The 2021 IAPR Young Biometrics Investigator Award (YBIA) was given to Dr. Vishal Patel from Johns Hopkins University, USA. This highly competitive award recognizes an individual under the age of 40 who has made substantial contributions to the IAPR Biometrics community and whose research has had a major impact in biometrics. Dr. Patel was selected by the Committee for “advancing learning in biometrics and identity science”.