2020 ONLINE FORENSIC SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS July 27Th - 31St, 2020 Current Trends in Forensic Trace Analysis FREE Registration / CE Credits Available WELCOME MESSAGE
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2020 ONLINE FORENSIC SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS July 27th - 31st, 2020 Current Trends in Forensic Trace Analysis FREE Registration / CE Credits Available WELCOME MESSAGE Conference Founder, Tom Gluodenis: Welcome to the 3rd Annual Online Forensic Symposium. It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the second event in this year’s “Online Forensic Symposium – Current Trends in Forensic Trace Analysis.” The demand for information, continuing education and international cooperation has continued to increase, fueling the growth of this Symposium from a 3-day event in 2018 to a series of week-long events covering forensic toxicology, seized drugs, and trace analysis. As the event has expanded, I have required more assistance in ensuring the exceptional quality of technical content that you have come to expect from the Symposium. Consequently, I am thrilled to have two outstanding Program Chairs – Tatiana Trejos (West Virginia University) & Gerard van der Peijl (Netherlands Forensic Institute) who have voluntarily dedicated their time and talents in developing this year’s program. I can’t thank them enough for all that they have done. Similarly, my heartfelt thanks go out to all of this year’s speakers who are volunteering their time and sharing their knowledge and expertise for the benefit of the broader community. Another change this year is the Symposium’s new home: The Center for Forensic Science, Research & Education (CFSRE). I am deeply grateful to the CFSRE team, who has worked tirelessly to create a special place for the Symposium to reside. The alignment of our mission and vision with regard to education, professional development and international outreach in the areas of Forensic Chemistry/Toxicology and Forensic Biology has resulted in a wonderfully synergistic partnership. I also thank the various institutes and academic institutions that have supported this Symposium including the Netherlands Forensic Institute, Arcadia University, Thomas Jefferson University, and West Virginia University. A special thanks to all of this year’s sponsors for allowing this week to happen. As you know, there is no registration fee – the entire event is free of charge to anyone who wishes to attend. For those unable to join live, the Symposium will be recorded and made available in an on-demand format. Despite the many volunteer hours that go into producing this event by myself, the speakers, the Program Chairs, and the CFSRE, there are still costs that need to be covered. If it were not for the generosity of our friends at Applied Spectra, Hitachi, Ionsense, PerkinElmer, Renishaw, Shimadzu and ThermoFisher this event would not be possible. Please do take the time to listen to their presentations, honestly complete the registration questionnaire which provides them with valuable feedback and support these businesses whenever possible just as they are supporting you this week. Finally, I would like to thank all of you who have made personal contributions in support of this event. Particularly in these difficult economic times, commercial sponsorships fail to cover all the costs of the platform and technical assistance necessary to produce a complex event such as this. Your individual donations are very much appreciated. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this opportunity to Learn without Leaving the Lab! Warm Regards, Tom Gluodenis, MBA, PMFS, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor, Lincoln University Organizer & Vendor Liaison Online Forensic Symposium: Forensic Toxicology [email protected] linkedin.com/in/tgluodenis WELCOME MESSAGE Scientific Program Chairs: “The Value of Trace Evidence Multi-Disciplinary Nature: Needs and Opportunities” As Edmond Locard forecasted, trace evidence can play a significant role in criminal investigations. Glass, paint, fire debris, gunshot residues, tapes, cosmetics, plastics, pollens, soils, hairs, and fibers are just a few examples of trace materials that could become interconnected in a crime scene, telling us a story about how the events occurred. The multidisciplinary nature of trace evidence brings complexity and challenges, but at the same time, it is in that very aspect where the opportunities and value of trace evidence prevails. Technological advances in informatics, lasers, photography, microscopy, spectroscopy, spectrometry, and sampling devices, have evolved the way trace evidence can be utilized. Most importantly, the appropriate use of those developments depends on our most valuable asset: the individuals behind it. We ultimately rely on the expertise and decision-making abilities of the human element, from the discovery at the crime scene to the examination, to