The deadly turn of events on Sept. 11, 2001 made Jeff Price's area of expertise extremely desirable.

An assistant professor of aerospace science and Metro State alumnus ('88), Price is one of the country's leading experts on aviation security. He is the author of a brand-new textbook on aviation security—the first written since 9/11—which debuts this fall. And the new aerospace science requirement, a course called "Aviation Security," is his brainchild. (Price has read "The 9/11 Commission Report" and offers his thoughts in a Guest Commentary in today's This Week @Metro. Go to http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/@metro/tw@metro_vol2/911_twv2090804.htm )

Price's interest in planes dates back to his childhood. Like many pilots, he was one of those kids with his neck craned perpetually at the sky. In college, he worked at Stapleton in airport security as a screener and security guard. In 1989, he entered the Coast Guard, serving as an intelligence officer for three years before returning to Denver to work in operations and security at both Stapleton and DIA. On Sept. 11, 2001, while Price was working as the Jefferson County Airport manager, he experienced a security crisis of the first order when the nation's planes were ordered out of the sky. Following the tragedy, Price served on a national committee that made airport security recommendations to the federal government.

Equipped with his security background, Price began consulting and today is the primary airport security coordinator trainer for the American Association of Airport Executives through his consultancy Leading Edge Strategies. Price is also a prolific writer, having penned articles for regional aviation business journals, industry publications such as Plane & Pilot magazine, Airport Report and Airport Business Magazine plus consumer and special interest publications that include Colorado Golf magazine, Golfweek and Golf Tips.

"There just aren't too many homeland or aviation security experts," Price explains. "At Metro, we're working to design classes now to put people into those (emerging) jobs."