Career Achievement and Recognition
R. Michael McCabe - During and following his distinguished forty (40) year career of service at the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), Mike McCabe has had a profound impact on the development and adoption of national and international biometric standards for personal identification. While at NIST, Mike worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other federal agencies to provide support for biometric technology testing and standards with an emphasis on Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) for law enforcement biometric identification.
He facilitated and managed the development of the ANSI/NIST-ITL Standard for the Interchange of Fingerprint, Facial, & Other Biometric Information from the standard’s first publication in 1986 through its 2007 revision. He authored all versions of the standard through 2007 and was responsible for organizing, sponsoring, and conducting workshops for government, industry, and academia to discuss topics related to the Standard. This standard has been widely adopted internationally and is primarily used by government entities, including law enforcement, to facilitate biometric data exchange between entities.
Also while at NIST, Mr. McCabe developed a program for testing and reporting vendor compliance with the Wavelet Scalar Quantization (WSQ) fingerprint compression algorithm and was a major participant in the development of performance standards for electronic live-scan fingerprint collection devices. In 2001, Mr. McCabe was the recipient of the NIST Edward Bennett Rosa Award, and in 2003 he received a Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award.
Since joining Identification Technology Partners, Inc. (IDTP) in 2007 as a senior consultant, Mr. McCabe has continued his involvement in biometric standards by supporting NIST as the editor for four commercial biometric standards for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). While supporting the FBI and NIST, he served as project manager of an industry/government collaborative effort for development of the Biometric Mobile ID Device Best Practice Recommendation (now published as NIST Special Publication 500-280, 2009). This publication provides a technical specification long with guidance and best practices for mobile applications of biometric technology. Mr. McCabe is listed as the co-author.
Mr. McCabe has continued to work closely with the International Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS) Biometric Technical Committee in several capacities including representing the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) division’s interest in several national and international biometric standards. He currently serves as Chairman of the INCITS M1 Technical Committee and the Chairman of the M1.7 Biometric Data Interchange Formats task group. Given Mr. McCabe’s dedication and leadership in the field of biometric standards development and implementation, he is most deserving of an award by the organizers of FedID for career achievement and recognition.
Best Technical Advancement
DHS OBIM-Mobile Collaborative Team - In collaboration with DHS Science and Technology, OBIM developed OBIM-mobile, the adaptation of a DoD mobile device, to provide a field portable finger, face, and iris collection device to support IXM service requests and provides Components and Stakeholders a standardized piece of collection equipment that is field-ready for various mission environments and provides proven collection capabilities. OBIM-Mobile consists of two inherent parts:
1) Standardized Mobile device User Interface to collect biometrics and then submit IDENT/HART verify or identify requests (in DoD EBTS format)
2) Middleware that translates the EBTS to an IXM request for IDENT/HART biometric services
The interface can be implemented directly on a mobile collection device or connected through a cloud-based Representational State Transfer (REST) web service. The ability to use this middleware allows EBTS collection to be easily and efficiently translated to IXM so that images can be ingested and searchable in IDENT/HART.
The OBIM-Mobile platform provides the ability for a mobile device to transmit collected biometric and biographic information to OBIM and receive a real-time verify or identify match/no-match response. OBIM-Mobile’s user-friendly platform, training videos, and mobile phone application interface makes the collection process much easier for DHS Officers and improves the quality of the collected biometric data. OBIM adapted OBIM-Mobile from a DoD mobile device to provide a field portable collection device to support IXM capability, OBIM-Mobile has effectively broken the barrier to utilizing market-ready DoD compliant biometric capture devices connected to a mobile platform to submit IXM requests to the OBIM enterprise services.
One of the keys to national security is the ability to process people quickly and positively. Inconsistent biometric gathering and ingest impedes the rapid processing of finger, face and iris for Component and Stakeholder mission requirements. The OBIM-Mobile project is aligned with DHS and OBIM strategic goals, and DHS’ Integrated Planning Guidance related to better analyzing and sharing of information by helping to create uniformity of collection devices and improve data that is collected and shared between agencies. In coordination with Stakeholders, innovative benefits can be realized for natural disaster on-scene processing centers, federal law enforcement management and decision activities, and border and vetting enforcements nationally and internationally.
