INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC GEOSCIENCE

Reasons for Writing: Due to shows such as CSI and Cold Case, not to mention the numerous cable reality shows, there has been a documented increase in student interest in the sciences. Inspired by this increased interest in science and with the cooperation of the long standing Forensic Chemistry program at Buffalo State College, which was started in the 1970s, I developed a problem-based learning, forensic geoscience course which was offered for the first time Spring, 2005. One of the major obstacles that I encountered was the lack of materials to support such a course. I have been in contact with most of the major figures in the field and for various reasons, the only book currently available in the field is Ray Murrays Evidence from the Earth, which is really a laymans brief introduction. I have ended up writing a laboratory manual/textbook on my own the past couple of years. When I presented some of my material at the recent Geological Society of Americas annual meeting in Salt Lake City, I got an immediately favorable response and since then I have been literally flooded with requests for background case information, suggestions on how to develop forensic exercises and most commonly pointers to references. Based on the response that I have gotten from my colleagues and the lack of alternatives, I think that this is the perfect time to present a book on forensic geoscience that can be used for undergraduate courses and as reference material for developing modules appropriate for high-schools or middle schools. I have already spent an enormous amount of time putting together materials for my course, and believe that I have the beginnings of a successful book. It is important to note that this book is not intended to be a replacement for a traditional physical geology text. Instead it will briefly introduce a variety of earth science topics and discuss aspects of geology that are not traditionally emphasized in undergraduate courses.

An Introduction to Forensic Geoscience provides fundamental training in geoscience as developed through the lens of its forensic applications. It incorporates a range of topics including geophysical methods of grave detection, the mineralogy of art, identification of microfossils, and comparison of soil trace evidence samples. Each topic is introduced using core concepts that are developed with increasing complexity in order to give readers an understanding of the underlying scientific principles involved and a taste of the wide range of possible forensic uses. A variety of detailed reference tables have been compiled for the text and each chapter contains lists of references to applicable textbooks and journal articles. Examples of real criminal cases are also presented in each chapter to make the connections between theory and real world application. The goal of this book is to give readers a familiarity with the wide range of ways in which geoscience principles and geological materials can be utilized forensically.