President (2021-2023)
Gina Londino-Smolar, MS
Senior Lecturer
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Forensic and Investigative Sciences Program
Faculty Fellow
Teaching and Learning Technologies, UITS
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Ms. Gina Londino-Smolar is currently a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology teaching in the forensic and investigative sciences program, as well as a faculty fellow with Teaching and Learning Technologies. She has taught multiple courses in forensic science and chemistry, including instrumentation, analysis chemistry, forensic chemistry, and forensic microscopy for both undergraduate and graduate students. Currently, Gina teaches the introductory courses in forensic science both face-to-face and online, and works with online teaching faculty through IU in creation of online material. Since 2006, Gina has been a part of the forensic science program and had direct experience with the FEPAC accreditation process of the forensic and investigative sciences program. Throughout her time at IUPUI, she has developed multiple courses in forensic science, along with participating in the development of courses taught online to reach out to other student populations. She has published a laboratory manual, The Basics of Investigating Forensic Science: A Laboratory Manual, for undergraduate forensic science laboratory courses for non-science majors. Gina has also developed an online forensic science laboratory course for non-science majors to fulfill laboratory credit that many programs outside of science require. Gina is heavy involved in distance education at IUPUI and with academic integrity initiatives. She is currently a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and the Chair of the Disciplines committee for the General Section, a charter member of the American Society of Trace Evidence Examiners, and a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Contact Information
402 N. Blackford, LD222
Indianapolis IN 46202
317-274-6820
glondino@iupui.edu
President-Elect (2021-2023)
Jason Byrd, PhD, D-ABFE
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology
University of Florida College of Medicine
Associate Director of the William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine
Dr. Jason Byrd is an Associate Professor and Associate Director of the William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine. He is a Board Certified Forensic Entomologist and Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Entomology. Jason is a member of the UF Faculty Senate and is the program administrator for UF’s Veterinary Forensic Sciences, Wildlife Forensic Sciences, Shelter Medicine, and Forensic Medicine educational programs. He has served as President of the American Board of Forensic Entomology, the North American Forensic Entomology Association, and the International Veterinary Forensic Science Association. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Jason has been consulting on forensic casework for over 25 years in the area of postmortem interval estimation and point of origin determination. Outside of academics, Jason serves as a Medicolegal Death Investigator within the National Disaster Medical System, Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, Region IV, and serves as Commander for the Florida Emergency Mortuary Operations Response System. He is a subject editor for the Journal of Medical Entomology and has published numerous scientific articles and book contributions on the use and application of entomological evidence in legal investigations. Jason has combined his formal academic training in Entomology and Forensic Science to serve as a consultant and educator in both criminal and civil legal investigations throughout the United States and Internationally. Jason specializes in the education of law enforcement officials, medical examiners, coroners, attorneys, and other death investigators on the use and applicability of arthropods in legal investigations. His research efforts have focused on the development and behavior of insects that have forensic importance.
Contact Information
1600 SW Archer Road
Gainesville, FL 32610
352-265-0680, ext. 72217
jhbyrd@ufl.edu
Immediate Past President (2021-2023)
Karen Scott, PhD
Director and Associate Professor, Forensic Science
Forensic Toxicology Consultant
Arcadia University
Dr. Karen Scott has been an academic since 2000 and has held positions at Anglia Ruskin University, England (2000-2007), The University of Glasgow, Scotland (2007-2012) and Arcadia University, Pennsylvania (2012-). In addition to her teaching responsibilities, which have primarily been in the areas of analytical chemistry, pharmacology and forensic toxicology, she has held administrative positions since 2002. Karen’s research interests have diversified over the years but have mainly focused on analytical techniques for the determination of drugs in alternative matrices (including hair, oral fluid and insects), drug stability in biological and non-biological matrices and human performance toxicology (drug facilitated crime and DUID). She has maintained an active role in casework that has included approximately 17 years as a consultant Forensic Toxicologist. From 2007-2012 in addition to her academic role, Karen worked on the Crown Office contract for post-mortem toxicology at the University of Glasgow Forensic Medicine and Science. Karen is passionate about remaining active in her field and using casework experiences to enhance teaching practice. Karen is a member of AAFS (Toxicology Section), the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists, The Society of Hair Testing, the American Chemical Society and The Royal Society of Chemistry. Karen is a Charted Chemist and a Chartered Scientist (U.K.) and serves on the Executive Board of the National Safety Council’s Alcohol Drugs and Impaired Driving Division.