The team consisted of: Will Graves, Caitlin Kneapler, Kevin Grottle AND Team: Scott Shockey, Alicia Harrison, Brian Pittack, Chad Schulenberg, Sarita Rijwani, John Clemmensen (DHS S&T) AND Contractors: Tom Freed Chris Kearns Steve Batteji Alexey Semynovo Ashok Kumar
Best Operational Success
Jason Lim, Identity Management Capability Manager, TSA Requirements and Capability Analysis - Jason Lim serves as TSA's Identity Management Capability Manager (IDM CM). In that role he pioneered the development, testing, and deployment of TSA's PreCheck(r) "Touchless Identity Solution" (TIS). This effort required a unique blend of organizational, technical, and process expertise to be successful.
Jason coordinated with internal TSA offices, major domestic airlines, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), DHS (e.g., CIO and S&T), industry partners, and airport authorities to get the solution deployed to 5 major airport hubs by the end of CY24 (ATL, DTW, JFK, ATL, and ORD) in support of the President's Customer Experience Executive Order and the TSA Biometrics Roadmap.
The TIS solution verifies DHS Trusted Traveler identities at bag drop, security, and boarding without the use of physical ID credentials, significantly stepping up identity assurance for TSA and air carrier front line operations. It does this faster and more accurately than current manual and credential authentication capabilities allow.
As TSA scales this solution to additional locations in 2024+, TIS will yield enhanced security, operational efficiencies, and customer experience for a significant percentage of air travelers per day and offer a truly differentiated curb-to-gate experience for DHS Trusted Travelers across the aviation ecosystem.
Best Educational Effort
Lora Sims, Director, Face Center of Excellence (FaCE) - Lora Sims is the Director of the Face Center of Excellence (FaCE) and has been supporting standards development through membership and leadership in various working groups including Facial Identification Scientific Working Group (FISWG) and Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science and is a member of the International Association for Identification (IAI).
Ms. Sims was instrumental in developing the first facial examination training-to-competency program for the Department of Defense Biometric Operations Directorate. With the growing use of and interest in Facial Recognition Systems (FRS), it is essential for users to be trained in the proper application of the technology to mitigate some of the negative perceptions about FRS. She established a standards-based training program to reach the broader Facial Identification community as a resource for local, state, federal, international, and corporate entities that are involved in the comparison of facial images as a biometric discipline. The training program that Ms. Sims created has expanded into additional courses of instruction: general information on Facial Identification, mid-level courses that introduce practitioners to best practices, refresher courses for continuing education, and expert-level courses. Ms. Sims’ development and continued improvement of the expansive Facial Identification training program is respected across the country and around the world.
FedID Service and Leadership
DHS Face Recognition/Capture Directive Team - Face recognition (FR) and face capture (FC) technologies are used to identify an individual based on their facial features. They are critical capabilities that enable DHS to execute its mission to protect the American people from threats to their security. FR and FC technologies also continue to transform how the Department delivers its services, including improving the customer experience, supporting law and civil enforcement missions, and securing our borders. These technologies are also inherently privacy sensitive, and must be used in a manner that safeguards privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. No DHS policy - or overall Federal Government policy - existed to govern the use of these powerful technologies. Under the leadership of the DHS Chief Information Officer (CIO), a Face Recognition Guidance Working Group took on the challenge of developing a groundbreaking FR and FC Directive over a sixteen month period. The goals for the Directive were threefold. First, to continue to advance the responsible use of FR and FC technologies to achieve DHS mission goals while protecting privacy, civil rights, civil liberties, and minimizing the potential for disparate impact and unintended bias. Second, to establish a consistent DHS-wide policy for use, review, and approval of FR and FC technologies. Third, to establish clear requirements for review of all existing FR and FC technologies and approval for all new technologies. Through a collaborative, cross-Departmental approach that engaged both DHS Components and key Headquarters offices, the Working Group met all three of these goals. On September 11, 2023, the Working Group's efforts led to the Department's publication of the first DHS-wide Directive on FR and FC technologies. This ground-breaking first ever DHS-wide policy on FR and FC establishes what the Department can use FR for, how it can be used, and the process for approval to use it. This DHS policy has also helped inform efforts by other Federal Agencies to craft their own policies, providing substantive guidance and leadership to the federal identity community.
