MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia University and its forensic and investigative science program have received gifts and in-kind donations totaling more than $5.5 million from California businessman and philanthropist Ming Hsieh.

The university announced the donations at a Nov. 14 dedication at which a new classroom building on the downtown campus was named Ming Hsieh Hall.

"This is a truly generous gift and one that will have a positive impact on the lives of West Virginia University students," said WVU President Mike Garrison. "I speak for the entire university in expressing our gratitude and our appreciation of the example Ming Hsieh has set in his life as a scientist, entrepreneur and philanthropist."

The Hsieh gifts come in part from a family foundation and in part from Hsieh's global biometric identification company Cogent Inc.

The Hsieh Family Foundation pledged $2 million toward a recently completed building on the downtown campus. Adjoining the newly renovated Oglebay Hall, Ming Hsieh Hall consists of four general purpose classrooms fitted with up-to-date audio-visual lecturing technology.

The foundation also pledged $1 million to establish two endowed funds, creating The Ming Hsieh Distinguished Professor of Forensic and Investigative Science and The Ming Hsieh Distinguished Teaching Professor of Forensic and Investigative Science.

Hsieh established the professorships to further his interest in training, mentoring and nurturing the next generation of forensic scientists, according to WVU officials.

In addition, Cogent will provide the forensic program with new forensic technology for use by faculty and students.

"The gift will give students and faculty access to state-of-the art equipment used by many federal and civil agencies around the world," Hsieh said. "WVU is a respected partner of many federal agencies that utilize forensic biometric technology, and we are excited to assist them as they continue the important work of education and development in the area of forensic science."

One of only 10 accredited undergraduate programs in forensic science in the U.S., WVU's program enrolls about one-third of forensic students nationwide, according to Director Keith Morris.

The WVU program is distinguished by its facilities, equipment and faculty, as well as by the quality of its curriculum, Morris said, and the Hsieh donations will help to advance the program's standing.

"There are a number of countries and states within the U.S. that make use of Cogent's system, so this allows our students the opportunity to work on this real-world equipment and develop skills which they will be able to use when they go to work one day," he said.

"And the professorships will be extremely valuable to market WVU as a leader in this field," he added. "We will be, I think, one of the few if not the only program in the U.S. that has a distinguished professorship, so it will retain our position at the forefront of forensic science."

Rudolph P. Almasy, associate dean of the university's Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, emphasized the value of an endowed professorship in a fast-changing discipline.

"It is always good to be able to add on to a state faculty line to give a person some extra resources to support travel and research and the purchase of materials, such as software," Almasy said.

"Forensic science is changing so rapidly, and an awful lot of new developments are happening," he continued. "You have to be able to keep up on that change or increase in knowledge. This gives an individual some of those extra resources to make sure that happens."

Ming Hsieh was born in China. He attended the South China University of Technology and, in 1980, transferred to the University of Southern California, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering.

While a student at USC, he became an American citizen.

Hsieh founded Cogent in 1990. With Cogent's success, he has supported institutions of higher education, stating that he wants to help others "reach the American dream." Hsieh's donations have included $35 million to his alma mater, the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering.