Chris Palenik interviewed at NIJ Trace Evidence Symposium in Texas

Chris Palenik of Microtrace LLC was recently interviewed in San Antonio, Texas by Time Warner Cable News about the Impression Pattern and Trace Evidence Symposium, which concluded yesterday. When asked about the conference and its usefulness to forensic scientists, he replied, “To debate science, even outside of the sessions- that leads to new ideas in research [and] new ideas in approaches to cases.”

Watch Chris’s interview here.

Chris was a significant contributor to the conference. On Thursday he spoke on “Decreasing the Scale and Increasing the Scope of Trace Evidence”- a presentation which was streamed live on the web. Chris and Skip Palenik also co-presented the workshop “Petrographic identification of soil minerals” on Tuesday.

Microtrace was well-represented at the symposium. In addition to Chris and Skip, Ph.D. student Kristie Scott and Master’s student Barb Fallon, who conducted much of their research while interning at Microtrace, also contributed. Kristie presented on “Developing the Techniques Available for the Collection and Analysis of Forensic Trace Evidence in Freshwater Crime Scene Environments.” Barb offered a poster based on the subject of her Microtrace internship entitled, “Jute and its Substitutes in Common Goods.”

The symposium was specifically designed to bring together practitioners and researchers to enhance information-sharing and promote collaboration among the impression, pattern and trace evidence, law enforcement and legal communities. The Symposium also provided unique educational opportunities for forensic examiners in the disciplines of impression, pattern and trace evidence. Topics of the symposium included the latest developments and challenges in fingerprint, shoeprint, and tire tread evidence; questioned documents; bloodstain pattern analysis; biometrics; firearms and toolmarks; digital photography; fibers, paint, tape and other types of evidence; and calculation of error rate, testimony, interpretation/reporting, case studies, and technology applications. IPTES will feature one full day of workshops and two full days of plenary and poster sessions, including federal updates.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ)—the research, development, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Justice—and its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence sponsored the symposium, which was held in San Antonio, TX.

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