18.12.2013 Views

Focus on Forensics - College of Humanities and Sciences - Virginia ...

Focus on Forensics - College of Humanities and Sciences - Virginia ...

Focus on Forensics - College of Humanities and Sciences - Virginia ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Focus</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Forensics</strong><br />

Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

Faculty<br />

Tracey Daws<strong>on</strong><br />

Cruz<br />

Lyndsay Durham<br />

Chris Ehrhardt<br />

Eric Hazelrigg<br />

Excellence in our Graduates<br />

Outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />

Graduate<br />

Joseph Ring<br />

Fall<br />

Marilyn Miller<br />

Michelle Peace<br />

Sarah Seashols<br />

Affiliate:<br />

Ann Davis<br />

Pete Mar<strong>on</strong>e<br />

Al Poklis<br />

Robert Steiner<br />

Carl Wolf<br />

Inside this issue:<br />

GRADUATION 2<br />

SPOTLIGHTS<br />

UNDERGRAD 3<br />

GRAD 4<br />

FSSC 4<br />

INTERNATIONAL 5<br />

MILITARY 6<br />

SPORT 6<br />

Outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />

Undergraduate<br />

Samantha Boyd<br />

Matthew Goldstein<br />

May<br />

2012<br />

Leadership <strong>and</strong><br />

Service Awards<br />

Graduate Students<br />

Jessica Barker<br />

Vaibhav “Web” Bist<br />

Alex<strong>and</strong>er Jacobs<br />

Crystal Munger<br />

Laura Caitlin Oliver<br />

Joseph Ring<br />

Katherine van den<br />

Heever<br />

Undergraduate Students<br />

Kent Aje<br />

Jessica Combs<br />

Matthew Goldstein<br />

Sarita Schultz<br />

Sarah Willis<br />

Academic Achievement<br />

Awards<br />

(Cumulative GPA <strong>of</strong> 3.85 or<br />

higher)<br />

Graduate Students<br />

Jessica Barker<br />

Shann<strong>on</strong> Cassatt<br />

Jeremy M<strong>on</strong>kres<br />

Crystal Munger<br />

Joseph Ring<br />

Maria Saeed<br />

Katherine van den Heever<br />

ALUMNI 7<br />

NEW FACULTY 8<br />

INSTRUMENTATION 8<br />

Undergraduate Students<br />

Samantha Boyd<br />

Matthew Goldstein<br />

Ian O’Keefe<br />

WORKSHOP 9<br />

RENOVATION 10


Page 2 F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

Undergraduate Class <strong>of</strong> 2012<br />

Ali Abed<br />

Kent Aje<br />

Mohamed Alabduljabbar<br />

K<strong>and</strong>ice Alex<strong>and</strong>er<br />

Astrid Aniwa<br />

Carla Bacchus<br />

Mohamead Bakir<br />

Noel Basma<br />

K'Sh<strong>on</strong>da Bishop-Crump<br />

Samantha Boyd<br />

Ra-Shaunti Budgess<br />

Heather Chapman<br />

Jessica Combs<br />

Sean Cr<strong>on</strong>in<br />

Marjan Darab<br />

Christina Ferrer<br />

Matthew Goldstein<br />

Graduate<br />

Anna Greer<br />

Sabih Haq<br />

Michelle Harper<br />

Sadia Hassan<br />

Christina Hayes<br />

Kinjalba Jadeja<br />

Am<strong>and</strong>a Jennings<br />

Kathryn Johns<strong>on</strong><br />

Navneet Kaur<br />

Victoria Knopik<br />

Marlea Lee<br />

Anna Le<strong>on</strong>e<br />

Kate Lepire<br />

Ishaq Mallik<br />

Cher<strong>on</strong><br />

Maxwell<br />

Katherine<br />

McD<strong>on</strong>ald<br />

Class <strong>of</strong> 2012<br />

Roberto Mejia<br />

Am<strong>and</strong>a Michael<br />

Crystal Minwegen<br />

Horatio Nguyen<br />

Justin Nguyen<br />

Ian O'Keefe<br />

James Phan<br />

Lyndsi Porto<br />

Sarita Schultz<br />

Laura Schweinhart<br />

Whitney Simps<strong>on</strong><br />

Rose Villanueva<br />

Kaitlin Warringt<strong>on</strong><br />

Rykia Williams<br />

Sarah Willis<br />

Jessica Barker<br />

Jennifer Bartman<br />

Samantha Berghorn<br />

Web Bist<br />

Shann<strong>on</strong> Cassatt<br />

Ashley Goldstein<br />

Tyler Grissom<br />

Travis Harris<br />

Alex Jacobs<br />

Grace Jang<br />

Hillary Krause<br />

Jeremy M<strong>on</strong>kres<br />

Crystal Munger<br />

Caitlin Oliver<br />

Andrea Phares<br />

Joseph Ring<br />

Maria Saeed<br />

Kate van den Heever<br />

Christopher Witt


Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics<br />

Page 3<br />

Undergraduate Spotlight: Sammy Boyd<br />

I, al<strong>on</strong>g with Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Bertino, Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Seashols, <strong>and</strong> Jacob Huffstickler have been researching<br />

