What Liberal Arts Colleges Can Offer Future Forensic Scientist

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What Liberal Arts Colleges Can Offer Future
Forensic Scientist

• Koren Holland Deckman
• Gettysburg College
• Victor Weedn
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Charlene Sorensen
• Gallaudet University

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Outline

• Dr. Victor Weedn - Education for Forensic
  Scientists
• Dr. Koren Holland Deckman
• - FEPAC and TWGED -The Education Guidelines for
  Forensic Scientists
• Courses at Gettysburg College
• Dr. Charlene Sorensen -
• Courses at Gallaudet University
• Staffing Issues and The Real World - A DNA lab in
  Texas

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Outline

• Dr. Victor Weedn - Education for Forensic
  Scientists
• Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory
  (AFDIL)
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Principle Research Scientist and Director of
  Biotechnology and Health Initiatives
• TWGED Member

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Education Guidelines for Forensic Scientists

• Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation
  Commission (FEPAC)
• Technical Working Group for Education and
  Training in Forensic Sciences (TWGED)

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TWGED and FEPAC Facts

• History
• 1948 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)
  established
• 1999 National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
  recommendation
• National standards in forensic sciences
• An independent standard-setting Technical
  working group for education in forensic sciences
• An accreditation system for forensic science
  education programs.

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TWGED and FEPAC Facts

• History
• 2001 NIJ established TWGED
• To recommend sample curricular guidelines
• Report published May 2003 (draft)
• Education Training in Forensic Sciences A Guide
  for Forensic Science Laboratories, Educational
  Institutions, and Students
• 2002 AAFS established Forensic Education Programs
  Accreditation Committee
• Renamed in 2003 to Forensic Science Education
  Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC)

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FEPAC

• Mission
• Maintain and enhance the quality of forensic
  science education through a formal evaluation and
  accreditation system for college-level academic
  programs that lead to a baccalaureate or graduate
  degree

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FEPAC

• Purpose
• to develop and maintain standards for college
  and university forensic programs and to implement
  an accreditation program.

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FEPAC Documents

• Accreditation Standards - AAFS accepted document
  August 9, 2003
• Policies and Procedures
• Self Study Report
• Institutional Application for Accreditation
• On-site Reviewer Application
• www.aafs.org FEPAC presents documents for
  accreditation

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AAFS Documents

• Draft of TWGED Guidelines
• Section I Qualifications for a Career in
  Forensic Sciences
• Section II Undergraduate Curriculum in Forensic
  Sciences
• Section III Graduate Curriculum in Forensic
  Sciences
• Section IV Training and Continuing Education
• www.aafs.org Grantee releases draft of TWGED
  document.- Click Here for full text (PDF).

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AAFS Documents

• Draft of TWGED Guidelines
• Section I Qualifications for a Career in
  Forensic Sciences
• Section II Undergraduate Curriculum in Forensic
  Sciences
• Section III Graduate Curriculum in Forensic
  Sciences
• Section IV Training and Continuing Education
• www.aafs.org Grantee releases draft of TWGED
  document.- Click Here for full text (PDF).

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Section I Qualifications for a Career in
Forensic Sciences

• Personal Characteristics
• Academic Qualifications
• Professional Skills
• Professional Involvement

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Section I Qualifications for a Career in
Forensic Sciences

• Personal Characteristics
• Drug tests, previous drug use, criminal history,
  driving record, past work performance, credit
  history, medical or physical examination,
  criminal history, polygraph examination, personal
  associations
• Academic Qualifications
• Professional Skills
• Professional Involvement

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Section I Qualifications for a Career in
Forensic Sciences

• Personal Characteristics
• Academic Qualifications
• New hires in forensic laboratories performing
  analyses of drugs, DNA, trace, and toxicological
  evidence will typically have a degree in
  chemistry, biology, biochemistry or forensic
  science
• Professional Skills
• Professional Involvement

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Section I Qualifications for a Career in
Forensic Sciences

• Personal Characteristics
• Academic Qualifications
• Professional Skills
• Critical thinking, good laboratory practices,
  decision-making, awareness of laboratory safety,
  observation and attention to detail, computer
  proficiency, interpersonal skills, public
  speaking, oral and written communication, time
  management, prioritization of tasks
• Professional Involvement

