Forensic Chemistry

WHAT IS FORENSIC CHEMISTRY?

Forensic Chemistry is the science of examining trace evidence using a chemist’s sophisticated instrumentation and set of analytical techniques to exactly determine:

What substance(s) or material(s) comprise the evidence
Whether the evidence comes from a particular individual, their possessions, or their home or workplace
If the evidence comes from a specific location

I WANT TO BE A CSI – IS THIS THE RIGHT MAJOR TO CHOOSE?

Yes. Most of the scientists on the CSI television shows would need to have a forensic chemistry background to do the work depicted.

WHAT ARE THE CAREERS INTO WHICH A FORENSIC CHEMISTRY GRADUATE CAN ENTER?

Crime-Lab Chemist at a federal agency, a private lab, or for the state police – doing the following type of work:

Identifying drugs seized as evidence
Determining levels of poisons in the body (toxicology)
Collecting and analyzing fire and bomb debris
Determining if hair and fiber found at a crime scene can be tied to both the victim and the suspect
Applying chemistry and physics to interpret blood patterns at crime scenes

Graduate School – Master’s or Ph.D.

Chemistry
Forensic Science

Research Facilities (new technologies, standards compliance, testing)

ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms)
DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)
DOJ (Department of Justice)
FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
INS (Immigration & Naturalization Services)
NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology)
USPIS (United State Postal Inspection Service)

Wildlife Forensics

Proving illegal killing of endangered species
Insuring compliance with state and federal game laws

WITH A DEGREE IN FORENSIC CHEMISTRY, COULD I ACTUALLY START WORKING IN A CAREER IN THE ABOVE FIELDS?

Yes. This degree provides the ideal preparation of scientific foundation and courtroom presentation skills – through courses in biology, chemistry, forensic chemistry, and physics – to start a career in any of these fields.

I’VE NEVER HEARD OF FORENSIC CHEMISTRY. HOW OLD IS THE FIELD, AND WHY IS YORK COLLEGE OFFERING A FORENSIC CHEMISTRY PROGRAM?

Until now, York College students interested in studying Forensic Chemistry have majored in Chemistry and minored in Criminalistics. Increasing student interest in Forensic Science prompted the development of a special York College major program dedicated to this fascinating and important field of study. York College is now in the front line of colleges in this regard, as experts only recently announced to the academic community that major programs devoted to preparing students for careers in this field were needed.

A number of factors* created the changing landscape in the forensic field that necessitated Forensic Science educators and professionals getting together, in the summer of 2001, to design undergraduate curricula for this expanding branch of science.

They delineated several Forensic Science Program areas that would prepare students for the highly technical demands of the careers in this field. Their working group, TWGED (Technical Working Group on Education and Training in Forensic Science), published a detailed report of their findings in the summer of 2003.

One of the TWGED Forensic Science model programs is Forensic Chemistry/Trace Evidence. The York College Forensic Chemistry Program is based on this program and meets or exceeds its guidelines.

* Jury expectations, certification of crime labs and their personnel, increased public awareness of Forensic Science through the media, and legal requirements for evidence analysis requiring scientific precision.

IS THE YORK COLLEGE FORENSIC CHEMISTRY PROGRAM ACCREDITED?

Accreditation will be sought at the earliest possible date – accreditation cannot take place until at least two years have passed since the program’s first students graduate. As soon as accreditation details are released, we will make any necessary changes to the program and begin the process of formally preparing for the accreditation visit.

PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS MAJOR, WHAT TYPES OF POSITIONS DID GRADUATES WITH THE CHEMISTRY MAJOR / CRIMINALISTICS MINOR SECURE?

