ABSTRACT: The Forensic Chemistry workshop uses the fascination with crime detection and the discovery pedagogical approach to stimulate interest in science and technology. The teaching/learning strategies employed include: the illustration of scientific principles and techniques in the resolution of well-known cases; the collection of evidence at a simulated crime scene; and the analysis of the evidence in the crime lab. The primary goal is to help colleagues gain an appreciation for the ease with which these concepts and experiments can be incorporated into their curriculum and to the substantial impact they will have on student attitudes toward science. The alumni of the workshops will form the nucleus of a Community of Scholars for: the implementation and development of additional course and laboratory content and pedagogy; the propagation of successful teaching strategies; an active exchange of additional ideas using online discussion boards and video conferencing (Supported by NSF-DUE 0089417, 0341138 and 0618678)

ABSTRACT: This seminar will focus on my experience attending the Forensic Science Workshop sponsored by Center for Workshops in the Chemical Sciences (CWCS) in 2002 at Williams College. It all started in the Goat Room where we had our first hands on experience dealing with a "crime scene." What I gained from this experience helped me develop a forensic chemistry course at Florida Southern College, a small four-year liberal arts college. I was also able to implement what I learned into other courses I teach, from first year college chemistry to advanced inorganic chemistry. However, from my perspective, what is arguably the greatest benefit from attending these workshops is gaining a network of colleagues to serve as mentors and/or collaborators, with valuable experience to support the early stages of my career as I strive to establish an undergraduate research program at Florida Southern College.

ABSTRACT: In the summer of 2006, the New York Education Department approved Hofstra University's BS Program in Forensic Science. The Program was developed by two faculty in Chemistry in collaboration with faculty from Hofstra's Law School and a half dozen detectives from Long Island and New York City's police department crime laboratories. One faculty who pioneered the development of Hofstra's program participated in CWCS's Forensic Science workshop in 2005 to gain better understanding of the analyses and equipment used in crime laboratories. Participation in the workshop familiarized the faculty with the chemical techniques and instrumentation used by forensic scientists and underscored the importance of microscopy in a forensic science program. The workshop experience facilitated discussions with the criminalists involved in the design of the program, and enhanced the department's ability to negotiate with administrators and donors for resources.

ABSTRACT: In order to show the interdisciplinary nature of forensic science, the Physics and Chemistry Departments at East Stroudsburg University team teach an undergraduate Physics Advanced Criminalistics course for criminal justice majors and a General Science Contemporary Science graduate course for high school teachers. The two professors, one from each department, share forensics topics and provide students with a real-life model on how individuals from different fields cooperate with one another to analyze evidence and provide data to identify the most likely perpetrator. Both professors attended the CWCS on Forensic Science in preparation to share equally in the teaching of these courses. Subsequently, they both attended an NSF Chautauqua course on PCR to update their knowledge of DNA fingerprinting to enhance the learning of students during this part of the team teaching efforts. Details on the development of the team teaching format and its successes and failures will be discussed.

ABSTRACT: The course "Introduction to Forensic Science" at Valparaiso University was designed to satisfy the university's requirements for non-majors; however lecture material and laboratory exercises were selected to provide students not necessarily focused on a career in science with opportunities to assess their level of interest and aptitude for such a career. The course was developed after attending a CWCS workshop. To maximize the opportunity for students to change their major and complete degree requirements in 4 years, enrollment in the course was limited to 24 students of which >90% were freshmen. Questionnaires were designed and administered at the start and end of the semester to assess the likelihood of a student changing their degree plan as a result of the course. Final results are pending the completion of the semester, but informal discussions indicate that approximately 20% of students in the course are considering a change in their degree plan.

ABSTRACT: The question "what is this powder?" appears daily in forensic, environmental, and pharmaceutical practice. In chemical education, identification serves as an irreplaceable tool for developing logical reasoning. Historically this was task of inorganic qualitative analysis which practically disappeared from the modern chemical curriculum. The introduction of CCD detectors resulted in development of user-friendly, low-cost UV/vis and Raman spectrophotometers making spectral identification simple and affordable. The following identification approaches are suggested: a) low-resolution Raman spectroscopy for identification of polyatomic anions and small molecules; b) atomic emission spectroscopy for identification of the alkali and alkaline earth metals; c) color spot tests with reflectance spectrophotometric registration. At advanced level, these procedures are supplemented by FTIR-ATR and XRF. The procedures are user-friendly and can be employed by the students with little preliminary training. This laboratory setup was developed following CWCS forensic science workshop and was tested with chemistry students at SUNY College at Buffalo.

ABSTRACT: This presentation will discuss a non-majors forensic science course that was developed and taught at St. Olaf College. This course was designed after the instructor attended the Center for Workshops in the Chemical Sciences - Forensic Science Workshop. The course is offered both with and without a hands-on laboratory component, but the focus of this presentation will be on the laboratory experiences. An overview of the lab course will be presented, highlighting ideas, concepts, and entire experiments that were adapted from the CWCS workshop. In addition, several new experiments have been developed and will be discussed. These include an examination of paint chips using visible reflectance spectroscopy, investigation of a possible drug overdose using UV spectroscopy, and identification of fabrics using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR).

ABSTRACT: Following the CWCS Forensic Science Workshop in 2003, I developed a course entitled "Introduction to Forensic Science." Although the course title is not original, the course uses Forensic Science topics to introduce the fundamentals of Chemistry and Biology to non-science majors in a community college setting. Both basic and instrumental methods are used by the students in order to draw conclusions pertaining to forensic topics. The course is team-taught by a chemist and a biologist and is being offered for the third time this spring. The presentation will discuss some of the topics, experiments, and adaptations involved in developing and running this course.