Team Members: All DHS Federal Employees
Dewan, Anil (MGMT/OCIO); Larrimore, David (MGMT/OCIO/CTO); Rahman, Naureen (MGMT/OCIO); Mitchell, Amanda (MGMT/OCIO); Doland, Ryan (MGMT/OCIO); MacDonald, Lisa (MGMT/OBIM); Coughlin, Matthew (MGMT/OBIM); Klesius, Michael (MGMT/OBIM); Mathews, Scott (PRIV); Powell, Marilyn (PRIV); O’Malley, Ciaran (CRCL); Panetta, Larry (CBP/OFO); Smith, Amber (ICE/IGP); Linna, Raymond (RJ) (ICE/ORAP); Yonkers, Steve (PLCY/CTTP); Shelton, Scott (PLCY/CTTP); Vemury, Arun (S&T)
Career Achievement
Patrick Grother/NIST - Patrick Grother is a senior scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and an internationally recognized leader in the field of biometrics. He is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on biometric testing and standards, leading groundbreaking research and standardization work that has greatly impacted the use of biometrics in the federal government and private industry. His pioneering work as lead developer of biometric standards for the Federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) program paved the way for the integration of biometrics with smart cards. This identity verification solution has been implemented at the core of applications in both government and private sector programs. He is widely acknowledged as a visionary leader by the biometrics research community, where his pioneering contributions in biometric technologies and quality continue to be recognized internationally.
Grother oversees NIST research supporting numerous U.S. government agencies use of biometrics and has been DHS' and FBI’s primary face recognition SME since 2003. He is the project lead of face and iris research at NIST, and has built and led numerous test programs over the years, including the Minutiae Interoperability Exchange Test (MINEX) as a conformant instance of his ISO/IEC 19795-4 Interoperability Performance Testing standard, Iris Exchange (IREX), expanding iris recognition capabilities to support a marketplace of iris-based applications based on standardized interoperable iris imagery, and the Ongoing Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT), which has become a globally-recognized “gold-standard” for testing face recognition capabilities.
Grother’s 30 years of dedication and sustained contributions to the biometrics community has made him the subject matter expert in the biometrics community that agencies, industry, policy, privacy, and the media look to for technical advice and leadership.
Best Technical Advancement
Arun Vemury/RIVTD Team (DHS S&T) - Arun Vemury is leading DHS S&T’s groundbreaking Remote Identity Validation Technology Demonstration (RIVTD). The RIVDTD is an independent, third party testing of identity and access management companies’ fake document, likeness, and selfie-matching testing. DHS S&T and its partners evaluate the ability of systems to authenticate identity documents, assess the "liveness" of selfie photos, and evaluate identity verification using images taken with smartphones and similar devices.
Best Operational Success
IRS Secure Access Digital Identity (SADI) Team - The IRS SADI Team is responsible for executive oversight of technical development activities for external ID proofing, authentication, and authorization, and helped secure over 1B site visits in search of various IRS online services. As a result of their work, this program has enabled more than double the amount of people to securely access IRS online tools and applications.
Service and Leadership
Bethany Retton (DOJ FBI CJIS) - Bethany Retton has been involved in research and development at the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division for more than 10 years. She has worked on various projects including the latent search best practices using FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system, Universal Latent Workstation (ULW) software, Latent Quality Metric (LQMetric) software, and the FBI's iris pilot all of which are now operational. She is currently a member of National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Iris Expert’s Group (IEG) supporting further advancement of iris recognition capabilities. Retton also is the vice chair of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science’s (OSAC) Facial and Iris Identification Subcommittee assisting in the development iris recognition standards. Additionally, Ms. Retton serves as Chair of the International Association for Identification’s (IAI) Biometric Information Services Subcommittee and is also a certified latent fingerprint examiner through that organization.
