This project seeks to increase students' knowledge about the technology used in forensic investigation with an emphasis on biometrics. Two new courses are being developed to achieve this. The first course is an upper-level course for electrical and computer engineering students and focuses on the use of signal processing in biometrics. This course is taught with a forensic project theme where students are asked to identify an unknown individual from biometric clues. The second course is a general education course that is available to all students and covers the basic principles and technologies of biometrics and the social and ethical issues surrounding their use. This course educates a broader and more diverse group of students and also exposes students who may be undecided about their education to engineering. Students in both courses participate in hands-on biometric experiments in a common biometrics laboratory. Undergraduate research projects also utilize the biometrics laboratory. The project includes a detailed assessment and evaluation plan that uses a concept inventory style instrument to measure student learning.