the applicati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> Raman Spectroscopy to body fluid analysis – specifically blood –<br />

for the past three years. Saying (or writing) that sounds incredibly fancy. I'm almost sad to<br />

demystify our work, but the reality is that it is not too difficult to underst<strong>and</strong> what we have<br />

d<strong>on</strong>e, <strong>on</strong>ce you underst<strong>and</strong> how the Raman works. Basically what happens is that a laser is<br />

aimed at a sample. When the laser is focused <strong>on</strong> the sample, an interacti<strong>on</strong> happens which<br />

vibrates <strong>and</strong> rotates the molecules comprising the sample, raising their electr<strong>on</strong>s to an excited<br />

state. When the electr<strong>on</strong>s return to a lower energy state, they return the energy that<br />

they initially received from the laser; light is scattered. The scattered wavelengths pass<br />

through some filters so that what is left is <strong>on</strong>ly the light that has been inelastically scattered –<br />

it's a different wavelength from the laser. Those inelastically scattered wavelengths are interpreted<br />

as peaks al<strong>on</strong>g a number line <strong>and</strong> those peaks,<br />

like with IR spectroscopy, are indicative <strong>of</strong> chemical b<strong>on</strong>ds<br />

<strong>and</strong> thus, the chemical compositi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the sample. This<br />

allows us to take unknown items, analyze them, <strong>and</strong> determine<br />

their identity based <strong>on</strong> the spectras that are produced.<br />

What has been discovered with our work so far is that the<br />

spectra <strong>of</strong> blood has the same peaks between people. We<br />

know that dry blood looks a little bit different from wet<br />

blood, that sometimes you can get a reading <strong>of</strong> blood <strong>on</strong><br />

different substrates but the substrates that fluoresce a lot<br />

(denim, cott<strong>on</strong>, etc...) make it difficult to produce a spectra<br />

<strong>of</strong> blood. We know that we can rec<strong>on</strong>stitute blood to recover that<br />

Natural<br />

spectra,<br />

curiosity<br />

but<br />

<strong>and</strong><br />

the<br />

doing<br />

downfall<br />

her research<br />

is a diluti<strong>on</strong> limitati<strong>on</strong> to<br />

to<br />

that (aside from the fact that it damages the sample) is that there<br />

what the Raman can “read”. To compensate for that, we know that Surfaced Enhanced Raman<br />

Spectroscopy can be employed to enhance the signal. With this, an electromagnetic field is<br />

c<strong>on</strong>centrated around the sample to produce an enhancement. This allows us to go from a diluti<strong>on</strong><br />

limitati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> 1:250 to 1:100,000. We also know that a menial<br />

amount <strong>of</strong> DNA is degraded through this process <strong>and</strong> that<br />

items which comm<strong>on</strong>ly produce false positives for presumptive<br />

tests for blood have spectras that are distinct from blood.<br />

I've never c<strong>on</strong>sidered myself to be a particularly innovative or<br />

an incredibly intelligent pers<strong>on</strong>. I'll grant myself hardworking<br />

<strong>and</strong> curious – I always have to underst<strong>and</strong> the why <strong>and</strong> the<br />

how...I do my research. I can h<strong>on</strong>estly say that I never envisi<strong>on</strong>ed<br />

that I would be doing any sort <strong>of</strong> research in school; that<br />

was for clinicians with white coats <strong>and</strong> beakers. When I started<br />

doing research I could barely work a microscope. But now I'm<br />

graduated with three years <strong>of</strong> research <strong>and</strong> a few publicati<strong>on</strong>s<br />

<strong>and</strong> presentati<strong>on</strong>s under my belt. I still d<strong>on</strong>'t think <strong>of</strong> myself as<br />

innovative or very intelligent; my experiences are a result <strong>of</strong> an<br />

incredible amount <strong>of</strong> faith <strong>on</strong> the part <strong>of</strong> my pr<strong>of</strong>essors, a lot <strong>of</strong><br />

luck <strong>and</strong> being at the right place at the right time, <strong>and</strong> because<br />

(as I said before) I am a naturally curious pers<strong>on</strong>. And I know<br />

that if I can wind up doing what I did, any<strong>on</strong>e can too. Be outgoing.<br />

Get to know your pr<strong>of</strong>essors. Show a willingness to try<br />

new things <strong>and</strong> most importantly, do your research.


Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics<br />

Page 4<br />

Graduate Spotlight Alex Jacobs<br />

Greetings! I’m Alex Jacobs, a graduate <strong>of</strong> the<br />

class <strong>of</strong> 2012 Forensic Science Master’s<br />

Program at VCU. While working <strong>on</strong> my degree,<br />

I completed several research projects. My<br />

directed research project was the Analysis<br />

<strong>of</strong> Natural Testoster<strong>on</strong>e Boosters for the<br />

Presence <strong>of</strong> Steroids<br />

though the use <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Accu-TOF DART under<br />

the mentorship <strong>of</strong><br />

Robert Steiner at the<br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> Department <strong>of</strong><br />

Forensic Science. The<br />

goal <strong>of</strong> the project was<br />

to develop a screening<br />

method for these supplements<br />

to determine if<br />

minute levels <strong>of</strong> steroids<br />

could be detected.<br />

However, because <strong>of</strong><br />

all the other organic<br />

material in these products,<br />

low levels were<br />

unable to be detected reliably. I c<strong>on</strong>tinued<br />

to work under Mr. Steiner, working <strong>on</strong> detecting<br />

the chromophore produced by the<br />

Duquenois-Levine test for tetrahydrocannabinol.<br />

This research sought to detect the chromophore<br />

in a marijuana sample, as the structure <strong>of</strong> the<br />

chromophore had been previously determined.<br />

My work with the test also helped to derive a<br />

change in the formula that allowed older samples<br />

to produce results similar to that <strong>of</strong> a fresh<br />

sample. This research was presented at the 2012<br />

Mid-Atlantic Associati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> Forensic Scientists<br />

meeting, where it was well-received. This fall, I<br />

will be attending Indiana University to pursue a<br />

doctoral degree in Analytical Chemistry. I will begin<br />

research with the Clemmer Group starting<br />

this June.<br />

Completing the VCU Forensic Science Master’s<br />

Program allowed me to discover my love for<br />

research <strong>and</strong> the development <strong>of</strong> new ideas to<br />

solve a problem. Before starting the master’s<br />

program, I was unsure what my true interests<br />

were. Through the program <strong>and</strong> by working with<br />

Mr. Steiner, I found I was more interested in<br />

research than performing casework. Ultimately,<br />

this is what led me to decide to c<strong>on</strong>tinue my<br />

educati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> pursue a doctorate.<br />

Forensic Science Student Club<br />

Welcome to a br<strong>and</strong> new semester for the Forensic Science Student Club!<br />

We are excited <strong>and</strong> ready to welcome new members to our club. The club participates<br />

in a wide variety <strong>of</strong> trips, speaking engagements, VCU special events<br />

<strong>and</strong> open houses. Our most notable event is our annual Murder Mystery Dinner<br />

Theater which last semester had its biggest turnout <strong>of</strong> 110 guests c<strong>on</strong>sisting <strong>of</strong><br />

students, parents, <strong>and</strong> faculty!<br />

Each semester the club engages in <strong>of</strong>f-campus learning opportunities<br />

such as a tour <strong>of</strong> the Office <strong>of</strong> the Chief Medical Examiner, Domini<strong>on</strong><br />

Shooting Range <strong>and</strong> a trip to the Crime <strong>and</strong> Punishment<br />

Museum in Washingt<strong>on</strong> D.C. The club hosts speakers such as<br />

Mary Maguire who is a Federal Public Defender <strong>and</strong> former Chief<br />

Medical Examiner, Dr. Marcella Fierro. The club also participates<br />

in various volunteer opportunities throughout the semester like<br />

the campus blood drives, SOVO fair, open houses, <strong>and</strong> Relay for<br />

Life.<br />

This semester kicked <strong>of</strong>f with a club meeting <strong>on</strong> Thursday,<br />

August 30 th in M<strong>on</strong>roe Park where we played games, had<br />

prizes <strong>and</strong> provided great informati<strong>on</strong> about the club, its activities<br />

<strong>and</strong> the <strong>of</strong>ficers. We look forward to having an amazing semester<br />

with you <strong>and</strong> if you have any questi<strong>on</strong>s, comments or c<strong>on</strong>cerns please c<strong>on</strong>tact Megan Tabor<br />

at tabormn@vcu.edu or you can reach us at the Forensic Science Student Club’s Facebook page.


Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics<br />

Page 5<br />

Internati<strong>on</strong>al Spotlight Jarah Al-Thafiri<br />

My name is Jarah Al-Thafiri, a citizen from Kuwait, a small country in the Middle East, which has an estimated<br />

populati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> three milli<strong>on</strong> today. Up<strong>on</strong> finishing high school, I had no clue which major to<br />

choose until there was an announcement that the ministry <strong>of</strong> interior opened up its doors for applicants<br />

wishing to join the military. The program <strong>of</strong>fered a scholarship in forensic science. It sparked my interest<br />

when I read “forensic science” in the ad, being a major fan “CSI” <strong>and</strong> a major geek when it came to<br />

chemistry <strong>and</strong> biology. After passing the required examinati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>and</strong> getting accepted into the program, I<br />

was told by <strong>of</strong>ficials that it was being taught in the United States, at <strong>Virginia</strong> Comm<strong>on</strong>wealth University<br />

to be specific. I had no clue where <strong>Virginia</strong> even was <strong>on</strong> a map!<br />

Coming to VCU was a culture shock for me. I had never traveled al<strong>on</strong>e <strong>and</strong> so far, making friends from<br />

other countries <strong>and</strong> other nati<strong>on</strong>alities, <strong>and</strong> looking at things from a different perspective. It taught me<br />

how to take charge <strong>and</strong> be resp<strong>on</strong>sible. The excitement <strong>and</strong> rush all began when I took my first forensic<br />

based class, a survey <strong>of</strong> this unique major, ranging from crime scene <strong>and</strong> search, firearms <strong>and</strong> ballistics,<br />

serology, toxicology, entomology <strong>and</strong> other different areas <strong>of</strong> the study. As I took more core classes, I<br />

found myself more attracted to the field <strong>and</strong> thankful that I chose to embark <strong>on</strong> this great journey.<br />

