In this episode of the 2020 R&D Season, Just Science interviews Dr. José Almirall, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida International University, about a statistical approach for the interpretation of glass evidence.

One criticism levied against trace evidence examinations is that the interpretation can sometimes be too subjective. Interpretation sometimes plays a large role in the evaluation of trace evidence. Dr. Almirall and his team at FIU are trying to fix that. They have been working on an implementation package, including instrument specification, procedures, and validation assistance, that can be transferred to any forensic laboratory to help standardize trace evidence evaluation. Listen along as he discusses the implementation package, the value of trace evidence, and the analysis of glass in this episode of Just Science.

This season is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.