More Information On Winners and Finalists
Best Technical Advancement
An individual or team that has created new capabilities or discovered limitations that will profoundly impact the federal government’s future identity capabilities or practices.
Winner: DoD Automated Biometric Identification System (DoD ABIS) Biometric Enabled Watch List (BEWL) Dissemination Management Functionality (BDMF) Team
Finalist: Adam McBride, Department of Health and Human Services
Finalist: FBI’s Iris Program Team – Department of Justice
Best Operational Success
An individual or team that has implemented new technology or practices and/or influenced legislation, regulation or policy in the federal identity community resulting in qualitative or quantitative success.
Winner: Social Media Exploitation Team (SOMEX) – Department of Justice
Finalist: Karyn Bennett – Immigration & Customs Enforcement
Finalist: Patrice Wilmot – Internal Revenue Service
Best Educational Effort
An individual or team that has excelled in providing training and/or education-based opportunities either: a) to the federal identity community; or b) about federal identity applications to the public, media, or Congress.
Winner: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN), and Tech Sprint Teams
Finalist: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Contactless Fingerprint Team
Service and Leadership Award
An individual or team that has provided substantive guidance and/or leadership to the federal identity community.
Winner: National Institute of Standards and Technology Image Group (NIST-ImG)
Career Achievement Award
An individual who has achieved significant and sustained achievements within the FedID community over a period of at least fifteen years.
Winner: Jim Loudermilk, former Senior Level Technologist, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Best Technical Advancement
An individual or team that has created new capabilities or discovered limitations that will profoundly impact the federal government’s future identity capabilities or practices.
Winner: Jason Lim, Transportation Security Administration
Runner up: Defense Forensic Science Center, Office of the Chief Scientist
Best Operational Success
An individual or team that has implemented new technology or practices and/or influenced legislation, regulation or policy in the federal identity community resulting in qualitative or quantitative success.
Winner: National Vetting Center
Runner up: Defense Forensic Science Center, Biometrics Operations Directorate
Runner up: Project Management Office for Department of Defense Biometrics
Best Educational Effort
An individual or team that has excelled in providing training and/or education-based opportunities either: a) to the federal identity community; or b) about federal identity applications to the public, media, or Congress.
Finalist: NIST Public Safety-First Responder ICAM Project Team
Runner up: Lora Sims, Ideal Innovations, Inc.
Service and Leadership Award
An individual or team that has provided substantive guidance and/or leadership to the federal identity community.
Finalist: Nandini Diamond, General Services Administration
Runner up: Steve Evans, Customs and Border Protection
Career Achievement Award
An individual who has achieved significant and sustained achievements within the FedID community over a period of at least fifteen years.
Winner: Jonathon Phillips, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Best Technical Advancement
An individual or team that has created new capabilities or discovered limitations that will profoundly impact the federal government’s future identity capabilities or practices.
Winner: Technical Services Field Office - Identity Activities Branch, NCIS
Runner up: DoD PM Biometrics BISCO Team
Runner up: Technical Team, National Vetting Center
Best Operational Success
An individual or team that has implemented new technology or practices and/or influenced legislation, regulation or policy in the federal identity community resulting in qualitative or quantitative success.
Winner: CBP Entry/Exit Team
Runner up: James "Edd" Kirkley
Runner up: DHS/DoD Biometric Information Sharing Interoperability Project Team
Best Educational Effort
An individual or team that has excelled in providing training and/or education-based opportunities either: a) to the federal identity community; or b) about federal identity applications to the public, media, or Congress.
Winner: Face Recognition Test Vendor Program, NIST
Runner up: Jeremy Grant
Runner up: Ann Wallwork
Service and Leadership Award
An individual or team that has provided substantive guidance and/or leadership to the federal identity community.
Winner: John Wagner
Runner up: Alicia Harrison
Career Achievement Award
An individual who has achieved significant and sustained achievements within the FedID community over a period of at least fifteen years.
Winner: Chris Miles