After graduati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> coming back home to start work, I knew<br />

that there would be a difference in the applicati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the scientific<br />

techniques that we’ve practiced <strong>and</strong> studied back in the<br />

states. Let’s start <strong>on</strong> how our work system functi<strong>on</strong>s here:<br />

There are six districts in Kuwait, served by the Department <strong>of</strong><br />

Criminal Evidence which has the following secti<strong>on</strong>s: crime<br />

scene (where I work), medical examinati<strong>on</strong>, administrati<strong>on</strong>,<br />

criminal photography, fingerprint archive <strong>and</strong> the main laboratories<br />

. Since I work in the crime scene <strong>and</strong> search secti<strong>on</strong> in<br />

<strong>on</strong>e district, I’m not involved in lab work. Our main task is to<br />

travel to the scene <strong>of</strong> the crime, take notes <strong>and</strong> photographic<br />

evidence, <strong>and</strong> collect any valuable piece <strong>of</strong> evidence. I’m glad<br />

that I get to work in that particular secti<strong>on</strong> because everything<br />

starts at the crime scene. I get to interact with important <strong>of</strong>ficials<br />

at the scene, such as the DA, medical examiner, witnesses <strong>and</strong> various police <strong>of</strong>ficials. As a crime<br />

scene investigator in the police force, I take c<strong>on</strong>trol at the scene, making sure no evidence goes unnoticed<br />

or is tampered with. My job c<strong>on</strong>sists <strong>of</strong> a 24 hour shift, where three other forensic practiti<strong>on</strong>ers<br />

<strong>and</strong> I split the caseload <strong>of</strong> the day. In the district in which I work, most <strong>of</strong> the cases involve house burglaries,<br />

car thefts <strong>and</strong> natural death but we do get the occasi<strong>on</strong>al suicide, murder, ars<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> attempted<br />

assaults. The job also <strong>of</strong>fers seminars <strong>on</strong> advancements in the field such as teaching <strong>and</strong> using three<br />

dimensi<strong>on</strong>al photography, seminars in other departments such as Kuwait’s Investigati<strong>on</strong> Bureau <strong>and</strong> at<br />

times, overseas in the States <strong>and</strong> Engl<strong>and</strong>.<br />

The <strong>on</strong>ly negative thing about the job is that our department<br />

does not close the case but it is the bureau that closes it. We<br />

are the <strong>on</strong>es who start the work at the scene, acquire the<br />

evidence, send samples to the lab <strong>and</strong> receive the results<br />

that help the DA <strong>and</strong> investigati<strong>on</strong> team catch the assailants.<br />

When it comes to the future, I would like to branch out further<br />

in the field, earn a master’s degree <strong>and</strong> a PhD in physical<br />

evidence <strong>and</strong> maybe teach the future police <strong>of</strong>ficers who, like<br />

me, choose this as a career. I would also like to study more<br />

about criminology <strong>and</strong> its various aspects <strong>of</strong> study <strong>and</strong> try to<br />

apply it back home. I would love to get the opportunity to<br />

work <strong>and</strong> practice the field in another country to compare<br />

notes with them <strong>and</strong> improve my knowledge in the field.


Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics<br />

Page 6<br />

Military Spotlight<br />

Jillian Merritt<br />

I originally looked at the Navy as a way<br />

to pay for Medical School. As a Forensic<br />

Science major I had a lot <strong>of</strong> exposure to<br />

the biological sciences <strong>and</strong> when I took<br />

Forensic Medicine it made me want to<br />

pursue a career as a medical examiner.<br />

However, the more I thought about it, the<br />

more unsure I was about my decisi<strong>on</strong> to<br />

attend medical school. I decided to see<br />

what else the Navy had to <strong>of</strong>fer so I<br />

spent hours going over the different<br />

types <strong>of</strong> jobs they had, the commitment<br />

you had to make, <strong>and</strong> the applicati<strong>on</strong><br />

process. I found a field that I thought was<br />

particularly interesting so I decided I<br />

wanted to apply. After a grueling applicati<strong>on</strong><br />

process I found out I was selected for my<br />

first choice field- Informati<strong>on</strong> Warfare. I went<br />

to Officer C<strong>and</strong>idate School (OCS), got my<br />

commissi<strong>on</strong>ing <strong>on</strong> June 3, 2011 <strong>and</strong> then went<br />

to Pensacola for my Informati<strong>on</strong> Warfare<br />

Basic Course. I am now stati<strong>on</strong>ed in Hawaii<br />

for 3 years! I am the <strong>on</strong>ly pers<strong>on</strong> from my<br />

OCS class <strong>and</strong> at my new comm<strong>and</strong> with a<br />

Forensic Science degree <strong>and</strong> I am also the<br />

<strong>on</strong>ly Informati<strong>on</strong> Warfare designator from my<br />

