Defiance College digital forensic science project makes Wharton School awards short-list

November 4, 2016 

DEFIANCE, Ohio - Defiance College digital forensic science (DFS) faculty and students were recently notified that their FAGIN (Facial Analysis to Gain Information Now) project made the short-list of nominations within the Ethical Leadership Award category at the Reimagine Education National Conference sponsored by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

The FAGIN project resulted in a faculty/student-generated, web-based prototype using digital facial recognition to identify potential victims of human trafficking. In January, the project was regionally recognized with the Ohio Liberator Award.

From more than 500 nominations, the “FAGIN Project @ Defiance College: Authentic Service Learning” was selected as a finalist for competitive award presentations to be conducted on the University of Pennsylvania campus next month.

Tim Wedge, Associate Professor of Practice in Digital Forensic Science, and Dr. Tim Rickabaugh, Interim VP of Academic Affairs, will collaborate on their presentation showcasing the project and how it illustrates the impact of the service-learning emphasis within Defiance College academic and co-curricular programs.

The overall winning project from among the finalists will be awarded a $50,000 grant to be utilized to further support educational innovations at their college or university.

Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The college website is www.defiance.edu.