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Section I Qualifications for a Career in
Forensic Sciences

• Personal Characteristics
• Academic Qualifications
• Professional Skills
• Professional Involvement
• Professional activities, outreach, mentoring,
  teaching, publishing, research, etc

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AAFS Documents

• Draft of TWGED Guidelines
• Section I Qualifications for a Career in
  Forensic Sciences
• Section II Undergraduate Curriculum in Forensic
  Sciences
• Section III Graduate Curriculum in Forensic
  Sciences
• Section IV Training and Continuing Education
• www.aafs.org Grantee releases draft of TWGED
  document.- Click Here for full text (PDF).

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Background

• An undergraduate degree in forensic science
  should be interdisciplinary, combining a strong
  foundation in the natural sciences with extensive
  laboratory experience
• Emphasis on the scientific method and
  problem-solving skills for use in both classroom
  and laboratory settings

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Background

• Graduates of such program should have acquired
  knowledge, skills, and abilities including
  scientific writing, public speaking, laboratory
  practices, computer software application skills,
  and laboratory skills

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Minimum Recommendations for Model Undergraduate
Degree

• Natural Science Core
• General Chemistry I and II (with lab, for science
  majors)
• Organic Chemistry I and II (with lab)
• Biology I and II for science majors
• Physics I and II for science majors
• Calculus I
• Statistics for science majors

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Minimum Recommendations for Model Undergraduate
Degree

• Specialized Science Courses (mininum 3-4 courses
  with at least 2 labs)
• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics and Population Genetics
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Analytical/Quantitative Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Instrumental Analysis

• Cell Biology
• Pharmacology
• Calculus II
• Microbiology

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Forensic Science Courses

• Forensic Science Laboratory Courses
• Forensic Chemistry and Lab
• Forensic Biology and Lab
• Physical Methods in Forensic Science/Lab
• Internship or independent study (2 courses)
• Microscopy and Lab

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Forensic Science Courses

• Forensic Science Core
• Introduction to law/justice system
• Ethics/professional practice
• Forensic science specialty overview (survey)
• Evidence identification, collection and
  processing
• Quality assurance
• Courtroom testimony
• Technical and Scientific Writing

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Forensic Science Courses

• Concepts central to forensic sciences must be
  taught
• Individualization
• Reconstruction
• Association
• Chain of custody of evidence

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Forensic Science Degree

• Summary
• 36-40 hours (12 courses) for general university
  requirements
• 46-50 hours (about 16 courses) natural science
• 15 hours forensic science (about 5 courses
  including 9 hours of courses that include
  laboratory)
• 19 hours for additional courses
• (120 hours total)

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Gettysburg College

• Chemistry I and II
• Organic Chemistry I and II
• Biochemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Instrumental Analysis
• Advance Laboratory Techniques
• Physics I and II

• Biology I and II
• Biostatistics
• Cell Biology
• Genetics
• Molecular Genetics
• Microbiology
• Electron Microscopy
• Microbiology
• Calculus I and II

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Gettysburg College

• Chemistry
• Advanced Organic Chemistry
• Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
• Introduction to Forensic Sciences
• Psychology
• Brain and behavior
• Psychopharmacology
• Behavioral neuroscience
• Philosophy
• Critical thinking
• Environmental ethics
• Philosophical perspectives on justice
• Ethical theory

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Gettysburg College

• Mathematics
• Calculus III
• Mathematical Probability
• Mathematical Statistics
• Management
• Organizational Ethics
• Computer Science
• Sociology
• Criminology

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What a Liberal Arts College CANT Provide

• Exposure to the breadth of forensic science
  disciplines
• Acculturation into the forensic science and
  justice communities
• Preparation for becoming a forensic science
  professional
• Opportunity to establish a network of forensic
  science contacts

or can we?
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Outline

• Dr. Charlene Sorensen
• Department of Chemistry, Gallaudet University
• Courses at Gallaudet University
• The Real World - A DNA Lab in Texas