Forensic Science as First Forensic Science as First Year SeminarYear Seminar

CWCS Session 37 July 29, CWCS Session 37 July 29, 20082008

Victoria Collins, Warren Wilson Victoria Collins, Warren Wilson CollegeCollege

Benefits of CWCS WorkshopBenefits of CWCS Workshop

Skills, techniques and confidence to Skills, techniques and confidence to try thingstry things

Great resources and bibliographyGreat resources and bibliography See my website for experiments, See my website for experiments,

tips, sources and supplierstips, sources and suppliers www.warren-wilson.edu/~vcollins/www.warren-wilson.edu/~vcollins/

forensic_fysforensic_fys

Goals For New StudentsGoals For New Students

Engage students – retention to Engage students – retention to graduationgraduation Popular topic – Popular topic – J. Chem. EducJ. Chem. Educ. June 2008. June 2008

Group identity - peer groupGroup identity - peer group Critical thinking skillsCritical thinking skills Writing and library useWriting and library use

Research paper on historical crimesResearch paper on historical crimes Excite students about chemistryExcite students about chemistry

Reading and WritingReading and Writing

Saferstein: Saferstein: CriminalisticsCriminalistics Crime Case studiesCrime Case studies

Audri Kowalyk’s seriesAudri Kowalyk’s series Other print and on line sourcesOther print and on line sources

Laboratory reports show need for Laboratory reports show need for documentationdocumentation

Trace evidence and Trace evidence and chemistrychemistry

Chemistry of glass and fibersChemistry of glass and fibers Hair microscopyHair microscopy Refractive indexRefractive index Glass fragments show source and Glass fragments show source and

fracturefracture

www.tate.org.uk/research/tateresearch/tatepapers/05spring/freemantle.htm

www.fbi.gov

Blood Spatters and Bite Blood Spatters and Bite MarksMarks

Reconstruction by geometryReconstruction by geometry Distance from surfaceDistance from surface Trigonometry gives anglesTrigonometry gives angles

Get animal blood from veterinary labsGet animal blood from veterinary labs Look at dental records – learn anatomyLook at dental records – learn anatomy Bite marks on Bite marks on

styrofoam platesstyrofoam plates

www.deviantcrimes.com

www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs/media

Forensic AnthropologyForensic Anthropology Cool anatomy lessonsCool anatomy lessons Find bones from biology, anthropology Find bones from biology, anthropology

departments and Bone Clonesdepartments and Bone Clones Relate to social sciencesRelate to social sciences

and historyand history Radiocarbon dating Radiocarbon dating

activity for Gen chemactivity for Gen chem

www.boneclones.com/BC-199.htm

Drug Analysis: Surprisingly Drug Analysis: Surprisingly easy chemistryeasy chemistry

Field test kits inexpensive Field test kits inexpensive False positives with lab chemicalsFalse positives with lab chemicals

Confirmatory tests using GC/MSConfirmatory tests using GC/MS Cocaine on money: see U. Buffalo’s Center Cocaine on money: see U. Buffalo’s Center

for Case Studies in Sciencefor Case Studies in Science 1 mg standards available without license1 mg standards available without license Spike fake urine or bloodSpike fake urine or blood

Arson using GCArson using GC

Make fire debrisMake fire debris Headspace SPMEHeadspace SPME GC- FIDGC- FID Adaptable for HSAdaptable for HS See case studySee case study

DNA AnalysisDNA Analysis

Commercial kits cost about $150 for Commercial kits cost about $150 for classclass

Thermocycler, electrophoresis from Thermocycler, electrophoresis from Biology DepartmentBiology Department

Students can understand Students can understand

STR and probabilitiesSTR and probabilities Worth long classWorth long class

/www.teagasc.ie/research/reports

Crime SceneCrime Scene

Victim was possible drug dealerVictim was possible drug dealer Willing actors: girlfriend, jealous Willing actors: girlfriend, jealous

suitor, drug kingpinsuitor, drug kingpin Should solidify group Should solidify group

Students timid aboutStudents timid about

tracking down suspectstracking down suspects

http://www.threeskins.com/acatalog/cri0613_s.jpg

Success/ DisappointmentSuccess/ Disappointment

Popular topic – upper class demand Popular topic – upper class demand Writing successfulWriting successful Ideas for other chem coursesIdeas for other chem courses Student retention in college <60%Student retention in college <60%

30% of returning students chem majors30% of returning students chem majors Lack of teamwork on crime sceneLack of teamwork on crime scene

Looking Back and AheadLooking Back and Ahead

CWCS workshop extremely valuableCWCS workshop extremely valuable

Check my website: Check my website: www.warren-wilson.edu/~vcollins/forwww.warren-wilson.edu/~vcollins/forensic_fysensic_fys Lots more links, recipes and tips on Lots more links, recipes and tips on

guns, explosives, fingerprints…. guns, explosives, fingerprints….

AlcoholAlcohol

Intoxilyzer uses IR: explain in gen Intoxilyzer uses IR: explain in gen chemchem

Redox chemistry of dichromate Redox chemistry of dichromate oxidationoxidation

Toxicology for freshmenToxicology for freshmen

Special IssuesSpecial Issues

All freshmenAll freshmen Divergent interestsDivergent interests Advising new studentsAdvising new students Introduction to libraryIntroduction to library

Napoleon and As poisoning?Napoleon and As poisoning? Required research paper Required research paper

on historical crimeson historical crimes

www.ualberta.ca/~xcle/arsenic.html

FingerprintingFingerprinting

Easy activity for pre-college groupsEasy activity for pre-college groups Classification of printsClassification of prints Dusting powders, fluorescent and Dusting powders, fluorescent and

coloredcolored Techniques for latent printsTechniques for latent prints

NinhydrinNinhydrin Super glueSuper glue

Simple crime sceneSimple crime sceneblogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/2006/03/22/index.html