Biometrics Brochure - West Virginia Department of Commerce

World-Class Biometrics and
Identity Management Assets
The concentration of biometrics and identity-management assets within
West Virginia is unequalled in the world. Together, companies, government
agencies, research universities and technology business services form a
comprehensive source of information and provide resources that enable your
business to exceed its goals.
Government Agencies
Biometric Research
West Virginia University
World-class academic programs and cutting-edge research make WVU a recognized
international leader in the field of biometrics and identity management.
• Biometrics Degree Program
Companies and agencies in West Virginia take advantage of the first U.S.
Biometric Systems undergraduate degree program, which provides students
and future workers the foundation necessary to design, implement and
evaluate automated biometric systems.
At the graduate level, WVU offers two programs, a Graduate Certificate in
Information Assurance and Biometrics and for certain Masters level programs,
students can pursue an emphasis area in biometrics.
• Center for Identification Technology Research (CITeR)
CITeR was the first in the United States to be funded by the National Science
Foundation as an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center. Focusing
on biometrics identification technology, CITeR is where industry, government
and academia join together to provide advanced biometrics research solutions.
The CITeR has enabled WVU to be the lead academic partner for the FBI’s new
Biometric Center of Excellence.
• Biometric Knowledge Center (BKnC)
The goal of the BKnC is to foster and facilitate biometrics research, working
with state and federal agencies to expand biometric opportunities and growth.
• Office of Technology Transfer
Assisting companies in commercializing biometrics knowledge and intellectual
property, this office also helps companies access the university’s extensive
biometrics resources.
Marshall University
The Marshall University Forensic Science Center is dedicated to providing the
highest quality forensic analysis and is the first university to partner with a state
crime laboratory on the CODIS database.
• The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is a West Virginia database
that enables federal, state and local crime labs to exchange and compare
electronic DNA profiles, linking crimes to convicted offenders. Marshall
University’s CODIS Laboratories receive bar-coded, anonymous samples and
create distinct DNA profiles.
• Through a Master of Forensic Science degree program, students have access
to state-of-the-art equipment and high-quality faculty. The Science Center
employs one of the most skilled DNA work forces in the country, consisting
entirely of Forensic Science graduates.
FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division
(CJIS)
Located in Clarksburg, W.Va., CJIS has the largest biometric database in the
world. The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System developed by
Lockheed Martin, contains the fingerprints and corresponding criminal history
information of more than 53 million subjects.
Department of Defense Biometrics Fusion Center (BFC)
The BFC is the biometrics technology center of excellence for the U.S. Army. The
Clarksburg, W.Va., facility performs test and evaluation of Commercial Off-the-
Shelf (COTS) biometrics and is synchronizing and integrating existing and new
technologies throughout the Department of Defense.
FBI Biometric Center of Excellence
The new Biometric Center of Excellence in Clarksburg, W.Va., was created by the
FBI Science and Technology Branch to coordinate biometric and identity management
activities within the FBI. The Center will facilitate research, development and
training relative to biometric technology and systems.