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ST. LOUIS (AP) — A discovery made by two Washington University scientists could play a role in preventing credit card fraud.

Marcel Muller and Ron Indeck were attempting to shrink bits of data onto a hard drive in the mid-1990s when they learned that magnetic media has what amounts to a fingerprint.

Tiny signals are present on the magnetic medium that comprises both hard drives and the strips on the back of credit cards. If the unique fingerprint on those strips is compared to fingerprints in a database, fraud can be detected.

California-based MagTek has adopted the technology, seeding the market with millions of card readers that can detect the fingerprints. The company's chief executive says the technology just needs to be "turned on" and used.

   Students at the Gateway Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) High School will find some upgrades when they arrive for classes Monday morning. The St. Louis magnet school was the beneficiary of a community service project that capped off the sixth annual Clinton Global Inititative University.  Former President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea led more than 700 volunteers in giving the school a makeover inside and out. 

   President Clinton carried his message to commit to action to St. Louis challenging students to find solutions to issues regarding human rights, public health, the environment, poverty, and education. Speaking at Gateway STEM high school, Clinton urged Americans to focus on science, technology, engineering and math.

   "We need to produce, over the next decade, one million people trained in the STEM areas just to maintain our current position, never mind to recover the rate of economic growth and prosperity that the country needs," Clinton said.

   Volunteers spent the day Sunday painting, carpeting, weeding and planting gardens. 

   Gateway Principal Beth Bender says the improvements included the installation of over 80 solar panels as well as a place for students to grow vegitables.

   "The Washington University school of architecture and landscape design has designed these beautiful and very functional raised bed gardens so we can do some urban farming here in the city and our students can learn about that," Bender said.

   Bender says Clinton's project will have a big impact on her school.

 

 

   ST. LOUIS (AP) - The Clinton Global Initiative University gets under way Friday in St. Louis with former President Bill Clinton leading a discussion on the challenges young entrepreneurs and innovators face in launching a new business.

   The president's daughter, Chelsea Clinton, is scheduled to speak at the session. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, who grew up in St. Louis, is part of the panel.

   More than 1,000 university students from 75 countries and all 50 states are participating in the weekend of events at Washington University. The goal is to develop practical and innovative solutions to the world's problems.

   Previous Clinton Global Initiative conferences have taken place at George Washington University, Tulane University, the University of Texas, the University of Miami, and the University of California, San Diego.

The Sigma Alpha Eplison fraternity chapter at Washington University has been reinstated.

 

SAE was suspended in February after pledges were allegedly involved in a racist stunt on campus. The university newspaper reported that pledges were given a scavenger hunt and during the activity a group of pledges recited racist rap lyrics to a group of black students.

 

Stephen Colbert and President Bill Clinton are headed to St. Louis next month.

Colbert will interview Clinton on April 6 at Washington University. The appearance is the closing session of the sixth annual Clinton Global Initiative University meeting. Clinton started the program five years ago as a way to engage the next generation of leaders from around the word.

The interview will air during the Colbert Report during the week of April 8.

Stephen Colbert and President Bill Clinton are headed to St. Louis next month.

Colbert will interview Clinton on April 6 at Washington University. The appearance is the closing session of the sixth annual Clinton Global Initiative University meeting. Clinton started the program five years ago as a way to engage the next generation of leaders from around the word.

The interview will air during the Colbert Report during the week of April 8.

BERKELEY, Mo. (AP) — Researchers from Washington University have joined the effort to find the grave of an unidentified child who was decapitated three decades ago.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that a research associate and three graduate students at Washington University on Thursday began helping to locate the child's misplaced grave.

Funeral director Calvin Whitaker has been trying to find the remains of the child known as "Little Jane Doe" or "Hope." Her body isn't in the grave site listed for her in Washington Park Cemetery.

Abby Stylianou, a computer science and engineering researcher, plans to compare photographs of the child's burial with aerial images and hopes to have results that could help locate the remains, which could then be examined using new DNA tests to possibly identify the child.

Washington University officials say members of a campus fraternity crossed a line Tuesday when they allegedly hurled racial slurs at a group of African-American students. The incident reportedly involved students pledging the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Washington University’s Student Life newspaper reports that a group of African-American students were having dinner in the Bear’s Den dining facility when a few students approached and took a photo of them. The fraternity pledges then returned with a larger group of people, and began reciting the words to a rap song that contained repeated use of the "N-word."

University officials have suspended the fraternity while they investigate the incident.

Mike Zissman, president of the Wash U chapter of SAE apologized on Facebook for the incident, calling it "detestable" and "completely unacceptable."

The Chancellor of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is joining the Washington University administration. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Holden Thorp will take over as provost, the university's top academic officer, over the summer.

The 48 year old Thorp succeeds Edward Macias, who retired after 25 years in the post.