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Business Development |
West Virginia University
As the flagship, comprehensive doctoral granting institution of higher education in West Virginia with the Carnegie Doctoral/Research University—Extensive classification, WVU is dedicated to its land-grant research mission and meeting expectations as a primary economic engine in the state.
As part of a university-wide strategic planning effort, West Virginia University has developed the 2004-2010 Strategic Plan for Research and Economic Development that provides a framework, resources, and incentives for advancing the research enterprise of the university. It also outlines initiatives for advancing the university's role as a primary economic development engine for the state and region that are consistent with the and overall university and state strategic plans. The plan provides for investment in the research enterprise, support infrastructure, and research incentives through the WVU Research Corporation.
The four basic goals of the plan are to: 1) develop high quality and innovative research programs that generate new knowledge, develop technologies, address societal needs, and improve the quality of life of West Virginia citizens, 2) attract high quality graduate students and increase the proportion of undergraduate students involved in research, 3) enhance local, state and regional economic development, and 4) enhance the image of WVU as a major national research institution. For more information on WVU's strategic planning effort visit:
http://www.wvu.edu/~research/documents/strategic.plan.research.04-10-1.DOC
College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
If a highly trained and educated workforce if what you require, then WVU has just what you need. The College of Engineering and Mineral Resources has 107 faculty, approximately 65 staff, about 2000 undergraduates, over 900 graduate students, and $23 million a year in external funding. The College is well known for its outstanding senior design experience, with many projects supported by industry. The college has leading programs in many areas such as automotive technology, advanced materials for civil infrastructure, information technology, energy, mining, alternative fuels and engine emissions, power engineering, software development, biometrics, environmental studies and image processing. Listed below is a breakdown of enrollment in the CEMR.
ENROLLMENTS-BY CLASS
Computer Science and Electrical Engineering includes Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Biometric Systems Engineering
Department |
FR |
SO |
JR |
SR |
PT |
Chemical Engineering |
0 |
22 |
20 |
31 |
7 |
Civil and Environmental Engineering |
2 |
26 |
26 |
78 |
6 |
Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering |
56 |
103 |
82 |
165 |
6 |
Freshman Engineering |
614 |
101 |
32 |
6 |
4 |
Industrial Management and Systems Engineering |
0 |
25 |
29 |
36 |
3 |
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
10 |
80 |
91 |
161 |
7 |
Mining Engineering |
2 |
9 |
5 |
9 |
1 |
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering |
6 |
9 |
10 |
21 |
0 |
Total |
690 |
375 |
295 |
507 |
34 |
Department |
Part Time |
Full Time |
MASTER'S |
Chemical Engineering |
7 |
20 |
Civil and Environmental Engineering |
13 |
53 |
Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering |
80 |
228 |
Industrial Management and Systems Engineering |
36 |
121 |
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
15 |
102 |
Mining Engineering |
3 |
8 |
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering |
0 |
9 |
Sub Total |
154 |
548 |
DOCTORAL |
Chemical Engineering |
0 |
13 |
Civil and Environmental Engineering |
2 |
19 |
Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering |
11 |
50 |
Industrial Management and Systems Engineering |
9 |
17 |
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
5 |
41 |
Mining Engineering |
2 |
12 |
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering |
1 |
3 |
Sub Total |
30 |
155 |
Grand Total |
184 |
703 |
Biotechnology Research
Translating research into economic development is an important part of WVU's mission.
Biotechnology programs in the health and agricultural sciences are expanding to focus on detecting and identifying biomarkers-the molecular evidence of disease...
“What we call biotechnology is really the cutting edge of our knowledge of disease processes and human biology...and that's the fountainhead of the entire pharmaceutical industry. What's really needed is new starting points for the specific diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, that will allow the pharmaceutical industry to create new drugs. A new technology called microfluids enables the discovery of new disease specific proteins...new starting points for the drug industry. (Quote from Steve Turner/Protea)
Microfluidics is just one of many examples where WVU-developed technologies are being licensed to establish and expand companies and industries, and improve the economy of West Virginia .