OCS class. I believe many <strong>of</strong> the skills I<br />

learned in the Forensic Science program have<br />

helped me so far in my Naval Career. I am<br />

now a Divisi<strong>on</strong> Officer <strong>and</strong> lead two 24-hour<br />

watch teams <strong>and</strong> the informati<strong>on</strong> technology<br />

service desk. I have been Commissi<strong>on</strong>ed in<br />

the Navy for a little over a year now <strong>and</strong> I<br />

love every minute <strong>of</strong> it. It am always learning<br />

something new <strong>and</strong> finding ways to improve<br />

my leadership. People<br />

always ask me what I<br />

majored in <strong>and</strong> when I<br />

tell them "Forensic<br />

Science, Biology Track<br />

with a minor in<br />

Chemistry" they look<br />

c<strong>on</strong>fused. I tell them, it<br />

may not be directly<br />

related to what I do<br />

now, but it definitely<br />

gave me a solid foundati<strong>on</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong> I feel like I<br />

can go anywhere with<br />

my unique educati<strong>on</strong>al<br />

background.<br />

Sport Spotlight<br />

Luke Thomas<strong>on</strong><br />

I figured out <strong>on</strong>e day the<br />

percentage <strong>of</strong> the student<br />

body that is athletically involved.<br />

It is around .05 %. It’<br />

s kind <strong>of</strong> crazy to think. In<br />

high school, what was the<br />

percentage? Thirty percent,<br />

maybe 40%? Being <strong>on</strong><br />

the track team keeps me in<br />

line when it comes to school.<br />

As coach always reminds<br />

us, school is always first. If<br />

there is a test or a project<br />

that needs to be d<strong>on</strong>e, we<br />

can be excused from practice.<br />

It’s better to miss <strong>on</strong>e<br />

practice than to fail <strong>and</strong> be <strong>on</strong> athletic suspensi<strong>on</strong><br />

the whole next semester. Being <strong>on</strong><br />

the track team means I am always busy.<br />

Being always busy means that time is what<br />

I value most. When things start to get cut<br />

short, it is about a guarantee that amount <strong>of</strong><br />

hours to sleep will decrease. To most people,<br />

6 hours <strong>of</strong> sleep means that the next<br />

day will be a l<strong>on</strong>g <strong>on</strong>e. For me, 6 hours is a<br />

blessing. Most people (even athletes) can<br />

usually catch up with their sleep <strong>on</strong> the<br />

weekends. When in seas<strong>on</strong>, (all sec<strong>on</strong>d<br />

semester) there is a track meet almost<br />

every Saturday somewhere al<strong>on</strong>g the east<br />

coast. It could be as close as George Mas<strong>on</strong><br />

or it could be as far as University <strong>of</strong> South<br />

Florida. That varies from getting up around<br />

5 to be at a local meet (Mas<strong>on</strong>) or leaving<br />

late <strong>on</strong> a Thursday for a meet that entails a<br />

l<strong>on</strong>g bus ride or a flight out <strong>of</strong> RIC. I have<br />

loved every minute <strong>of</strong> being <strong>on</strong> the team<br />

here at VCU. I have met some great people<br />

al<strong>on</strong>g the way. I have also had some<br />

great less<strong>on</strong>s taught <strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>f the field. I<br />

love sports <strong>and</strong> I will truly miss them after I<br />

graduate.<br />

For now, I work part time at Health Diagnostic<br />

Lab in downtown Richm<strong>on</strong>d where I<br />

plan <strong>on</strong> going full time after completi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />

my undergraduate degree (spring 2013). I<br />

will work there while completing an MBA.<br />

My ultimate goal is combine my undergraduate<br />

knowledge <strong>of</strong> science with the<br />

business knowledge <strong>of</strong> the MBA. That way,<br />

I can help run a company from not <strong>on</strong>ly the<br />

science side but the business side too.


