Why Forensics? Format: Dr

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Why Forensics? Format: Dr II NN SS II DD EE Chemistry TeachingTeaching sciencescience inin aa nonnon--majorsmajors freshmanfreshman seminarseminar usingusing forensicsforensics Chemistry Jared J. Heymann, Louise K. Charkoudian, Kathryn L. Haas, Marc J. Adler, Kassy A. Mies and James F. Bonk Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 A group of five graduate students at Duke University have utilized the Educational Objectives for a First-Year Seminar Selected Course Topics and Activities popularity of forensic television shows to develop forensic science seminar By the end of the semester eaeacchh student should be able to: 1. IntroductionIntroduction toto ForensicForensic ScienceScience Evidence Collection directed towards first year non-chemistry majors. Throughout the two year •Define, explain and correctly use common terms and concepts to describe crime 9 Locard’s Exchange Principle process, the student instructors have created, revised and instructed this scene analysis and forensic chemistry techniques. 9 The Crime Scene 9 Methods of Evidence Collection course. In addition to the professional development of the instructors, a •Locate primary literature on forensic chemistry techniques. 9 The Crime Laboratory variety of pedagogical techniques including lectures, in-class •Think critically to distinguish fact and speculation in forensic investigation 9 Class debate: The CSI Effect demonstrations, laboratories, student presentations and mock crime •Present a chemistry technique used in forensic science and report a criminal 9 Class Activity: Searching Forensic Literature scenes were used to provide a course with a substantial basis in chemistry. case in which the results of this technique were used in a trial. 2. Physical Evidence Here, we share our experiences in developing an effective course structure •Collect evidence from a mock crime scene, use basic chemical techniques to 9 Physical Evidence Collection, and Classification including with the goals of providing hard sciences through forensics, while examine the evidence in the laboratory, and write a logical and coherent formal o Fingerprinting (identification of minutia, digital enhancement, AFIS) enhancing the students’ development of other essential skills, including report on his/her analysis of the crime scene. o Firearms & Gun shot residue detection critical thinking and public speaking. o Blood Spatter o Glass, Hair, Fiber and Soil Analysis (density, R.I., anisotropy, composition) 9 Demonstrations Professional Development of Graduate Students o Physics of Blood Spatter Fiber Analysis Based on the ACS publication “And Gladly Teach: o Collection of Fingerprints A Resource Book for Chemistry Considering 9 Case Study: Discriminating Fact from Speculation X-ray of a Academic Careers”, a survey of over 400 college 3. InorganicInorganic ChemistryChemistry && ForensicsForensics Nail Bomb and university chemistry departments showed one 9 Using the Periodic Table for Forensics Investigations of the most important criteria in selecting new o Elemental Composition: Earth vs. Biology faculty is teaching experience. “Criminals leave a trace of themselves at the scene of a crime, o Quantitative Analysis by Spectroscopy (AA, AES, NAA, SEM-EDS) Despite the clear demand for future faculty and the scene of a crime leaves a trace on the criminals.” o Isotope Analysis and Steroids Investigation candidates to obtain strong teaching experiences and the scene of a crime leaves a trace on the criminals.” o Radioactivity & Nuclear Terrorism in their graduate education, many graduate -paraphrased from Professor Edmond Locard programs in chemistry focus their training almost o Crystal Structure and Serial Number Restoration entirely on research and lack formal pedagogical Outline of the Course 9 Demonstrations: Prof. Edmund Locard o Using Your Eyes as a Spectrophotometer training. Teaching assistantships provide 1. Lectures, Case Studies and Laboratories o Using Your Eyes as a Spectrophotometer o Difference Between Emission and Absorbance Spectroscopy graduate students with a limited teaching experience in which the student is restricted within the • Introduction to Forensic Science professor’s guidelines to develop their teaching style. The deficiency of pedagogical training o The Breathalyzer (redox chemistry) and unique teaching experiences in chemistry graduate school not only weakens the graduate • Physical Evidence 9 Laboratory: Metal Residue Testing using 8-Hydroxyquinoline student’s faculty candidacy, but it also results in chemistry Ph.D. graduates being ill-equipped to • Inorganic Chemistry & Forensics 4. Organic Chemistry & Forensics Identification of White Powder choose a career in academia. • Organic Chemistry & Forensics 9 Defining Organic Chemistry Five graduate students at Duke University, with the mentoring of Professor James Bonk, o Solubility addressed this deficiency by developing and teaching an undergraduate course on chemistry • Biological Chemistry & Forensics o Analytical Techniques (UV-Vis, Mass Spec, NMR, FTIR) and forensics. Herein, we share our experience in the development and implementation of the 2. Student Presentation o Drugs and Toxicology graduate student team-taught course in forensic chemistry. 