Contact Information
Boyer Hall, 450 S. Easton Road
Glenside, PA 19038
215-572-2675
scottk@arcadia.edu
Treasurer (2022-2025)
Pamela Marshall, Ph.D.
Director and Associate Teaching Professor
Forensic Science and Law Master’s Program
Director, Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law
Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Science
Duquesne University
Dr. Pamela Marshall has been involved in the field of forensic analysis since 2002. Upon the completion of her MS in Forensic Genetics in 2002, she worked as a Forensic Scientist III at the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division. While in Maryland, Pam became an expert on sexual assault kit examination and collection practices. She was the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) Coordinator for the state, helped to promote 120-hour SAFE collection legislation, and assisted in the training of over 200 SAFE nurses. Pam has also travelled abroad to Luanda, Angola, Africa in order to train analysts in forensic DNA analysis. She has been qualified as an expert witness in the field of serology in Maryland and Texas. Her dissertation was titled “Improved Tools for the Robust Analysis of Low Copy Number and Challenged DNA Samples”, leading to her graduation with her doctorate in 2014 under the guidance of Drs. Bruce Budowle, Art Eisenberg, Ranajit Chakraborty, and Angela van Daal.
From 2014-2018, Pam served as the Director of the Forensic Science Program at the Southern University at New Orleans, a public, historically black college and university (HBCU). While at SUNO, Pam created a state of the art forensic laboratory for hands-on research and experimentation. She has received numerous grants as well as partnered on research projects with other faculty and students. She is an advocate for increasing the number of African American and underrepresented minority professionals in the field of forensic science. In July 2018, Pam became the Director of the Forensic Science and Law Program at Duquesne University, the nation’s only entry level Master’s degree program in forensic science. She also serves as an Associate Professor and holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences.
Pam has extensive graduate and undergraduate teaching experience in the forensic disciplines of serology, DNA, and microscopy. Her research interests include low copy number DNA, human and wildlife DNA identification challenges, nanoparticle technology, pressure cycling technology, and PCR enhancement. She is a member or is active in the Alpha Chi Sigma Professional Chemistry Fraternity, American Society of Cold Case Investigators, Delta Delta Epsilon Forensic Honor Society, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society.
Contact Information
340 Fisher Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
412-396-1703
marshallp@duq.edu
Secretary (2021-2023)
Dr. Rushton received a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences (1995), a Master of Science in Forensic Science (1997), and an Education Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction (2016) from Marshall University. She began teaching at MU’s Forensic Science Graduate Program in 1997. Her courses include Forensic Microscopy and Comparative Sciences. Forensic Microscopy class is a hands-on course that allows students the opportunity to use a stereoscope, compound light microscope, polarized light microscope, and scanning electron microscope. Comparative Sciences class allows students to begin learning how to examine fingerprints, firearms, toolmarks, questioned documents, and more. Her diverse research interests span palynology, fingerprints, and forensic science education. In collaboration with Dr. D. Evans (retired), Catherine examined pollens of West Virginia. She worked on the history and use of stains, optimization of media for preservation, and heat tolerances. She created a new procedure for the development of latent prints on both sides of adhesive tape simultaneously. Over time, Catherine became curious about the way faculty members teach. While working on her doctorate, she discovered her passion for active learning pedagogies, particularly game-based learning. She has taught workshops on game-based learning at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.