Before Sept. 11, when you used the word biometrics around most folks, you got that”deer in the headlights”look. But times have changed since the attack on America, and people are quickly understanding that biometrics could play a pivotal role in keeping Americans safe.

The increased focus nationally over the past month has given West Virginia Universitys cutting edge bachelors degree program in biometrics significant attention. The program, established in December 1998 in cooperation with the FBI , has carved a niche among universities across the world in educating and training tomorrows biometrics and fingerprint identification professionals. The biometrics major accepted its first students in Fall 1999.

Biometrics uses unique physical”signatures”like a fingerprint, retinal scans or the veins in a hand as identifiers. The technology has the potential for widespread use by the military and in private sector security. Students in the WVU program learn how to decipher and evaluate current biometrics technologies. They are also trained in integrating biometricssystems.

“We currently have 20 students in the program,”said Lawrence Hornak, coordinator of WVU s biometrics program.”But I suspect with all the national attention, our numbers will increase.”

Students arent the only ones showing increased interest. The U.S. government is too.

“The focus of biometrics is now going well beyond criminal justice and social services,”Hornak said.”Following Sept. 11, information assurance is now the concentrated area when it comes to homeland security,”he added.

Increasing security when it comes to access to certain places, computer systems and networks is the concern of the government, Hornak said.

“Biometrics technology can help with that,”Hornak said.”But people should know its not a solution to every needits not a panacea, but it may be one more weapon in the arsenal.”

WVU also serves as home for the Center for Identification Technology Research, or CITeR, which Hornak directs. WVU developed CITeR in collaboration with Marshall University, Michigan State University and San Jose State University to serve as the first comprehensive academic center for biometrics. The goal of CITeR is to further the development of biometrics through new technologies research, interdisciplinary training of scientists and engineers, and facilitation of the transfer of this technology to the private and government sectors.

In June, the U.S. Defense Departments biometrics program became a member of CITeR U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va) added $47 million dollars to the DoD program to advance the use of biometrics in the military.

Additionally, WVU is working with the U.S. Army at its interim Biometrics Fusion Center in nearby Bridgeport.

“WVU and the federal government have forged a real working relationship through biometrics,”Hornak said.”Hopefully, the training and research now under way here can go a long way toward improving security all over the world”.