel, Jordan, India, Turkey, and the United States.
Participants will also gain "hands on" experience through visits to police, customs and immigration facilities, military bases, and border zones to learn the practical side of deterring and defeating terrorists. FDD focuses on exploring the historical, cultural, philosophical, and ideological factors that drive terrorism and the threats it poses.
A former police officer and staff member with the U.S. Department of Justice, Werling is preparing to teach the CSU Stanislaus Criminal Justice Department's first class on Terrorism and Homeland Security this fall. While with the Department of Justice for eight years as Project Coordinator of a major grant to teach police officers about community policing, Werling made a presentation at a national police conference about the importance of good relationships between law enforcement officers and the communities they work in because of the increasing threat of global terrorism.
"I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to listen and participate in the exchanges and interactions which we will all have in Israel," Werling said. "It should be useful experience for the course I plan to teach, and for other related academic and research activities."
Werling also teaches courses on police administration, historical aspects of criminal justice, and community policing. The Criminal Justice Department is one of the most popular degree programs in the College of Humanities & Social Sciences.
Robert Werling can be contacted at (209) 667-3416.