Daniel Polanski

Daniel Polanski is a Director of field operations and training at the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska, the DOD-designated University Affiliated Research Center sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command. 

Polanski brings more than 25 years of government service, with more than 18 years dedicated to the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) field. He began his career by enlisting in the U.S. Army, where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC. In 1999, Daniel became one of the founding members of the 4th MSD RAID team, now recognized as the Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (WMD-CST). While assigned to 4th WMD CST, he participated in numerous real-world operations and high-profile national security events, including Super Bowls and presidential summits. His experience includes supporting agencies such as the FBI, DEA, CIA and U.S. State Department during these deployments.

After serving as the Recon NCOIC of the Civil Support Team, Polanski transitioned into the intelligence community. He worked as a security consultant, technical advisor and firearms instructor, supporting the war on terror in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His role involved multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. When not deployed, he led and trained candidates in the selection and assessment process for operations in hostile and austere environments.

In 2010 and 2011, Polanski returned to the CBRNE field as Georgia’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator, partnering with the FBI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator through the Department of Public Health's Emergency Preparedness and Response Division. In this role, he updated the state’s Biological Threat Response Protocols and standardized HAZMAT's sample collection and lab submission procedures. He also served as the Health Security Analyst and liaison at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s intelligence fusion center.
 
Polanski's expertise took him abroad, including deployment to Japan during the Fukushima disaster as an advisor to CNN. He has also advised the UAE Ministry of Health on building their CBRNE response capabilities. Polanski has been a guest instructor at institutions like the Emory School of Nursing and Public Health, the U.S. Air War College and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. He has presented on CBRNE response to the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Sheriffs Association.
 
Polanski holds a bachelor’s degree in homeland security and is certified as a HAZMAT specialist, PPE specialist, DOE radiation specialist, EMT, P.O.S.T.-certified instructor, HAZMAT instructor and criminal intelligence analyst.

In his current role at the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI), Polanski remains actively involved with both government and private sectors, providing instruction on biological threat response, radiological response and various CBRNE-related topics across the country.