June 10, 2009
Children Use Synchrotron Forensics, Detective Techniques to Solve Mock Hit-and-Run
With the help of NSLS researchers and BNL Police, about 50 children of Light Sources Directorate staff and users put together clues to catch the culprit in a hit-and-run case. The "crime," played out on April 23 as part of the national Take Your Children to Work Day, transformed the students into temporary detectives and forensic scientists as they used synchrotron techniques at the NSLS to illuminate evidence.
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After learning the basics about the NSLS from Safety Officer Andrew Ackerman, the children were briefed by BNL police officers Don MacKay and Michael Timm. The fake crime was a late-night, hit-and-run incident with a bicycle on BNL’s campus. Because the “victim” had trauma-induced amnesia, the children had to rely solely on evidence collected at the scene, which included a Coke bottle, traces of blood, strands of hair, pieces of glass and plastic, car paint, and footprints. The students were divided into five smaller groups, each in charge of analyzing or obtaining evidence.
The first group, led by Matt Engel and Hua Zhou, was responsible for interrogating the five suspects – NSLS employees Shu Cheung, Mary Anne Corwin, Abdel Isakovic, Steve Giordano, and yours truly. BNL police officers offered advice on questioning techniques as the children asked about the suspects’ alibis, shoe sizes, car types, and even their soda preferences.
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The second group worked with Randy Smith and Simone Park to analyze two spots of blood and three strands of hair found at the scene. Using lab techniques, the children determined the blood types of the evidence and of each of the suspects. They also tried to match the hair stands to samples from the suspects.
To examine the two paint chips recovered from the scene, the children compared the spectra produced by a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) microscope to those representing common car models (Toyota, Lexus, Volkswagon, Honda, and Acura). Alvin Acerbo helped the group analyze and record their findings, which were later compared with information from the questioning room.
Meghan Ruppel assisted the fourth group in analyzing the glass and plastic fragments from the scene. Again, using an FTIR microscope, the children compared the spectra from the evidence to those of various car models.
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And, finally, the fifth group worked with Megan Bourassa to fingerprint the suspects, dust the Coke bottle found at the scene for prints, and then try to make a match between the two. Afterward, the groups reconvened and shared their results, which, one by one, ruled out certain suspects. In the end, all signs pointed to one guilty suspect…me! The police officers then promptly made their arrest, but the handcuffs came off soon after.
The activities were coordinated by NSLS graduate student Andreana Leskovjan. In addition, numerous other volunteers made this year’s event possible, including Mercy Baez, Gretchen Cisco, Liz Flynn, Corinne Messana, Eileen Morello, Kathy Nasta, and Nancye Wright.
ARTICLE BY: Kendra Snyder