BU gives CSI exercise

1 August 2008

Students gain unique hands-on experience at BU's world-class forensic workshops.

Led by our renowned experts in forensic sciences, a recent series of workshops at BU has given our students the opportunity to be involved in simulations of a temporary mortuary, a mass grave and an air crash recovery scene.

Both the mortuary – the only operation of its kind in the world – and mass grave scenarios followed real-case examples. This included the detection and removal of simulated cremated remains and the use of plastic skeletons featuring real clothing and artefacts to accentuate the reality of the site. Great effort was taken to make the exercise as realistic as possible.

The third and final workshop, a crime scene investigation at our crime house, Rose Cottage, set the scenario of a bomb-making factory, extending the simulated investigations from the air crash scene. Footage of this mock investigation can be seen on the BBC’s online news site.

Our unique short courses in Forensics and Crime Scene Science are now in their second year and provide ‘real life’ experiences through practical training and simulated exercises.

Ian Hanson, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Archaeology, who has extensive experience of uncovering mass graves in Bosnia, Iraq and Guatemala, said: “The aim of our courses is to give a complete demonstration and a chance to try all the techniques we use in a real investigation, so that students get all the experience.”

Our Forensics and Crime Scene Science course attracts delegates from around the world, including those working in related professions, international students and members of the general public keen to find out more about forensic science and practice their CSI-style techniques.

Ann Marie-Day, who flew over from New Zealand to participate in the course said: “It’s been an amazing workshop. I’ve learned a lot from fellow students and the forensic side of it, which was new to me, was fascinating.”

> Listen to more about the mass grave exercise on BBC’s Radio 4 Today Programme External Link