Just Science

In this special release season of Just Science, we discuss leadership with prominent names in the forensic community. The last episode of this series features Jeremy Triplett, the Laboratory Supervisor for the Kentucky State Police Forensic Laboratories. Triplett discusses how a leader must not only have people skills, but they also must posses ability look beyond their own expertise when handling challenges.

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

In this special release season of Just Science, we discuss leadership with prominent names in the forensic community. This episode features Martina Bison-Huckaby, the Director of the Center for Executive Education at West Virginia University’s College of Business and Economics. Just science examines how understanding and relating with people separates leadership from management. Also we discuss that taking business techniques, and human psychology into a crime lab leadership position can be challenging. Martina Bison Huckaby explains how West Virginia University, ASCLD, and the NIJ are aiding forensic scientists who are seeking leadership help.

In this special release season of Just Science, we discuss leadership with prominent names in the forensic community. This episode features Jody Wolf the assistant crime lab administrator at the Phoenix police department laboratory services bureau. Wolf tells us how forensic science found her at a pivotal time in her life, and how she found an amazing career at the Phoenix crime lab. With a background that only strengthens her ability as leader, Just Science examines how sometimes rethinking old procedures, or even how a lab is structured can create an overall better and more efficient justice system.

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

Servant Leadership

In episode one of the Leadership Special Release season, Just Science interviews Ben Swanholm, the Forensic Science Section Supervisor at the Phoenix Police Department Laboratory Services Bureau. Swanholm discusses his personal leadership style, backed with resources that are helpful to not only forensic scientists, but anyone who is interested in pursuing a leadership role. Along with learning more about the ASCLD Leadership Academy we examine some of the unique ways Phoenix organizes it’s crime laboratory.

This season of Just Science is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence [Award 2016-MU-BX-K110].

JUST SO YOU KNOW: RAPID DNA TECHNOLOGY

In this “Just So You Know” episode of Just Science, we discuss this year’s Rapid DNA forum with Chris Asplen, the Executive Director of the National Criminal Justice Association. The 3-day forum, hosted by the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence, was held in Alexandria, VA in August of 2017. This forum provided more than 130 attendees from the forensic DNA community an opportunity to be updated on commercially available Rapid DNA technologies, hear lessons learned from several early adopters spanning local law enforcement and federal agencies, and discuss moving forward as a community. As one of the many distinguished presenters from the forum, Chris discusses how Rapid DNA is moving forward slowly but surely saving jurisdictions time and money, and that getting the policy right is just as important as getting the technology right.

This episode of Just Science is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence [Award 2016-MU-BX-K110].

In Episode 9, Season 2, Just Science interviews Ray Wickenheiser, director of the New York State Police lab system and current ASCLD president. Ray takes us down to Cajun Country to the case of deranged “Baton Rouge Serial Killer,” Derrick Todd Lee, who targeted young women in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana during the early 2000s. Just Science and Ray jump into the details of the complex crime scenes Lee left throughout the city and discuss the significance of a muddy footwear impression, a computer cord, and DNA evidence, and how they helped break the case for a clear path to conviction. Derrick Todd Lee was convicted in 2004 and died on death row in 2016.

 

Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses, or may not be appropriate for younger audiences. 

 

Funding for this season is brought to you by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.

Two Murders, One Trace Fiber

In episode eight, Season two, Just Science interviews Dr. Jan De Kinder, from the National institute of Forensic science and criminology in the Belgium Department of Justice. Dr. De Kinder explores how trace evidence was a critical piece of evidence in the murder of two young girls 20 years ago in Belgium. During the time of the murders Belgium was dealing with a large number of missing children cases. The suspect’s jeans ended up the key piece of evidence matching fibers to both of  the victim’s clothing.

This season of Just Science is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence [Award 2016-MU-BX-K110]. Please visit ForensicCOE.org for more information.

Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses, or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In Episode Seven, Season two, Just Science interviews Dr. John Kenney, who is also a member of the American Academy of Forensic Science, during the Cradle to Cane Conference held in Charleston South Carolina. Dr. Kenny discusses ways to identify human trafficking, not only in the field of dentistry, but also in other industries. This episode will not focus on one particular case but will describe many cases and examples where forensic odontologists are aiding the justice system by using age estimation. Please visit the forensicCOE.org for more information.

This season of Just Science is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence [Award 2016-MU-BX-K110].

In episode six, season two, Just Science interviews Kimberly Meza from Mesa police Department during the annual ASCLD symposium held in Dallas, Texas. Kimberly describes how a blood spatter analyst takes in a scene, especially one as gruesome as this case, where the victim was brutally stabbed in their apartment by an unknown suspect. The suspects DNA that was found at the scene initially was a no match in CODIS, and the latent prints taken at the scene created no leads. For six months there were no DNA lead until a submitted sexual assault kit was entered into the system. The sexual assault kit was taken 9 days before the murder.

This season of Just Science is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence [Award 2016-MU-BX-K110].

This week the forensic science community lost an influential and dedicated leader, Dr. Jay Siegel. "Just Science" is releasing a special "Just So You Know" episode interviewing Dr. Max Houck and John Collins, two of Dr. Siegel’s closest colleagues. In this short episode we remember a kind hearted, dedicated educator of forensic scientists, whose reach was felt internationally. The community has lost someone who is considered a forefather for education in forensics, please join us as we celebrate a life that gave so much to his beloved community.