the interpretation and accurate presentation of evidence in the court. Despite its capabilities, trace evidence is often underutilized, in part to the cost and time associated with its examinations. However, it is our responsibility to propose and implement models that can maximize its full potential. Beyond its use in a trial as exclusionary or associative evidence, clues derived from trace materials can—and shall— be used more effectively in reconstructing events, leading investigations, and as a resource for intelligence matters. To unfold the actual value of trace evidence, we need to make better use of its multidisciplinary benefits. Avoiding the temptation of remaining in our discipline-specific comfort zone, we can together move forward to more encompassing strategies and exploit the many meaningful connections between traces. During this week, we invite you to recognize the value of professional collaborations. Start here, in this symposium, by participating not only in those sessions related to your current area of interest but to all week-long sessions to foster the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary debates. We anticipate vivid discussions on the analysis and interpretation of cases and schemes to combine forensic evidence, such as cases involving cross-transfer of different trace evidence. We will enjoy contributions from practitioners, industry, and academia in many areas of trace evidence, including glass, paint, hair, tape, fibers, and gunshot residues. Also, we will exchange ideas about the scientific evaluation of various trace evidence that may not be fully dependent. Perhaps, while listening to the experience of collaborative efforts among forensic scientists, researchers and statisticians, you would learn something that will change the way you approach your next case, investigation, research project, or future managerial decisions. Welcome to the 2020 Online Forensic Symposium! Stay with us, participate, engage, and enjoy! Tatiana Trejos, PhD – Chair Dr. Gerard van der Peijl, PhD – Co-Chair SYMPOSIUM 2020 Tatiana Trejos, PhD Scientific Program Chair Assistant Professor of the Department of Forensic and Investigative Sciences at West Virginia University Dr. Tatiana Trejos is an Assistant Professor of the Department of Forensic and Investigative Sciences at West Virginia University. Dr. Trejos teaches forensic chemistry and research design courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Trejos’ primary research interest includes the application of chemometrics to evidence interpretation and the discovery of chemical signatures of forensic materials by spectroscopic methods, such as SEM-EDS, ICP-MS, Laser Ablation ICP-MS, u-XRF, and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. Dr. Trejos’ recent research focuses on the analysis of trace evidence materials, inks, and gunshot residues. Tatiana Trejos has authored over 35 peer-reviewed scientific publications and book chapters in the field of forensic chemistry and has presented over 140 oral presentations and posters at scientific meetings worldwide. Dr. Trejos is the recipient of the prestigious science and technology award “Clodomiro Picado Twight” from the Costa Rican National Academy of Sciences (2015) and was listed on the Forensics Colleges’ top 10 forensic chemistry professors. Tatiana has contributed to different scientific working groups, including the EU-funded NITECRIME group, the NIJ-funded Elemental Analysis Working Group (EAGW), and the NIJ-funded Glass Interpretation Working Group. One of the most relevant achievements of these professional groups is the development of technically sound and consensus- based standards to improve forensic practice (e.g., American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) standard methods). Tatiana was appointed by NIST to serve as a member of the Materials (Trace) Subcommittee within the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC), where she currently serves as chair of the Glass Task Group, and member of the Interpretation, Research, and Physical Fit Groups. SYMPOSIUM 2020 Dr. Gerard van der Peijl Scientific Program Co-Chair Senior Forensic Scientist, Netherlands Forensic Institute, The Netherlands Dr. Gerard van der Peijl is a senior forensic scientist at the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) where he investigated a wide range of materials (drugs, arson accelerants, paint, glass, tape, ...). He also made environmental and wildlife forensics investigations. Van der Peijl has been project leader for various projects, a.o. the forensic application of (LA-)ICPMS and (GC-)IRMS, the use of isotopes to geographically provenance human remains (IDIS) and the development of complex chemical tracers and markers for the Dutch National Police. His interest is in developing combinations of highly discriminating techniques to be able to provide strong links between forensic exhibits. Gerard van der Peijl is one of the founding members of