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In episode one of our case study season just sat down with Anthony Earles, Forensics Identification Unit supervisor at the Maui Police Department, to discuss the Maui wildfires that occurred on August 8th, 2023, including the collaborative nature of the mass disaster emergency response effort, the forensic methodologies and technologies used to identify recovered human remains and the various challenges encountered during response mobilization due to the isolated geographic location of Maui County, Hawaii.
In episode four of our Unidentified Human Remains mini season Just Science sat down with Katharine Pope, a Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, and Elissia Conlon, a Special Advisor to the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, to discuss mass fatality incident management and disaster victim identification. A mass fatality incident includes any incident where there are enough fatalities to require the involvement of a special operation or organization such as a natural disaster, large transportation accident, or terrorist attacks.
In episode one of our Unidentified Human Remains mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Kenneth Aschheim, Assistant Chief Forensic Ontologist for the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, to discuss how dental evidence can be used to help identify human remains. Due to their strength, heat resistance, and lack of decomposition over time, teeth are one of the most resilient substances found in the human body. As a result, forensic odontologists can use the teeth of decedents to match the antemortem dental records in order to help identify unknown human remains. Listen as Dr.
In episode three of our Unidentified Human Remains mini season, Just Science sat down with Mark Pooley, founder of Native Search Solutions, and Dustin Driscoll, Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, to discuss the many barriers faced by indigenous communities when it comes to identifying missing and murdered persons.
In cases where a decedent’s identity is unknown, forensic scientists can utilize a range of identification methods in order to give a victim their name back and bring closure to their families. However, access to these important resources may vary across communities. In the Unidentified Human Remains mini season, we sit down with experts who explain how teeth, DNA samples, and more can contribute to...
In episode two of our Unidentified Human Remains season, Just Science sat down with Neal Parsons, a Research Forensic Scientist at RTI International, to discuss how rapid DNA analysis has become an important method for identifying unknown human remains, especially in cases of mass fatality. Rapid DNA analysis is a fully automated process of developing DNA profiles without the need for a DNA laboratory or human interpretation.
In episode four of our Applications of Forensic Science for Human Identification Season, Just Science sat down with Katharine Pope, a Research Public Health Analyst at RTI International, Dr. Bruce Anderson, a forensic anthropologist with the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner, and Joe Mullins, an instructor at the New York Academy of Art, to discuss human identification using forensic anthropology and facial approximations.
In episode two of our Applications of Forensic Science for Human Identification Season, Just Science sat down with Bryan Johnson, the Major Incident Program Manager in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Latent Print Unit, to discuss how postmortem prints can be used to help identify unknown decedents. One of the cheapest, easiest and fastest methods of identifying individuals is through friction ridge prints. However, challenges can arise in cases where trauma or decomposition affect quality of a decedent's hands.
Identifying unknown human remains requires the strategic use of investigative techniques and scientific methods. This includes utilizing various forensic methods to gather the decedent’s biometrics, collecting familial reference samples for comparison, and inputting available information into comprehensive databases to facilitate connections to cases nationwide and internationally. These efforts can help bring closure to families, identify victims of mass disasters, and find missing persons. Listen along...