Page 7 F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

Alumni Spotlight Web Bist & Caitlin Oliver<br />

It was a mere four weeks <strong>on</strong><br />

the lavish campus <strong>of</strong> InfoSys<br />

located in Mysore, India. We<br />

began our trip with a 24 hour<br />

plane ride, having <strong>on</strong>ly a<br />

week to adjust to the tenhour<br />

time difference. With<br />

graduate school just finishing,<br />

we quickly had to apply our<br />

knowledge into a three-week<br />

crash course <strong>on</strong> the basics <strong>of</strong><br />

forensic science. It didn’t become<br />

real until we met the<br />

35 children we would be<br />

teaching. Each <strong>of</strong> our classes<br />

c<strong>on</strong>tained 17-18 seventh<br />

st<strong>and</strong>ard kids who tested in<br />

the 99 th percentile in the entire<br />

country <strong>of</strong> India. After<br />

the first day, it was apparent<br />

how brilliant these kids really<br />

were. Their enthusiasm kept<br />

us going night after night,<br />

adapting our less<strong>on</strong> plans to<br />

challenge them in all areas <strong>of</strong><br />

forensic science. This included<br />

us having to research <strong>and</strong><br />

become more familiar with<br />

topics that were <strong>on</strong>ly touched<br />

up<strong>on</strong> in our studies outside<br />

our c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>. During the<br />

first two weeks, we provided<br />

the students with the basic<br />

skill set <strong>of</strong> a forensic scientist.<br />

We were excited the<br />

next week when they were<br />

able to apply these skills to a<br />

mock crime we created. We<br />

incorporated everything from<br />

DNA to h<strong>and</strong>writing in these<br />

mock crime scenes so the<br />

students would need to bring<br />

their best to be successful.<br />

Although the teaching kept<br />

us busy six <strong>of</strong> the seven days<br />

in the week, we got to explore<br />

outside the campus.<br />

The highlight <strong>of</strong> our adventures in<br />

the city was visiting the largest<br />

palace in India, the Mysore palace.<br />

We were able to go inside<br />

<strong>and</strong> learn about the history <strong>and</strong><br />

culture <strong>of</strong> the regi<strong>on</strong>. Despite not<br />

having any time to breathe<br />

between school <strong>and</strong> India, the<br />

chance to teach these bright kids<br />

has been an unforgettable<br />

experience. We’d like to thank<br />

Dr. Marilyn Miller for providing<br />

us with this <strong>on</strong>ce-in-a-lifetime<br />

opportunity.<br />

Alumni Associati<strong>on</strong>: Join Now<br />

GOLD (Graduates <strong>of</strong> the Last Decade)<br />

The VCU Alumni Associati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong>fers GOLD<br />

special membership pricing, (<strong>on</strong>ly $25) If your<br />

first degree from VCU was earned in 2002 or<br />

later you qualify. Benefits <strong>of</strong> membership include<br />

CareerBeam, <strong>on</strong>line journals access, exp<strong>and</strong>ed<br />

access to the <strong>on</strong>line alumni directory <strong>and</strong> many<br />

discounts. In additi<strong>on</strong>, look for special<br />

GOLD events.<br />

The goal <strong>of</strong> STAT is to facilitate interacti<strong>on</strong><br />

between students <strong>and</strong> alumni <strong>and</strong> to enhance the<br />

student experience by providing opportunities<br />

STAT (Students Today Alumni Tomorrow)<br />

that strengthen lifel<strong>on</strong>g loyalty to VCU. STAT<br />

provides unique benefits including networking<br />

with alumni, c<strong>on</strong>necting with other VCU students,<br />

STAT T-shirt to wear <strong>on</strong> T-shirt days to get<br />

even more free stuff, BEAT shirts to show your<br />

Ram Pride at athletic events & complimentary<br />

items <strong>on</strong> Spirit Day. We will have events <strong>and</strong><br />

programs all year l<strong>on</strong>g with free goodies for<br />

STAT members <strong>on</strong>ly. Annual membership is <strong>on</strong>ly<br />

$15 per school year. You can also join STAT as a<br />

four-year member for <strong>on</strong>ly $50 .


Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics<br />

Page 8<br />

Instrumentati<strong>on</strong>: Leica Geosystems' ScanStati<strong>on</strong><br />

Thanks to the generous support<br />

<strong>of</strong> the Provost’s Office<br />

<strong>and</strong> the Dean’s Office <strong>of</strong> the<br />

<strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Humanities</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>Sciences</strong>, the Department <strong>of</strong><br />

Forensic Science has recently<br />

purchased a Leica Geosystems’<br />

ScanStati<strong>on</strong>-10 3D<br />

laser scanner. The ScanStati<strong>on</strong><br />

is a versatile <strong>and</strong> easy-to<br />

-use 3D laser scanning system<br />

which enables users to panoramically<br />

photograph <strong>and</strong><br />

then laser scan (measure) a<br />

scene with an extraordinary<br />

level <strong>of</strong> speed, accuracy <strong>and</strong><br />

completeness. The informati<strong>on</strong><br />

gathered can be used to generate<br />

up to seven high-value<br />

3-D rapid resp<strong>on</strong>se products<br />

within minutes <strong>of</strong> scanning for<br />

briefings <strong>and</strong> to provide detectives<br />

with detailed informati<strong>on</strong><br />

about the crime scene <strong>and</strong> the<br />

physical evidence. In the courtroom,<br />

Leica Geosystems' laser scanning<br />

data allows prosecutors to place<br />

the jury at the scene. Leica Geosystems'<br />

ScanStati<strong>on</strong> technology has<br />

been adopted by thous<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong><br />

forensic laboratories <strong>and</strong> law enforcement<br />

agencies around the<br />

world. This documentati<strong>on</strong> instrument<br />

is <strong>of</strong> interest to a variety<br />

<strong>of</strong> criminal justice system<br />

pr<strong>of</strong>essi<strong>on</strong>als: Homicide Detectives,<br />

Prosecutors, Homel<strong>and</strong> Security<br />

Officials, Crime Scene Investigators,<br />

Forensic Scientists,<br />

Special Weap<strong>on</strong>s <strong>and</strong> Tactics Pers<strong>on</strong>nel,<br />

Cor<strong>on</strong>er/Medical Examiners,<br />

EOD Technicians, <strong>and</strong> Shooting Rec<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>ists.<br />