Jenni Serumguard-Mauer, Virginia Division of Forensic Science (1995)
Elizabeth Patti, Baltimore Police Crime Laboratory (1997)
Danielle Boudreaux, DEA (1999)
Monique Brillhart, FBI (2000)
Allison Heller, Orchid-Cellmark (DNA) (2000)
Brandon Pittam, New Jersey State Police Crime Lab System (2001)
Amanda Eastridge, PA State Police, IBIS (2002)
Abby Belinsky, Orchid-Cellmark (DNA) – Technician (2003)
John Hihn, National Institute of Justice (1995)
Joe Kulosky, Pennsylvania State Police Crime Lab (2004)

WILL STUDENTS IN THE YORK COLLEGE FORENSIC CHEMISTRY PROGRAM HAVE LABORATORY INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND POST-GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT AGENCIES SIMILAR TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED?

Yes. We have been placing students with the Chemistry major/Criminalistics minor into internships at the following agencies. We expect our internship opportunities and post-graduation employment opportunities to expand with the introduction of the Forensic Chemistry major.

ATF – Bomb Residue Analysis
Baltimore City Police Department – Crime Scene Unit
Baltimore County Police Department/Crime Lab Services
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – summer stipend offered
New Jersey State Police Crime Laboratories – opportunities in several evidence analysis sections
Pittsburgh & Allegheny Country Crime Laboratory – opportunities in several evidence analysis sections
Western Maryland Regional Crime Laboratory – drug analysis, crime scene processing, fingerprinting

COURSES OFFERED

General Chemistry I
General Chemistry II
Biology I
Computers for Chemists
Organic Chemistry I
Organic Chemistry II
General Physics I or Engineering Physics
General Physics II or Engineering Physics
Chemistry Issues & Ethics
Physical Chemistry I
Quantitative Chemistry
Criminalistics
Crime Scene Processing
Instrumental Analysis
Forensic Body Fluids
Inorganic Chemistry
Forensic Lab Experience
Forensic Ind. Study or Forensic Internship
Arson and Bomb Investigation

FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

Mrs. Marie Dunstan, Clinical Chemistry, M.S., State University of New York at Buffalo. Mrs. Dunstan has several years of research experience at Hershey Medical Center. At the College, she is a laboratory coordinator/assistant instructor and also the coordinator for the Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Program, which recently received a very positive external program review. Mrs. Dunstan advises CLS majors and serves as the College’s liaison with the clinical laboratory programs.

Dr. James Foresman, Physical Chemistry, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, Post-Doc., Yale University. Dr. Foresman’s research develops computer models to help solve a wide-range of chemical problems. As coauthor of an introductory textbook, he is internationally known in the field of electronic structure theory. He is currently working on visualization tools that help students with the more abstract principles of chemistry and has an ongoing grant through Gaussian, Inc., supporting his efforts.

Dr. Gregory Foy, Analytical Chemistry, Ph.D., Miami University. Dr. Foy’s research interests include the investigation of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) in soil samples, with a current emphasis on speciation of hazardous metals. Future research will focus on SFE of important organic and inorganic compounds from other environmental solids. Dr. Foy’s teaching style emphasizes discovery-based experimentation and applications to real-world situations. Dr. Foy coordinates the Chemistry Program and has recently developed an Industry Advisory Council that provides research opportunities for area companies and internship and employment opportunities for chemistry majors.

Dr. Aline Harrison, Organic Chemistry, Ph.D., University of Maryland. Dr. Harrison’s research interests include drug synthesis and psychoneuro-immunlogy, as well as the effect of vitamin A on limb regeneration, lead in the drinking water of local child-related settings, and laboratory simulation of soil remediation. She has received several grants and has served as an officer and on committees of the local American Chemical Society section. In addition, she carries out educational research on the development of new teaching strategies involving active learning. Recently, Dr. Harrison began teaching technical writing courses for the American Chemical Society.

