Still Life
Commencement across Penn State: Spring 2012
Spring commencement 2012 under way
Penn State, Moroccan students problem-solve together
Finals Week Spring Semester 2012
Children explore career options at University Park
Painting the Lines at Beaver Stadium
Did They Get It Right? - RedTails
Iconic Penn State elm taken down over spring break 2012
We ... are Penn State (December 19, 2011)
Disease stricken matching elm tree slated for removal
Penn State's creamery, from the cow to the cone
Forensics experts can't always retrieve fingerprints from objects, but a new coating process developed by Penn State professors may change that. The process reveals hard-to-develop fingerprints on nonporous surfaces without altering the chemistry of the print. A coating application suggested by Robert Shaler, founding director of the Penn State forensic science program, and Ahklesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder professor in engineering science and mechanics, uses the physical properties of the fingerprint, not the chemistry of the substances left behind. (more)
Robert C. Shaler, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, has retired after having served as the founding director of the Penn State Forensic Science Program since 2005. Shaler is well known for supervising the massive DNA-testing effort to identify thousands of victims of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, and he is the author of Who They Were: Inside the World Trade Center DNA Story: The Unprecedented Effort to Identify the Missing. More information is online at www.science.psu.edu. (more)
Law professor David H. Kaye shares his insights into how the the use of DNA evidence has impacted our legal system. While its use has far-reaching implications, Kaye points out that "DNA is only a tool. It gives information depending on the nature of the samples and how well the analysis is done," and lawyers and judges need to understand the science behind DNA analysis. (more)
CSI notwithstanding, forensics experts cannot always retrieve fingerprints from objects, but a conformal coating process developed by Penn State professors can reveal hard-to-develop fingerprints on nonporous surfaces without altering the chemistry of the print. "As prints dry or age, the common techniques used to develop latent fingerprints, such as dusting or cyanoacrylate -- SuperGlue -- fuming often fail," said Robert Shaler, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and director of Penn State's forensic sciences program. (more)
The shows' bizarre murder methods, weapons and plots are far-fetched, says Robert Shaler, director of Penn State's forensic science program. For students interested in a career in crime scene investigation, Shaler recommends studying science and mathematics. (more)
Before taking a job at Penn State, Robert Shaler had the extremely difficult task of trying to identify the remains of the 2,749 victims of the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Shaler led a team of researchers at New York City's medical examiner's office who implemented the DNA testing that would eventually lead to the identification of almost 1,600 victims. He is now director of Penn State's forensic science program. He shares his stories about crime scene investigation on the next "Conversations from Penn State." (more)
"Burglars are recidivists. In other words, about 50 percent of the people who commit burglaries commit other burglaries. These people also commit more violent crimes, and so finding the people who do the burglaries prevents other kinds of crimes from being committed." -Robert Shaler, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and director of the Forensic Science Program at Penn State. (more)
In the spirit of television dramas like 'CSI' and 'Cold Case,' Penn State is set to debut its own TV show from Discovery Communications' new network, Investigation Discovery. While the cases in 'Crime Scene University' are not real, this show might be the only place where if students don't do their homework, someone could get away with murder. (more)
