The Global Forensic and Justice Center at Florida International University is dedicated to supporting the justice community through innovative research, programs, evaluation of the latest technologies, forensic science education and laboratory quality reviews. Our goal is for all stakeholders to receive and provide the highest level of forensic science services.

As part of this commitment, we are making available the nearly 30-year archive of training material, symposia, poster presentations, and technical evaluations completed by our founding component, the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC).


Interpretation of Trace Evidence: the present and future.

Recognizing the important impact that trace evidence has on criminal investigations and, ultimately, on our system of justice, the Office of Justice Programs’ National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory Division co-sponsored a Trace Evidence Symposium held August 3–7, 2009, in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The symposium brought together practitioners and researchers from the United States and abroad to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the trace evidence, law enforcement, and legal communities. The symposium also provided unique educational opportunities for trace evidence examiners.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Paint Database Query (PDQ) – Day One

Moderator: Diana Wright, Forensic Examiner and Chemist, FBI Laboratory, Quantico, VA

Presenter: Tamara E. Hodgins, Forensic Technology Advisor and PDQ Maintenance Team Supervisor, National Center for Forensic Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Alberta, Canada

Standardized Test Methods and Insuring Quality in the Trace Laboratory

Moderator: Sandy Parent, Forensic Scientist, Crime Laboratory, Texas Department of Public Safety, Austin, TX

Presenters:

Feather Identification

Presenters:

Polymer Chemistry for the Trace Chemist

Moderators and Presenters:

Presenters:

Infrared Spectral Interpretation

Moderator and Presenter: Mary W. Carraba, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR

Presenter: Edward Suzuki, Supervising Forensic Scientist, Chemistry Section, Washington State Crime Laboratory, Seattle, WA

Forensic Palynology

Moderator: Chuck Heurich, Program Manager, Investigative and Forensic Sciences Division, Office of Science and Technology, National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC

Presenters:

The Applications of Raman Spectroscopy in Trace Evidence

Moderator and Presenter: Patrick Buzzini, Assistant Professor, Forensic and Investigative Science Program, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

Presenters:

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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Paint Database Query (PDQ) – Day Two

Moderator: Diana Wright, Forensic Examiner and Chemist, FBI Laboratory, Quantico, VA

Presenter: Tamara E. Hodgins, Forensic Technology Advisor and PDQ Maintenance Team Supervisor, National Center for Forensic Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Alberta, Canada

The Use of Multivariate Statistics in Trace Evidence Investigations

Moderator: David A. Green, Criminalist, Trace Evidence Unit, Lake County Crime Laboratory, Painesville, OH

Presenters:

Tape Analysis

Moderator and Presenter: Jenny M. Smith, Criminalist, Trace Evidence, Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory, Jefferson City, MO Presentation (.pdf, 316kB)

Presenter: Leanora Brun-Conti, Forensic Chemist, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Ammendale, MD

Lamp Examination Workshop

Moderator: Sandy Parent, Forensic Scientist, Crime Laboratory, Texas Department of Public Safety, Austin, TX

Presenter: Richard L. Dinehart, Senior Lecturer, Accident Investigation Division, Northwestern University - Center for Public Safety, Evanston, IL

Advanced Trace Elemental Analysis

Moderator: Jose R. Almirall, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Director, International Forensic Research Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL

Presenters:

Fabric Damage

Moderator and Presenter: Sandra Koch, Trace Evidence Examiner, Trace Evidence Unit, FBI Laboratory, Quantico, VA

Presenters:

Automotive and Architectural Pigment Examination

Moderator: David Exline, General Manager, Forensic Services, RJ Lee Group, Inc., Monroeville, PA

Presenter: Christopher S. Palenik, Research Microscopist, Microtrace, Elgin, IL

Physical Match Theory

Moderator and Presenter: Amy L. Michaud, Forensic Chemist, National Laboratory, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Ammendale, MD

Presenter: Maureen C. Bottrell, Geologist and Forensic Examiner, Trace Evidence Unit, FBI Laboratory, Quantico, VA

Significance in Report Writing

Moderator and Presenter: Faye A. Springer, Criminalist IV, Laboratory of Forensic Services, Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, Sacramento, CA Presentation (.pdf, 440kB)

Presenters:

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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Opening Remarks

Video Presenters:

Trace Questionnaire Results

Presenters:

New Developments in Manufacturing Materials

Moderator: Susan Gross, Forensic Science Supervisor, Chemistry Division, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, St. Paul, MN

Presenters:

A Different Perspective on Trace Evidence

Moderator: Sandra Koch, Trace Evidence Examiner, Trace Evidence Unit, FBI Laboratory, Quantico, VA

Presenter: Ken Goddard, Director, National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory, Ashland, OR Video | Presentation (.pdf, 5.5MB)

Paper Presentations: Based on Case Studies

Moderator: Cassandra Burke, Forensic Chemist II and Trace Analyst, Forensic Services Section, Baltimore County Police Department, Towson, MD

Presenters:

Paper Presentations: Based on Case Studies, continued

Moderator: Glenn Schubert, Forensic Scientist, Southern Illinois Forensic Science Center, Illinois State Police, Carbondale, IL

Presenters:

Lab Bloopers: True Stories of the Missouri State Highway Patrol

Jenny M. Smith, Criminalist, Trace Evidence, Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory, Jefferson City, MO

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Thursday, August 6, 2009

Paper Presentations and Current Research Projects

Moderator: Edward M. Pollock, Supervising Criminalist, Laboratory of Forensic Services, Sacramento County District Attorney, Sacramento, CA

Presenters:

Paper Presentations and Current Research Projects

Moderator: Cassandra Burke, Forensic Chemist II and Trace Analyst, Forensic Services Section, Baltimore County Police Department, Towson, MD

Presenters:

Daubert Presentation

Moderator: Rockne P. Harmon, Forensic and Cold Case Consultant, Alameda, CA Video | Presentation (.pdf, 272kB)

Presenters:

Poster Session Tours

Presenters:

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Friday, August 7, 2009

Significance and Interpretation Paper Presentations

Moderator: Tatiana Trejos, Coordinator of Research Programs, Trace Evidence Analysis Facility, IFRI, Florida International University, Miami, FL

Presenters:

Responding to the NAS Report

Discussants:

PanAm Flight 103

Moderator: Kathryn M. Turman, Program Director, Office of Victim Assistance, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC

Presenter: Richard A. Marquise, Senior Research Assosciate, Institute for Intergovernmental Research, Springfield, VA Video

Keeping Trace Evidence Viable: Future of Trace

Moderator: Jose R. Almirall, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Director, International Forensic Research Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL

Presenters:

Closing Remarks

Charles Heurich, Physical Scientist, Investigative and Forensic Sciences Division, Office of Science and Technology, National Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC

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Global Forensic and Justice Center

11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199

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