Dr. Keith Peterman, Inorganic Chemistry, Ph.D., University of Idaho. Dr. Peterman’s research involves the study of enzyme kinetics via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In pursuit of more specialized research interests, he has served as a Fulbright scholar at Ruhr Universtat-Bochum in Germany, as a National Academy of Science Eastern European Exchange Scholar at the Polish Academy of Science in Warsaw, as a Navy/ASEE Summer Research Associate at the Naval Research Laboratory, and as a visiting professor at the Guangxi University in the People’s Republic of China and at Christchurch University in Russia. His lively classes are enhanced with frequent demonstrations and multimedia visualizations.

Mrs. Sherry T. Brown, Forensic Chemistry, M.S., University of Pittsburgh. Mrs. Brown began teaching criminalistics courses at the College in 1980, after having been a forensic chemist for the New Jersey State Police Crime Laboratory System in the forensic body fluids section. She regularly supervises a number of forensic science related independent study projects and internships. Mrs. Brown is a forensic science consultant for attorneys regarding criminal cases and has testified as a qualified expert witness in several Pennsylvania courts. Her special area of interest is forensic microscopy and chemical analysis of hairs and fibers. She holds memberships in regional and national forensic science associations.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Internships are arranged at various types of laboratories where the student may observe or, in some cases, work in areas of potential interest. There are also possibilities for collaboration with well-known individuals and on-campus faculty mentors. Research opportunities are available on campus in several areas. In addition, students are encouraged to apply for summer fellowship programs at other schools which are advertised through the department. Students have worked on funded summer research projects at the University of Iowa, University of Minnesota, Pennsylvania State University, and York College.

SPECIAL SKILLS & FACILITIES

The chemistry laboratory facilities are first-rate and meet or exceed what would normally be found in academic, industrial, and government agency forensic laboratories. Students develop proficiency with the array of chemistry analytical techniques used in the forensics field in upper-level courses, independent studies, and internships. Throughout their coursework, they have access to a variety of workstations and computer programs for molecular modeling and computer-assisted learning. Included instruments are:

HPLC
Gas Chromatograph
Spectrophotometers (AA, UU-VIS, FT-IR, NMR)
Supercritical Fluid Extractor
Comparison Bullet Microscope

