The Course: SCI350: Forensic Science

“The sight of a doctor in a television drama laying a hand on the head of a cadaver and gravely pronouncing “she died at 3 o’clock last Tuesday” is guaranteed to reduce a real forensic pathologist to hysterical laughter.”—Bernard Knight, Home Office (UK) Pathologist, University of Wales College of Medicine Professor and mystery author.

In a society where preoccupation with high profile cases like the Scott Peterson trial and Jon Benet Ramsey murder attract nationwide attention, it’s no surprise that crime shows, full of drama, suspense and “whodunit,” are receiving record-high ratings.

But, according to Dr. Terry Bunde, MC chemistry professor and instructor of SCI350: Forensic Science, no real forensic science test can be “accomplished in twenty minutes,” and certain popular crime dramas do not accurately portray the difficulty and care needed for testing DNA evidence at a crime scene.

“They do have all the instruments in the TV labs that manufacturers give them for the advertising (see the credits at the end), but the operation of the equipment is pretty suspect,” Bunde said.

Although his class will not get the chance to do hands-on experiments with DNA evidence, crime scenes or bodies of crime victims, Bunde’s upper-level course is does cover topics ranging from fingerprinting to hair, fiber and paint analysis. The class also explores the ethical, moral, political and legal implications of forensic science.

“The computer science majors get very interested in computer forensics; the English majors like document examination; the art majors get very interested in art forgery and how forensic examination can detect forgery. Hunters like the section on ballistics and explosives.”

- Dr. Terry Bunde

Bunde said he hopes they “become a more discriminating consumer of scientific information as [students] find it in the popular literature and other media.”

In addition to studying the history of forensics, the class will also address current controversial issues such as DNA databanking, electronic monitoring and other governmental identification tools to help protect against terrorism, along with some examinations of high-profile cases such as the World Trade Center terrorist attack. In reference to the personal privacy acts, Bunde said, “That is usually one of the most animated discussions every year.”

Bunde also plans to bring TBI agents, specializing in toxicology and DNA analysis, as guest speakers into the classroom.  According to Bunde, no trips and hands-on activities are planned to crime labs or body farms where they (TBI agents) work because the agents are “sensitive to the people who have donated their bodies for the research.”

The class is open to junior and senior non-science majors who must take the SCI350 course requirement in order to graduate.

When asked what topics these non-science students respond to most, Bunde replied, “It really depends upon their major. The computer science majors get very interested in computer forensics; the English majors like document examination; the art majors get very interested in art forgery and how forensic examination can detect forgery. Hunters like the section on ballistics and explosives.”

A key for success for those who do not particularly “like science?” Bunde advises, “The key for this particular course is finding a topic that interests them and then they will work pretty hard to struggle with the science in the material. I allow them to present a mini-lecture to the class and write a term paper on a topic that interests them and which might be related to their major.

“I also tell them if they drop the fact that they have had a forensic science class at Maryville College, they probably will never get picked to serve on a jury should they be called for jury duty.”