3. Final Case Study and Laboratory 9 Demonstrations Course Development Timeline 9 Laboratory: Identification of an UnknownUnknown White Powder by TLC Professional Development The course was divided into the three unique sections, listed above. The first 20 class Professional Development Professional 5. Biological Chemistry & Forensics Discussed the idea of developing a periods were dedicated to introducing key concepts of forensics and the scientific 5. Biological Chemistry & Forensics student taught course to enhance Taught the course as Taught the course as 9 Hair and Forensic Entomology Luminol professional development for those CHEM 49S: Inside CSI, CHEM 49S: Chemistry background, presented though lectures, in-class activities, case studies and interested in academia 16 students (capacity) in Forensics, 9 Forensic Serology 18 students (capacity) laboratories. 9 Blood Typing (Antigen/Antibody Interactions, Punnet Squares) Began Seeking Practiced and critiqued The students then guided the direction of the course, through selecting and developing University approval for 9 Identification of blood (hemoglobin, Castle-Meyers, Luminol) each other to improve Evaluated lectures and a student taught course group presentations on a chosen topic in forensics not covered in the earlier lecture style and slide 9 DNA Analysis (RFLP, PCR and STR) in chemistry critiqued graduate Share our experience lectures. 9 DNA Analysis format student performances with next group of 5 The final two weeks were dedicated to the application of the ideas and techniques 9 Nuclear and MitochondrialMitochondrial DNA graduate students 9 Demonstrations Developed the initial learned throughout the semester in a final case study and laboratory experience. syllabus of the course 9 Luminol Test for blood 9 Case Study: Biological Evidence Evaluation and OJ Simpson Case Student Presentation Topics Spring Summer Fall Spring Summer Fall Spring Summer Student Presentation Topics • Biological Fluids / DNA / Paternity Testing 2005 2006 2007 • Disputed Documents & Image Enhancements Course Development Course Development • Forensic Anthropology • Forensic Entomology Revised lectures and laboratory Completed the initial • Forensic Psychology (Profiling) Decided the course topic experiments set of lectures and Attempted to implement more • Forensic Odontology should be Forensics laboratories class discussion/interaction Final Case Study Format • Lie Detector & Voice Print Analysis Attended the ACS Sponsored • Poisons Chautauqua short courts “Increasing Taught the course as Taught the course as Student Interest in the Sciences by CHEM 49S: Inside CSI,CSI CHEM 49S: Chemistry Goal: • Steroids Introducing Forensic Science into the 16 students (capacity) in Forensics, To utilize all aspects of information and techniques of the course to • Terrorism/Anti-Terrorism College Classroom” 18 students (capacity) solve a murder case (case derived from www.crimescene.com) Acknowledgements Why Forensics? Format: Dr. James Bonk – 9 CSI Effect For countless contributions to our professional development and doing 9 Presence of Forensics in the Media Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: everything to provide us with this opportunity 9 Growing Popularity of Forensics as a Major at Other Role: Police Detective Role: Laboratory Tech Role: District Attorney Institutions Duke University & The Department of Chemistry – 9 Gateway Course to Enhance Enrollment in Evaluate interviews Perform Requested Evaluate interviews For funding and trusting us to develop a quality course for the Chemistry and Other Physical Sciences Request Evidence Analysis on Evidence Develop Prosecution undergraduate curriculum Testing Evaluate Results Arrest A Suspect Drs. Baldwin, Crumbliss and Franz – References For allowing us time away from research for this worthwhile teaching and Evaluation: professional development experience Schwartz, et.al. And Gladly Teach. ACS Office of Grad. Educ. & Career Services. Each student drafts an 8-10 page paper, analyzing evidence, th Each other- Saferstein, R. 2004, Criminalistics. 8 Ed., Pearson Prentice Hall. developing a case for prosecution against primary suspect and Johll, M.E. 2007, Investigating Chemistry., Freeman. For dedicating so much time to help completely develop the course and help Images from: wikipedia.org, cbs.com, crimescene.com, images.google.com providing information exonerating any earlier suspects us understand what it is like to group teach a course.
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