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	Forensic Chemistry WHAT IS FORENSIC CHEMISTRY? Forensic Chemistry is the science of examining trace evidence using a chemist’s sophisticated instrumentation and set of analytical techniques to exactly determine: What substance(s) or material(s) comprise the evidence Whether the evidence comes from a particular individual, their possessions, or their home or workplace If the evidence comes from a specific location I WANT TO BE A CSI – IS THIS THE RIGHT MAJOR TO CHOOSE? Yes. Most of the scientists on the CSI television shows would need to have a forensic chemistry background to do the work depicted. WHAT ARE THE CAREERS INTO WHICH A FORENSIC CHEMISTRY GRADUATE CAN ENTER? Crime-Lab Chemist at a federal agency, a private lab, or for the state police – doing the following type of work: Identifying drugs seized as evidence Determining levels of poisons in the body (toxicology) Collecting and analyzing fire and bomb debris Determining if hair and fiber found at a crime scene can be tied to both the victim and the suspect Applying chemistry and physics to interpret blood patterns at crime scenes Graduate School – Master’s or Ph.D. Chemistry Forensic Science Research Facilities (new technologies, standards compliance, testing) ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) DOJ (Department of Justice) FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) INS (Immigration & Naturalization Services) NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology) USPIS (United State Postal Inspection Service) Wildlife Forensics Proving illegal killing of endangered species Insuring compliance with state and federal game laws WITH A DEGREE IN FORENSIC CHEMISTRY, COULD I ACTUALLY START WORKING IN A CAREER IN THE ABOVE FIELDS? Yes. This degree provides the ideal preparation of scientific foundation and courtroom presentation skills – through courses in biology, chemistry, forensic chemistry, and physics – to start a career in any of these fields. I’VE NEVER HEARD OF FORENSIC CHEMISTRY. HOW OLD IS THE FIELD, AND WHY IS YORK COLLEGE OFFERING A FORENSIC CHEMISTRY PROGRAM? Until now, York College students interested in studying Forensic Chemistry have majored in Chemistry and minored in Criminalistics. Increasing student interest in Forensic Science prompted the development of a special York College major program dedicated to this fascinating and important field of study. York College is now in the front line of colleges in this regard, as experts only recently announced to the academic community that major programs devoted to preparing students for careers in this field were needed. A number of factors* created the changing landscape in the forensic field that necessitated Forensic Science educators and professionals getting together, in the summer of 2001, to design undergraduate curricula for this expanding branch of science. They delineated several Forensic Science Program areas that would prepare students for the highly technical demands of the careers in this field. Their working group, TWGED (Technical Working Group on Education and Training in Forensic Science), published a detailed report of their findings in the summer of 2003. One of the TWGED Forensic Science model programs is Forensic Chemistry/Trace Evidence. The York College Forensic Chemistry Program is based on this program and meets or exceeds its guidelines. * Jury expectations, certification of crime labs and their personnel, increased public awareness of Forensic Science through the media, and legal requirements for evidence analysis requiring scientific precision. IS THE YORK COLLEGE FORENSIC CHEMISTRY PROGRAM ACCREDITED? Accreditation will be sought at the earliest possible date – accreditation cannot take place until at least two years have passed since the program’s first students graduate. As soon as accreditation details are released, we will make any necessary changes to the program and begin the process of formally preparing for the accreditation visit. PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS MAJOR, WHAT TYPES OF POSITIONS DID GRADUATES WITH THE CHEMISTRY MAJOR / CRIMINALISTICS MINOR SECURE? Jenni Serumguard-Mauer, Virginia Division of Forensic Science (1995) Elizabeth Patti, Baltimore Police Crime Laboratory (1997) Danielle Boudreaux, DEA (1999) Monique Brillhart, FBI (2000) Allison Heller, Orchid-Cellmark (DNA) (2000) Brandon Pittam, New Jersey State Police Crime Lab System (2001) Amanda Eastridge, PA State Police, IBIS (2002) Abby Belinsky, Orchid-Cellmark (DNA) – Technician (2003) John Hihn, National Institute of Justice (1995) Joe Kulosky, Pennsylvania State Police Crime Lab (2004) WILL STUDENTS IN THE YORK COLLEGE FORENSIC CHEMISTRY PROGRAM HAVE LABORATORY INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND POST-GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT AGENCIES SIMILAR TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED? Yes. We have been placing students with the Chemistry major/Criminalistics minor into internships at the following agencies. We expect our internship opportunities and post-graduation employment opportunities to expand with the introduction of the Forensic Chemistry major. ATF – Bomb Residue Analysis Baltimore City Police Department – Crime Scene Unit Baltimore County Police Department/Crime Lab Services National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – summer stipend offered New Jersey State Police Crime Laboratories – opportunities in several evidence analysis sections Pittsburgh & Allegheny Country Crime Laboratory – opportunities in several evidence analysis sections Western Maryland Regional Crime Laboratory – drug analysis, crime scene processing, fingerprinting COURSES OFFERED General Chemistry I General Chemistry II Biology I Computers for