Just Science

In episode one of our Supporting Medicolegal Death Investigators mini season, Just Science sat down with Cory Russo, Medical Examiner Investigator at the Utah State Office of the Medical Examiner, and Chelsea Brown, Senior Deputy Coroner at the Orange County Coroner’s Office, to discuss how internship programs at medical examiner and coroner’s offices can be a great way to pursue a career in the field.

While medicolegal death investigators are often heard about in the media, the path to join this profession is often unclear. A great way to get exposure to a career in medicolegal death investigation (MDI) is through internship programs, which are available in some offices. Listen along as Cory and Chelsea discuss the requirements of applying to these internship programs, what an average day looks like for an intern, and how an internship can prepare you for a career in the MDI field. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode four of our Unidentified Human Remains mini season, Just Science sat down with Katharine Pope, a Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, and Elissia Conlon, a Special Advisor to the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, to discuss mass fatality incident management and disaster victim identification. A mass fatality incident includes any incident where there are enough fatalities to require the involvement of a special operation or organization, such as natural disasters, large transportation accidents, or terrorist attacks. In the event of a mass fatality incident, significant time and resources are often needed to manage the situation and identify as many victims as possible. Listen along as Katharine and Elissia discuss methods for identifying disaster victims, agencies that assist with mass fatality management, and developing best practices for disaster planning. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses, or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode three of our Unidentified Human Remains mini season, Just Science sat down with Mark Pooley, founder of Native Search Solutions, and Dustin Driscoll, Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, to discuss the many barriers faced by indigenous communities when it comes to identifying missing and murdered persons. In order to properly investigate cases of missing and murdered individuals, it is crucial that law enforcement agencies have access to necessary resources and technologies, including DNA analysis capabilities, national databases, and sufficient manpower. Unfortunately, many tribal law enforcement agencies currently work with limited access to these basic investigative tools, making it much more difficult to find and identify missing members of native and tribal groups. Listen along as Dustin and Mark discuss common causes of missing indigenous persons, specific gaps in investigative resources, and the growing community working to support indigenous groups. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses, or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode two of our Unidentified Human Remains mini season, Just Science sat down with Neal Parsons, a Research Forensic Scientist at RTI International, to discuss how rapid DNA analysis has become an important method for identifying unknown human remains, especially in cases of mass fatality. Rapid DNA analysis is a fully automated process of developing DNA profiles without the need for a DNA laboratory or human interpretation. Due to its quick turn-around time, rapid DNA technology has become a valuable tool that is used by law enforcement agencies, accredited crime laboratories, coroner’s offices, and the military. Listen along as Neal discusses the capabilities of rapid DNA analysis, cases in which rapid DNA analysis was used, and the importance of incorporating novel technologies within the field of forensic science. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

In episode one of our Unidentified Human Remains mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Kenneth Aschheim, Assistant Chief Forensic Odontologist for the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, to discuss how dental evidence can be used to help identify human remains. Due to their strength, heat resistance, and lack of decomposition over time, teeth are one of the most resilient substances found in the human body. As a result, forensic odontologists can use the teeth of decedents to match with antemortem dental records in order to help identify unknown human remains. Listen along as Dr. Aschheim discusses the process of forensic odontology, the benefits of using teeth alongside other methods of human identification, and using technology to advance the field. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses, or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In the final episode of our Case Studies: Part 2 mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Thomas Gilson, Dr. Harmeet Kaur, and Hristina Lekova with the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, to discuss a puzzling case in which the identity of a decedent from 2014 still remains unknown. Since 2011, it has been uncommon for the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office to have a case in which a decedent remains unidentified for an extended period of time. In the case of an unidentified body found in Lake Erie, forensic scientists have utilized techniques such as fingerprinting, DNA matching, facial reconstruction, and more, in attempts to give this individual his name back. Listen along as Dr. Gilson, Dr. Kaur, and Hristina discuss details of the Lake Erie case, the wide range of resources used for human identification, and the benefits of allowing medical examiners and forensic scientists to work in close proximity.

This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

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

In episode three of our Case Studies: Part 2 mini season, Just Science sat down again with Jason Moran, Commander of Police at the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, to continue discussing how his Forensic Services Initiative team re-opened the John Wayne Gacy case, in attempt to identify the eight remaining victims. Once Commander Moran’s cold case unit announced the re-opening of the Gacy case, his team was contacted by hundreds of families across the country who were still looking for their missing loved ones. Although the team planned to identify the eight remaining victims, it turned out they were able to provide answers for more families than they could have ever predicted. Listen along as Commander Moran discusses the hurdles of forming a cold case unit, the methodology behind identifying a victim, and the incredible results from his cold case investigation. This episode is funded by The National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode two of our Case Studies: Part 2 mini season, Just Science sat down with Jason Moran, Commander of Police at the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, to discuss how he and his colleagues set out to identify the remaining victims of John Wayne Gacy, decades after their bodies were found. Technological limitations can sometimes make it very challenging to identify decomposed human remains. In the case of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, eight of his thirty-three victims remained unidentified for more than thirty years. Listen along as Commander Moran discusses how the Forensic Services Initiative team re-opens cold cases, utilizes modern DNA analysis for human identification, and began the journey to give Gacy’s victims their names back. This episode is funded by The National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence. Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In episode one of our Case Studies: Part 2 mini season, Just Science sat down with Kelly Ayers, an International Association for Identification certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst, to discuss how preliminary autopsy results can help investigators piece together a story of what happened at a crime scene. For crime scene investigators, preliminary autopsy results issued by forensic pathologists and medical examiners can be used in conjunction with other disciplines, such as bloodstain pattern analysis, to provide pivotal information about a case. For example, medical information about the injuries a victim sustained may help investigators determine the weapon that was used, or the sequence of events that occurred within the scene. Listen along as Kelly discusses how preliminary autopsy results may be used to alleviate unnecessary laboratory testing, add case context that can be used in court, and offers advice on effective communication while working a scene. This episode is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award No. 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU). Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

In this special release episode, Just Science sat down with Dr. Michelle Aurelius, the Chief Medical Examiner for North Carolina, and Alfarena McGinty, the Chief Deputy Coroner for Marion County in Indianapolis, to discuss misperceptions regarding the nature of medicolegal death investigation among the public, criminal justice professionals, and policy makers. Over the past few years RTI International, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been working on understanding the main stressors which impact medicolegal death investigation or MDI professionals. One of the top stressors burdening the community was a lack of understanding from political stakeholders and community leaders. Listen along as Dr. Aurelius and Coroner McGinty discuss their firsthand experiences, funding gaps, and efforts to tackle this complex topic. This episode is funded by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses, or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.