Janet Reno, the attorney general under Bill Clinton, is set to kick off Penn State's new forensic science program by speaking today to a forensic science first-year seminar class.

Reno, who will be introduced by Penn State President Graham Spanier, will begin her presentation at 12:20 p.m. in 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries.

She will discuss the importance of forensic science education and its role in law. The speech is open to all students and faculty.

Robert Shaler, director of the forensic science program at Penn State, said he knows Reno from the American Judicature Society and asked her to speak.

Reno worked for almost eight years during the Clinton administration, and besides the distinction of being the first female attorney general, she had one of the longest terms in history.

Shaler added that she is a supporter of forensic education and has a "great passion" for the field.

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said in an e-mail message that Reno is just one of the many nationally recognized experts that Shaler and his colleagues will bring to Penn State.

"This is going to be one of many interesting activities related to a program that is going to quickly become one of the best of its kind in the nation," Mahon said.

This is the first semester the new major is available to Penn State students. It is being offered by the Eberly College of Science, with specialists from the colleges of Agriculture, the Liberal Arts and Health and Human Development.

Forty students are enrolled in the first-year seminar, which will feature weekly presentations by different specialists in the forensics field.

About 20 additional students have enrolled in Forensic Science 297A (Principles of Crime Scene Investigation), another class offered for the major.

Shaler said he believes Reno's presentation will be a great start for the new courses, and he has high expectations for Penn State's forensic science program. "I think this is going to be the premier program," he said.