Chemists Organic Chemistry I Organic Chemistry II General Physics I or Engineering Physics General Physics II or Engineering Physics Chemistry Issues & Ethics Physical Chemistry I Quantitative Chemistry Criminalistics Crime Scene Processing Instrumental Analysis Forensic Body Fluids Inorganic Chemistry Forensic Lab Experience Forensic Ind. Study or Forensic Internship Arson and Bomb Investigation FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS Mrs. Marie Dunstan, Clinical Chemistry, M.S., State University of New York at Buffalo. Mrs. Dunstan has several years of research experience at Hershey Medical Center. At the College, she is a laboratory coordinator/assistant instructor and also the coordinator for the Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Program, which recently received a very positive external program review. Mrs. Dunstan advises CLS majors and serves as the College’s liaison with the clinical laboratory programs. Dr. James Foresman, Physical Chemistry, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, Post-Doc., Yale University. Dr. Foresman’s research develops computer models to help solve a wide-range of chemical problems. As coauthor of an introductory textbook, he is internationally known in the field of electronic structure theory. He is currently working on visualization tools that help students with the more abstract principles of chemistry and has an ongoing grant through Gaussian, Inc., supporting his efforts. Dr. Gregory Foy, Analytical Chemistry, Ph.D., Miami University. Dr. Foy’s research interests include the investigation of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) in soil samples, with a current emphasis on speciation of hazardous metals. Future research will focus on SFE of important organic and inorganic compounds from other environmental solids. Dr. Foy’s teaching style emphasizes discovery-based experimentation and applications to real-world situations. Dr. Foy coordinates the Chemistry Program and has recently developed an Industry Advisory Council that provides research opportunities for area companies and internship and employment opportunities for chemistry majors. Dr. Aline Harrison, Organic Chemistry, Ph.D., University of Maryland. Dr. Harrison’s research interests include drug synthesis and psychoneuro-immunlogy, as well as the effect of vitamin A on limb regeneration, lead in the drinking water of local child-related settings, and laboratory simulation of soil remediation. She has received several grants and has served as an officer and on committees of the local American Chemical Society section. In addition, she carries out educational research on the development of new teaching strategies involving active learning. Recently, Dr. Harrison began teaching technical writing courses for the American Chemical Society. Dr. Keith Peterman, Inorganic Chemistry, Ph.D., University of Idaho. Dr. Peterman’s research involves the study of enzyme kinetics via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In pursuit of more specialized research interests, he has served as a Fulbright scholar at Ruhr Universtat-Bochum in Germany, as a National Academy of Science Eastern European Exchange Scholar at the Polish Academy of Science in Warsaw, as a Navy/ASEE Summer Research Associate at the Naval Research Laboratory, and as a visiting professor at the Guangxi University in the People’s Republic of China and at Christchurch University in Russia. His lively classes are enhanced with frequent demonstrations and multimedia visualizations. Mrs. Sherry T. Brown, Forensic Chemistry, M.S., University of Pittsburgh. Mrs. Brown began teaching criminalistics courses at the College in 1980, after having been a forensic chemist for the New Jersey State Police Crime Laboratory System in the forensic body fluids section. She regularly supervises a number of forensic science related independent study projects and internships. Mrs. Brown is a forensic science consultant for attorneys regarding criminal cases and has testified as a qualified expert witness in several Pennsylvania courts. Her special area of interest is forensic microscopy and chemical analysis of hairs and fibers. She holds memberships in regional and national forensic science associations. SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES Internships are arranged at various types of laboratories where the student may observe or, in some cases, work in areas of potential interest. There are also possibilities for collaboration with well-known individuals and on-campus faculty mentors. Research opportunities are available on campus in several areas. In addition, students are encouraged to apply for summer fellowship programs at other schools which are advertised through the department. Students have worked on funded summer research projects at the University of Iowa, University of Minnesota, Pennsylvania State University, and York College. SPECIAL SKILLS & FACILITIES The chemistry laboratory facilities are first-rate and meet or exceed what would normally be found in academic, industrial, and government agency forensic laboratories. Students develop proficiency with the array of chemistry analytical techniques used in the forensics field in upper-level courses, independent studies, and internships. Throughout their coursework, they have access to a variety of workstations and computer programs for molecular modeling and computer-assisted learning. Included instruments are: HPLC Gas Chromatograph Spectrophotometers (AA, UU-VIS, FT-IR, NMR) Supercritical Fluid Extractor Comparison Bullet Microscope	Apply Online Majors Financial Aid/Costs Visit Us Campus Map & Virtual Tours Schmidt Library Contact Directory YCP Facts at a Glance Bookstore News & Events Sports Information Message from the President

Academics

Forensic Chemistry