Forensic Science: Decomposition and Deconstruction

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Forensic science is often what we see in crime shows, but there’s a lot of real science behind how evidence is actually analyzed. From insects to language, scientists use a range of tools to piece together what happened and when.

Join us for an evening exploring how forensic science works in real life practice. We’ll hear from Dr. Jennifer Rosati, a forensic entomologist at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, who studies how insects behave during decomposition and how that can help investigators estimate timelines and, amazingly, detect substances like drugs or toxins. She’ll be joined by Dr. Robert Leonard from Hofstra University, a forensic linguist who examines how patterns in language, whether in writing or speech, can be used as evidence in investigations.

Together, they’ll show how very different fields can help solve real-world cases. Come learn how these scientists turn small details into meaningful evidence, and how science can help bring clarity to even the most complex investigations!
Doors open at 7:00PM. Event is 21+ with limited capacity.

The magic of maggots and the secrets they keep
Jennifer Rosati, PhD

Professor of Forensic Entomology in the Department of Sciences at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Chair for the Department of Sciences, and Coordinator for the Forensic Science Program

Dr. Jennifer Rosati's research interests include the areas of Ecology and Evolution, Taxonomy, Insect Species Identification, Entomotoxicology, Decomposition Ecology and Forensic Entomology. Jennifer is an avid supporter of research and science education at the undergraduate and graduate levels and serves as a mentor to many students in the forensic science program. She is qualified as an expert witness and has been involved in well over 50 cases during her career.

Maggots are often overlooked due to their small size, putrid smell and unappealing appearance. However, they can be a key piece of evidence providing crucial information investigators can use to confirm or break alibis, to determine a post-mortem interval (PMI) estimations, or even to tie a suspect to a victim or crime scene. Learn how valuable maggots can be to a forensic investigation - the secrets they hold and the stories that can be told for those that are brave enough to listen.

Forensic Linguistics Applications to Intelligence, Law Enforcement, Counterterrorism and Threat Assessment, and the one-week FBI intensive Quantico training courses now taught at Hofstra University
Rob Leonard, PhD

Professor of Linguistics and Director of the Hofstra Graduate Program in Linguistics: Forensic Linguistics; the innovative Forensic Linguistics Justice Project, a joint venture with Hofstra Law School; and the Institute for Forensic Linguistics, Threat Assessment and Strategic Analysis

www.robertleonardassociates.com

The New Yorker magazine calls Leonard, “one of the foremost language detectives in the country.” The BBC says, “he's considered one of the best in the world.” Leonard’s clients include the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, British Secret Intelligence Service and MI-5, NYPD Detective Bureau, Apple, Facebook, and the Prime Minister ofCanada. Senior Consultant to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s Advanced Research “Linguistic Fingerprint” project. TIME magazine deemed Leonard (no kidding) the second smartest rock star in history, behind Brian May, guitarist of Queen, who is an Astrophysicist. (Leonard thinks this is because TIME thinks “Astrophysicist” sounds smarter than “Forensic Linguist.”)

The New Yorker magazine calls Rob Leonard (PhD, Columbia) “One of the foremost language detectives in the country.” The BBC says, “he's considered one of the best in the world.” He has worked over 1500 cases and consulted on organized crime, kidnappings, counterterrorism, trademark, murder, judicial plagiarism, and serial killers, for the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, Joint Terrorism Task Forces, British Intelligence Services, Apple, Facebook, and the Prime Minister of Canada.

Buy $5 tickets here! (meetup RSVPs are not counted)