STEM Sebastian Charter Junior High

I. What is STEM? The acronym STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Science is the study of the natural world, including the laws of nature associated with physics, chemistry, and biology and the treatment or application of facts, principles, concepts, or conventions associated with these disciplines. Technology comprises the entire system of people and organizations, knowledge, processes, and devices that go into creating and operating technological artifacts, as well as the artifacts themselves. Engineering is a body of knowledge about the design and creation of products and a process for solving problems. Engineering utilizes concepts in science and mathematics and technological tools. Mathematics is the study of patterns and relationships among quantities, numbers, and shapes. Mathematics includes theoretical mathematics and applied mathematics like statistics and probability

This approach is designed to revolutionize the teaching of subject areas such as mathematics and science… by incorporating technology and engineering into regular curriculum by creating a “meta-discipline.” Forensic Science & STEM

Forensic Science is eminently adaptable to the STEM initiative in that, by its holistic nature, it requires the use of mathematics, engineering, physics, earth science, chemistry, accounting, psychology, and computer science, to name just a few of its subfields.

What is Forensic Science? Forensic science is the application of scientific knowledge to questions of civil and criminal law.

What is CSI? CSIs, or Crime Scene Investigators, examine the location where a crime took place (or another location where evidence of the crime may be found). They can be specialized technicians (i.e., fingerprint experts), or even fully trained forensic scientists.

Course Topics & Perspective Course focus is on the collection and analysis of crime scene evidence (such as serology, toxicology, entomology, odontology and trace evidence), and the Exploration of lab analysis techniques, (such as chromatography, DNA analysis, fingerprinting, and hair and footprint analysis).

Course Topics & Perspective Forensic scientists are also required to testify in court about their analysis of evidence. To practice this, we will conduct a mock crime and court in which the class will divide in half, conduct an investigation, and hold a courtroom proceeding.

But First…. How does Real Life (IRL) Crime Scene Forensics compare to shows like “CSI” on TV?

VS

CSI You get to analyze DNA, fibers, firearms, fingerprints and explosives all in a single day’s work

IRL You get to be an expert in one or two of the following fields: Clandestine Labs Controlled Substances DNA Database Firearms & Ballistics Forensic Serology Forensic Anthropology etc… Forensic Alcohol Latent Prints Mitochondrial DNA Questioned Documents Trace Evidence Toxicologyetc…

CSI You work in dark rooms, lit only with blue light where you get to use really cool scientific instruments that always give you the answers you are looking for

You work in a well lit laboratory where you get to use high-tech instruments to produce unbiased scientific data IRL

CSI You carry a gun and interrogate suspects

You get to be a scientist, not a detective IRL This is likely your most powerful weapon

CSI You drive around in a Hummer

You usually drive around in a retired patrol car, or worse IRL

CSI You get to wear very expensive designer clothing

You get to wear a nice white lab coat, with your name embroidered on it IRL

CSI You get a whole crime solved in less than 60 minutes, even with commercials.

You get to provide an important piece to the puzzle and help do what you can in a realistic time frame (which may be months) IRL

OK, What Does a Forensic Scientist Actually Do? On a daily basis, you might: – –Process or analyze evidence – –Write reports – –Assist at crime scenes – –Do research and validations – –Conduct interviews with attorneys – –Testify in court – –Train police officers or other criminalists

Projected Job Trends Projected growth nationally from is 31% – –Projected growth in Florida is 28% – –Both ranked as much faster than average job growth for the ten year period – –Ranked as 7 th fastest growing field nationally for careers requiring at least a bachelor’s degree Statistics according to Occupational Outlook Handbook and Career One Stop

But, What do Forensic Scientists Actually Do?

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

SEROLOGY -Identify stains -Identify body fluids such as blood, saliva, urine, and fecal material

DNA Mother Child Father

LATENT PRINTS

FIREARMS

FIREARMS

TRACE EVIDENCE PaintGlassHairFiber Fracture matches Unknowns (duct tape, wood, soil) Footwear/Tire tracks impression

QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

Interdisciplinary Relationships Forensics is a diverse field, and rarely are forensic scientists “generalists” – people who specialize in all aspects of forensic science. Forget what you see on CSI. Rather, forensic experts usually specialize in one or two branches of forensic investigation.

A botanist may be an expert in forensic botany (plants)

An entomologist may be an expert in forensic entomology (bugs)

Chemists may specialize in forensic toxicology (poisons), or arson and bomb analysis

People with expertise in physics may focus on firearms and ballistics, or blood spatter analysis

Why do we look to science for assistance in our legal system? Increasing Crime RatesIncreasing Crime Rates New or Changed LawsNew or Changed Laws New CrimesNew Crimes New WeaponsNew Weapons Response to Public ConcernsResponse to Public Concerns Response to Law Enforcement ConcernsResponse to Law Enforcement Concerns

New Weapons?

Time for a Break?

Applying Science to Law Applying science to the Criminal Justice System depends on a scientist’s ability to supply accurate & objective information that reflects the events that have occurred at a crime.

Basic Concept of Forensic Science Locard’s Exchange Principle “.” “ Every Contact Leaves a Trace.” He believed that every criminal can be connected to a crime by particles carried from the crime scene. When a criminal comes in contact with an object or person, a cross-transfer of evidence occurs.

The Wonderful Weirdness of Forensic Science: The Body Farm Primary Goal: To understand the processes & timetable of postmortem decay, primarily to improve determining the "time since death" in murder cases. The Body Farm is a simulation of various crime scenes using real human bodies. Started in 1970’s by Dr Bill Bass to study Forensic Anthropology (the study of human decomposition after death).

Key Question for the Body Farm: Time Since Death (TSD)? How does the decomposition rate compare in: –sunshine vs shade? –In cool weather vs hot weather? –In a shallow grave vs on the ground? –In water? –Inside a car? –What effect do other variables have—humidity, insect activity, clothing, body weight, & so on?

Why is TSD so important? 1 st question at most murder scenes: "How long has this person been dead?“ –TSD: Time Since Death It's crucial to know when the crime was committed. –it can help narrow the search for a suspect or –it can help rule out potential suspects who had alibis at the time the victim was killed.

Doorway to death, the main gate of the Anthropology Research Facility—the “Body Farm”—consists of a wooden privacy fence inside a chain-link fence topped with razor wire.

One research study examined the effects of the elevated temperatures—and limited insect access—to which a body in a car would be subjected.

Corpse 1-81 was an elderly white male; he became part of a pioneering study of insect activity in human corpses.

Close-up of a recent research subject. After only a few weeks in the Tennessee summer, the skull is completely bare & many vertebrae are exposed. The rib cage & pelvis are covered with dried, leathery skin, but the soft tissues beneath are gone, consumed by insects & bacteria.

Close-up of a human femur & hip bone, containing an artificial hip implant. Such orthopedic devices can help identify an unknown crime victim.

A jaw from a research subject held by the founder of the Body Farm, Dr. Bill Bass.