Over the last few years, the National Institute of Justice has placed an increasingly large emphasis on the influence of work-related stress on mental health. In this special release episode, Just Science interviews Amy Jeanguenat and Andrew Levin, two experts in the field of workforce resiliency, about the impact of vicarious trauma on forensic scientists, […]
In the final episode of the DNA season, Just Science interviews Jayann Sepich, co-founder of the non-profit organization DNA Saves, about lawfully owed arrestee DNA. In 2003, 22-year-old Katie Sepich was raped and murdered within five blocks of her home in New Mexico. Using skin and blood found under her fingernails, investigators were able to produce a full DNA profile […]
In episode seven of the DNA season, Just Science interviews Molly Hall, an examiner for the United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, about their transition to a Direct-to-DNA approach to processing sexual assault kits. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory acts as the true crime lab for the entire Department of Defense and serves all […]
Just Improving Workflow Efficiency In episode six of the DNA season, Just Science interviews Leslie Parke and Jamie Haas of Signature Science, a private DNA laboratory based in Austin, Texas, about increasing workflow efficiency in their lab. From twenty cases a month to thousands of cases per year, Signature Science has shown significant growth in their […]
Just the Golden State Killer In the last episode of Just Science, Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter shared her techniques for creating family trees and discussed the resolution of her first cold case. In episode five of the DNA season, we continue that conversation. In February 2017, Forensic Magazine published an article detailing the Bear Brook Murders, an abandoned […]
Just Investigative Genetic Genealogy In episode four of the DNA season, Just Science interviews Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter, genetic genealogist and volunteer search angel with DNAadoption.org, about investigative genetic genealogy and its use in forensic science. From computer programmer to patent attorney, Dr. Rae-Venter’s career has taken many unexpected turns. But no one would have predicted the impact […]
Just Six Sigma and Your Lab In episode three of the DNA season, Just Science interviews Julie Sikorsky, Forensic Biology Unit Manager at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, about her experience introducing an efficiency program into her lab. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office serves over 30 agencies. With such a large client base, capacity […]
Just Genetic Variation In episode two of the DNA season, Just Science interviews Dr. Kenneth Kidd, Professor Emeritus of Genetics at Yale University, about his research in genetics. Dr. Kenneth Kidd has been working on grants from the National Institute of Justice for nearly a decade. In that time, he has made great contributions to our […]
Just DNA and the Post-Conviction Dynamic In episode one of the DNA season, Just Science interviews Chris Asplen, Executive Director of National Criminal Justice Association, about the evolution of DNA evidence. Listen along as our guest discusses the value of post-conviction testing and the impact of DNA evidence on forensic investigations in this episode of […]
Just Imaging Flow Cytometry In episode ten of the 2019 R&D season, Just Science interviews Dr. Christopher Ehrhardt, professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, about a method for determining tissue type, age of evidence, and contributors from biological mixtures using cellular autofluorescence signatures. It goes without saying that cells collected from different parts of the body […]