Microfluidics is just one of many examples where WVU-developed technologies are being licensed to establish and expand companies and industries, and improve the economy of West Virginia .
http://www.wvu.edu/~research/centers.htm
Biometric Systems | Forensic & Biometrics Gateway | WVU
Biometric Systems
Biometric Systems gather human physiological "signatures" such as fingerprints, faces, irises, retinas, and voice and use them to identify individuals. Use of biometric systems is experiencing rapid growth in law enforcement, banking, and e-commerce and is having a revolutionary impact on security and the way we interact with computers. Future advances in this field promise to make nearly all objects able to identify, interact with, and assist their users. As a biometric systems major, you can be an architect in the design and implementation of this new generation of systems.
The Biometric Systems major provides students with a firm foundation in computer science and electrical and computer engineering meshed with an understanding of biology, physiology, forensics necessary to design, implement, and evaluate automated biometric systems. Biometric Systems majors at WVU receive a solid background in fundamental biological and physical sciences, mathematics, and engineering during their first two years as preparation for their technical courses in their major. Students may establish areas of emphasis in the fields of study through choice of specific courses taken in their junior and senior year. A team oriented senior design experience in which students conceive and create a system of their own design culminates their studies in their senior year.
The following Areas of Emphasis are available for the Biometric System major:
Sensors and Circuits
How to design and use the devices, components, and systems which interact with the human subject and obtain the raw biometric signature.
Signal/Image Processing
How to process the often large raw signature rapidly and reduce its size for efficient communication, storage, retrieval, and matching.
Statistics
How to understand and express the performance of biometric systems.
Software Systems
How to design and implement efficient, reliable, and secure software for acquisition, storage, and transmission of biometric information.
Forensic & Investigative Science | Forensic & Biometrics Gateway | WVU
Forensic & Investigative Science
The Forensic and Investigative Science (FIS) major is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between academic disciplines relevant to forensic science. Officials at the nearby Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) facility located in Clarksburg , West Virginia , contacted West Virginia University (WVU) expressing an interest in the development of this program. This led to a Memorandum of Understanding between the FBI and WVU whereby the FBI agreed to provide support for the program.
The FIS major provides students with a strong foundation in the biological and physical sciences with various career options in forensic science as well as other areas. The inquiry-based curriculum incorporates practical applications of scientific procedures, fieldwork under real-world conditions to prepare the student for internship and post-graduate employment, group activities, and simulations (e.g. courtroom simulation with third year law students using actual forensic data). The Introduction to Forensic Science course (FIDP 201) provides students with overviews of the program and the profession. The first two years of the FIS major are comprised of a science curriculum, with the final two years consisting of courses related to the specific area of emphasis of each student. When students are accepted into the major (typically at the end of their sophomore year), they have the option of selecting Forensic Biology, Forensic Chemistry, or Forensic Examiner as their area of emphasis. Between the junior and senior years, a forensic internship at various law enforcement or other appropriate sites is required. A unique aspect of an internship in this field is the extensive background checks the students must undergo before they can work in the field.
WVU's FIS major was the first to develop an academic curriculum designed around the forensic examiner area of emphasis. Students choosing this area of emphasis take courses such as crime scene investigation, latent fingerprints, and blood spatter (bloodstain pattern analysis). An essential component of the examiner learning experience is the unique crime scene houses located on the Evansdale campus. These houses are used to instruct the students in crime scene analysis, forensic photography, and bloodstain pattern analysis. Plans are under way to build a two-bay garage to complement the crime scene houses and allow for investigations involving vehicles. While not unique to WVU, the forensic biology and forensic chemistry options are also strong programs.
All three areas of emphasis blend characteristics of a professional program with liberal arts studies. Students electing to enter the job market upon graduation have skill sets that are immediately applicable to a career in a crime lab or other forensic-related settings. The FIS students are also well prepared for continued studies in various areas including graduate, medical, dental, and law school. Indeed, graduates of the FIS program have obtained jobs in local, state, and federal crime labs as well as acceptance into the aforementioned postgraduate schools.
http://www.wvu.edu/%7eforensic/biometrics.html
For more information on West Virginia University visit their web site at:
http://www.wvu.edu/
