Presumptive color tests are often used in the field of forensics to help identify the presence of a potential drug. In recent years, Dr. Luis Arroyo and his team have worked on finding a better way to detect drugs as part of a National Institute of Justice-funded study. With the use of screen-printed carbon electrodes and Raman spectroscopy, they have been able to find a drug identification method that is more accurate than the presumptive color tests and that can be used both in labs and in the field.
The WVU Forensic and Investigative Science LLC (Living Learning Community) students visited the FBI- CJIS Division facilities for an overview of the various sections housed on that campus. The students heard from members of various sections including: the National Instance Criminal Background Check Systems (NICS) related to firearm and ammunition purchase checks; the National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) which fields phone and electronic tips from across the country about possible federal crimes; and examiners from Biometric Technology Center who discussed Next Generation Identification (NGI) and other biometric resources the FBI is able to utilize for identification purposes.
Recently, the West Virginia University's Forensic and Investigative Science Department
was featured on the American Academy of Forensic Science TV's YouTube page. This
mini documentary follows the research of Dr. Tatiana Trejo and her research
group as well as other faculty within the department. You can read the description of
the video below and
watch the video on YouTube.
Read here about Dr. Trejo and graduated PhD student Dr. Meghan Prusinowski's research involving duct tape evidence. These two have "developed a one-of-a-kind method that can help piece together a crime scene by literally piecing the evidence together. Or not." This story was featured in WVU Today.
Ed Sisco has been a research chemist within the Surface and Trace Chemical Analysis Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) since 2014. His research has focused on chemical identification systems for forensics, homeland security and other applications. Ed is a finalist for a Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal in the Emerging Leaders category, which is awarded to federal employees under the age of 35 who have made important contributions early in their professional careers. The Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals are intended to highlight excellence in the federal workforce and inspire other....