The Department <strong>of</strong> Forensic Science<br />

will be introducing this laser scanner<br />

in the basic crime scene investigati<strong>on</strong><br />

course, FRSC 309 <strong>and</strong> FRSC<br />

Leica Trainer working with TA<br />

Erica Dolak.<br />

565. Intensive student use is anticipated<br />

for the FRSC 566 Advanced<br />

Crime Scene Investigati<strong>on</strong><br />

course for Spring 2014. Several<br />

students are ready to begin Independent<br />

Study projects utilizing<br />

the Scan Stati<strong>on</strong> in various crime<br />

scene scenarios such crime<br />

scenes rec<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> with bloodstain<br />

patterns, shooting rec<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong>s,<br />

accident <strong>and</strong> fire<br />

scenes. These independent study<br />

projects will utilize the 3D laser<br />

scanners’ ability to provide a<br />

highly accurate, systematic approach.<br />

Meet Chris Ehrhardt, Ph.D.<br />

Dr. Ehrhardt holds a B.S. degree<br />

in Molecular <strong>and</strong> Cellular Biology<br />

from the University <strong>of</strong> C<strong>on</strong>necticut<br />

at Storrs. He then began his<br />

graduate work at UC-Santa Barbara<br />

in the Department <strong>of</strong> Earth<br />

<strong>and</strong> Envir<strong>on</strong>mental <strong>Sciences</strong><br />

where he c<strong>on</strong>ducted research <strong>on</strong><br />

the genetic <strong>and</strong> chemical signatures<br />

<strong>of</strong> marine hydrothermal microorganisms.<br />

After completing his PhD in 2007, Dr.<br />

Ehrhardt worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the<br />

Counterterrorism <strong>and</strong> Forensic Science Research Unit<br />

<strong>of</strong> the FBI in Quantico VA. While at the FBI, he focused<br />

<strong>on</strong> forensic signatures <strong>of</strong> Bacillus cereus<br />

spores, specifically how fatty acid methyl ester pr<strong>of</strong>iles<br />

<strong>of</strong> spores can be used to determine the source <strong>of</strong><br />

illicitly-produced microorganisms. He also participated<br />

in a number <strong>of</strong> other research projects while at<br />

the FBI including protein pr<strong>of</strong>iling <strong>of</strong> spores, bacterial<br />

hydrophobicity determinati<strong>on</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> testing <strong>of</strong> forensic<br />

light sources <strong>on</strong> biological evidence.<br />

After the FBI, Dr. Ehrhardt worked in the Trace<br />

Chemistry <strong>and</strong> Signature Science Group at Pacific<br />

Northwest Nati<strong>on</strong>al Laboratory (PNNL) in Richl<strong>and</strong>,<br />

WA. There he primarily worked <strong>on</strong> developing forensic<br />

signatures for Yersinia pestis <strong>and</strong> Bacillus anthracis<br />

but also helped refine multivariate frameworks for distinguishing<br />

castor beans processed with different<br />

methods.<br />

At VCU, Dr. Ehrhardt’s main interests are the forensics<br />

associated with pathogen m<strong>on</strong>itoring <strong>and</strong> specifically<br />

how biochemical signatures associated with a<br />

bacterial cell can be used to distinguish the occurrences<br />

<strong>of</strong> ‘natural’ from man-made organisms. He is<br />

working <strong>on</strong> new biosignature systems (e.g. protein <strong>and</strong><br />

lipid pr<strong>of</strong>iles) for organism identificati<strong>on</strong> in complex<br />

matrices such as soil, air, <strong>and</strong> envir<strong>on</strong>mental water<br />

supplies. In additi<strong>on</strong>, Dr. Ehrhardt is intensely interested<br />

in multivariate statistical methods to process <strong>and</strong><br />

interpret the <strong>of</strong>ten complex orthog<strong>on</strong>al data generated<br />

from his projects.<br />

Dr. Ehrhardt c<strong>on</strong>tinues to collaborate with the FBI <strong>and</strong><br />

PNNL as well as several other university <strong>and</strong> private<br />

laboratories. He has published several manuscripts <strong>on</strong><br />

envir<strong>on</strong>mental signatures <strong>of</strong> microorganisms <strong>and</strong> the<br />

forensic applicati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> various microbial pr<strong>of</strong>iling<br />

techniques.


Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics<br />

Page 9<br />

Mass Fatalities Workshop<br />

This past semester at VCU, forensic<br />

science students had a w<strong>on</strong>derful opportunity<br />

to attend a mass fatality workshop cosp<strong>on</strong>sored<br />

by SNA Internati<strong>on</strong>al, the <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

Office <strong>of</strong> the Chief Medical Examiner, <strong>and</strong> the<br />

VCU Forensic Science Department. SNA Internati<strong>on</strong>al<br />

is a c<strong>on</strong>sulting firm run by Am<strong>and</strong>a<br />

Sozer, Stephen Niezgoda, <strong>and</strong> Arbie Goings.<br />

Located in Washingt<strong>on</strong>, D.C., the missi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />

SNA Internati<strong>on</strong>al is to <strong>of</strong>fer expert advice in<br />

the areas <strong>of</strong> mass fatality planning <strong>and</strong> resp<strong>on</strong>se,<br />

forensic science c<strong>on</strong>sulting, <strong>and</strong> informati<strong>on</strong><br />

technology tools. In the words <strong>of</strong> Dr. Am<strong>and</strong>a<br />

Sozer, “identificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> human remains after a<br />

mass fatality is probably the ultimate forensic<br />

case.”<br />

The workshop <strong>of</strong>fered at VCU was open<br />

to forensic science pr<strong>of</strong>essi<strong>on</strong>als <strong>and</strong> emergency<br />

resp<strong>on</strong>ders from a variety <strong>of</strong> agencies across<br />

<strong>Virginia</strong>. Participants included pers<strong>on</strong>nel from<br />

the <strong>Virginia</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Forensic Science,<br />

the <strong>Virginia</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Emergency<br />

Management, Bode Technology, the VCU<br />

Police Department, <strong>and</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essors <strong>and</strong><br />

students from <strong>Virginia</strong> Comm<strong>on</strong>wealth University.<br />

Training was provided related to underst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />

the challenges <strong>of</strong> a mass fatality event <strong>and</strong><br />

in the areas <strong>of</strong> body recovery, mortuary operati<strong>on</strong>s,<br />

identificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> human remains,<br />

family assistance, body release, <strong>and</strong> public<br />

informati<strong>on</strong>. Breakout sessi<strong>on</strong>s were<br />

given <strong>on</strong> Forensic Identificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> Human<br />

Remains, Body Recovery, Family Assistance<br />

Operati<strong>on</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> Data Management.<br />

The workshop culminated in an interactive<br />

tabletop exercise that allowed participants<br />

to discuss how they would resp<strong>on</strong>d<br />

to a hypothetical mass fatality occurring<br />

at the Siegel Center at VCU.<br />

VCU forensic science students<br />

who wanted to attend the workshop<br />

prepared by taking FRSC 591 Topics in<br />

Forensic Science: Getting Prepared –<br />

Mass Fatality Resp<strong>on</strong>se Training. This<br />

class was comprised <strong>of</strong> a mixture <strong>of</strong><br />

graduate <strong>and</strong> undergraduate students who<br />

had an interest in learning about mass<br />

fatality preparedness <strong>and</strong> resp<strong>on</strong>se. After<br />

the workshop was over, students<br />

incorporated what they had learned at the<br />

workshop <strong>and</strong> from their reading assignments,<br />

dividing up into groups <strong>and</strong> giving a presentati<strong>on</strong><br />

about a mass disaster event that happened<br />

within the last decade. These presentati<strong>on</strong>s<br />

discussed what went wr<strong>on</strong>g with the resp<strong>on</strong>se<br />

to the event, what went right, <strong>and</strong> what could<br />

be d<strong>on</strong>e to better h<strong>and</strong>le a mass disaster event<br />

in the future.<br />

Additi<strong>on</strong>ally, the <strong>Virginia</strong> Department <strong>of</strong><br />

Emergency Management graciously allowed<br />

FRSC 591 students to visit <strong>Virginia</strong>’s Emergency<br />

Operati<strong>on</strong>s Center. There, we learned<br />

about <strong>Virginia</strong>’s plan to resp<strong>on</strong>d to different<br />

types <strong>of</strong> emergency events <strong>and</strong> what resources<br />

are available to local communities. We<br />

were also given an insider tour <strong>of</strong> the facility<br />

so that we could see firsth<strong>and</strong> the people <strong>and</strong><br />

technology involved.<br />

Opportunities like this are what make<br />

the forensic science program at VCU such a<br />

great experience. Not <strong>on</strong>ly are we taught by<br />

faculty <strong>and</strong> instructors who can bring in a<br />

wealth <strong>of</strong> knowledge from their own experiences<br />

working in the field, but the program also provides<br />

valuable c<strong>on</strong>necti<strong>on</strong>s to other pr<strong>of</strong>essi<strong>on</strong>als<br />

within the forensic science community.<br />

Kate van den Heever, MS-2012 Graduate


Volume 11, Issue 1<br />

F ocus <strong>on</strong> Fo rensics<br />

Page 10<br />

Lab Renovati<strong>on</strong><br />

In the beginning...<br />

The The Finished Finished Product! Product!


<strong>Virginia</strong> Comm<strong>on</strong>wealth<br />

University<br />

M<strong>on</strong>roe Park Campus<br />

Harris Hall South, 2nd Floor<br />

1015 Floyd Avenue<br />

PO Box 843079<br />

Richm<strong>on</strong>d, VA 23284-3079<br />

Next Issue:<br />

Library <strong>of</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> CSI Mystery Writer event<br />

New Faculty: Lyndsay Durham<br />

The DART<br />

Ph<strong>on</strong>e: 804-828-8420<br />

Fax: 804-828-4983<br />

E-mail: fos@vcu.edu<br />

Departmental Grants<br />

Dr. Paul B. Ferrara Scholarship<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Focus</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Forensics</strong>

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!