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Home / Academics / Schools and Departments / School of Science, Mathematics & the Humanities

School of Science, Mathematics and the Humanities

The School of Science, Mathematics, and the Humanities (SSMH) explores human society, its relationship to the natural environment, and variation in world views that shape science, math, policy, and governance. SSMH supports several interdisciplinary pursuits important to the U.S. Coast Guard and the nation through:

  • The Emergency Management Initiative
  • The Environmental Working Group
  • Geospatial Intelligence certification
  • Micro-satellite tracking

Majors and Programs

Departments

  • Chemical and Environmental Sciences
  • Culture and Languages
  • Government
  • Marine Science
  • Mathematics
  • Physics

Service to the Fleet

SSMH contributions extend beyond cadet education, to direct and indirect support of U.S. Coast Guard operations. Cadets and faculty work together and form partnerships with other federal agencies, universities, and non-profit organizations to advance knowledge and solve problems. As a source of intellectual capital, contributions range widely:
  • Scientific research on physical oceanography, marine biology, climate change, the environment, and the application of global information system (GIS) technology
  • Legal expertise and jurisprudential training in maritime law enforcement
  • Solving complex problems involving threats to coastal regions, marine resources, energy supply and consumption, maritime crime and violence
  • Intelligence and GEO-intelligence programs that provide human and technical assets
  • Application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to improve Coast Guard operations
  • Foreign language qualifications
Tiffany Smythe“Wind-turbines at sea bring opportunity and challenge. With Coast Guard Sectors New York and SE New England, my cadets and research teams work with commercial fishermen, coastal governance bodies, state officials and Coast Guard policy makers to model and assess the impact of offshore wind farms. Our work will shape the maritime future of this region.”

Professor Tiffany Smythe,

Government Department

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Announcements

Contact Information

School of Science, Mathematics, and the Humanities
Dr. Richard Zuczek
Dean
(860) 444-8359
Richard.Zuczek@uscga.edu

Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

  1. If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  2. If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  3. If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  4. If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  5. All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.

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