Abstract: Introduction to Forensic Chemistry, a new course intended for non-science majors, was developed at Ursinus College. Through an understanding of basic chemical principles, the course investigates the role of science in solving crimes. Topics include trace evidence analysis, blood typing and spatter analysis, drug identification, DNA profiling, firearms and explosives, and ridge impression analysis. Case studies are used to explore the scientific foundation for the examination of physical, chemical, and biological evidence. The accompanying laboratory examines evidence using a variety of wet methods and instrumental techniques. This interdisciplinary course was developed after attending a CWCS workshop and three Chautauqua courses on Forensic Science.

Abstract: Following an NSF forensics workshop at Williams College, an interdisciplinary course was developed with a focus on teaching scientific concepts and analytical methods in investigating forensics evidence. The course was directed towards the sophomore level to show students early in their academic study how science is applied to real-life problem solving. The course incorporated laboratory exercises from different disciplines to complement lectures, and covered DNA profiling, entomology, drug screens, enzymatic kinetics, forensic anthropology, paint and hair analysis, and inorganic and organic analyses. The course was team taught, and included a forensic laboratory tour and several case studies, two being capstone exercises. Several forensics experts were invited as guest speakers, and included a medical examiner, crime investigator, FBI agent, state trooper, forensics psychologist and a resident forensic linguist. Another forensics course that was more focused on chemistry was taught to community college students for the past three summers.

Abstract : The CWCS Forensic Science workshop occurred at a fortunate time relative to difficult decisions on the Sam Houston State University campus. The university is uniquely suited to support Forensic Science because of its traditional colleges plus the College of Criminal Justice. Recently the university instituted a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Chemistry and a Master's of Science in Forensic Science, two interdisciplinary degree programs. In addition, the Chemistry Department just completed the construction of the Chemistry and Forensic Science Building. The purpose, background, and content of each degree program will be presented. Considerations and experiences related to designing the new building's laboratories and evidence rooms as well as selecting faculty and staff, often considered unique to academia, will be discussed.

Abstract : As a result of my participation in the CWCS workshop on Forensics sciences, I developed and taught 2 different courses. The first is a non-majors forensic chemistry class with a laboratory component and the second is a junior/senior level biochemistry lab. The non-majors class introduces the scientific method and critical thinking in a hands-on investigative setting. Physical and chemical properties, types of reactions, thermochemistry and kinetics are just a few of the topics presented within "the cases" the students investigate. In addition to the biochemical techniques taught in our upper level lab (purification chromatography, immuno assays, electrophoresis and PCR), the students at Spring Hill College choose different forensic areas in which they become "experts." They share their expertise through oral presentations and the preparation of a "mini-lab" for their peers. Collaboration is established among the students in an effort to use these techniques to solve "the crime."

Abstract : The personnel, equipment, and expertise required to create and support a Forensic Science program can be significant obstacles. At California State University, Chico faculty from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have worked with Forensic Anthropology and Criminal Justice faculty from the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences to create the framework for a Forensic Science program. Enthusiastic cooperation from the Chico Police Department, the Butte County Sheriff, and the State of California Criminalistics Laboratory (located in Chico) have allowed for a wide range of expertise in the program, a variety of interesting cases, equipment donations, and funding for student internship opportunities. The possibility for funded research opportunities is also being explored. This work was initiated by the CWCS workshop in June 2001.

Abstract : Forensic Science course has been developed at MCTC as part of the Associate degree programs in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Criminal Justice, subsequent to the training received through NSF-sponsored CWCS workshop at Williams College, MA, offered by Professor Lawrence J. Kaplan and in consultation with Professor Ram L. Sreerama, St.Cloud State University, MN. The course will utilize mock-crime scenarios, which will provide learning opportunities in crime scene investigation methods and evidentiary materials for laboratory experiments. Collaboration with the Computer Forensics and Theater Arts faculty of MCTC through Faculty Excellence Awards and with Criminal Justice department, has allowed incorporation of not only forensic science elements but also mock cyber-crime elements and mock-trial scenarios, facilitating broader learning opportunities. A collaboration initiated with the University of Minnesota's NSF funded Characterization Facility will enable remote and on-site use of SEM, FTIR-ATR, AFM and other instruments not supportable by MCTC, for advanced forensic laboratory techniques.

Abstract: Drawing on ideas and experiences at the CWCS workshop in Forensics Science, a multiple-discipline, team-taught forensic science course was developed. This course meets a general college laboratory science course requirement. The course is divided into four modules: Criminal Science, Forensic Entomology, Chemical Evidence, and Forensic Biology. The course is taught by members of the Criminal Justice, Biology, and Chemistry Departments. Major topics explored include: crime scene analysis, evidence collection and analysis, and legal issues surrounding forensic science. The university has provided a 1600 square foot house to stage crime scenes. Detailed crime scene drawings are made. A pig carcass is used in the entomology unit to understand determination of time of death. Spectroscopy and chromatography are used to analyze trace evidence. Microscopy and DNA fingerprinting are used to establish identity.

Abstract: We began with an introduction to forensics course in 2004. It had biological applications but little chemistry. After the workshop in 2005, we made significant strides in both academics and the general education curriculum. This includes: extending the course to a full semester, incorporating elements of chemical analysis, such as GCMS, Atomic Absorption, UV spectroscopy, and IR, developing a new course in chemistry called Forensic Instrumental Analysis, and developing a Criminalistics minor, the capstone course being taught by a forensic chemist who has extensive experience in the Attorney General's office. We have had speakers from the Illinois State Police give lectures to the class and will have a colloquium with a retired FBI specialist in the spring. Additionally, we have attracted new students interested in the minor as part of a major either in the sciences, computer science, psychology, and criminal justice.