Message from the Chair

Dear Alumni & Friends,

I hope this message finds you well and thriving in your personal and professional endeavors! As we reflect on another exciting year in the Department of Forensic Science, I am filled with pride and gratitude for our community—students, faculty, staff, and especially you, our alumni, friends, and collaborators. Your accomplishments in laboratories, agencies, and research institutions across the country continue to inspire our current students and uphold the department’s reputation for excellence. As we enter another exciting academic year, the Department of Forensic Science continues to grow in both size and impact. I am pleased to share a few updates from the department and to celebrate some of our accomplishments.

This fall, we welcomed our largest M.S. class ever with 34 new first year students. On the undergraduate side, we also welcomed our largest freshman class in the history of the department and increased our total enrollments by 19 percent over last year. Our students bring their enthusiasm and passion for science and justice to the department, with many actively engaged in cutting-edge research projects while enrolled. The department’s research portfolio continues to expand with our faculty advancing research spanning the subdisciplines of forensic science. New projects, including chemical characterization of vape devices confiscated from Virginia schools, miRNA expression analysis for prediction of body weight class, and evaluation and validation of automated methods to enhance firearms analysis (just to name a few!), ensure that VCU remains at the forefront of innovation in our field.

In 2025, the Department of Forensic Science made great strides in the expansion of our academic offerings, bringing new and improved options to prospective students and professional trainees. This December, we will celebrate the graduation of our first cohort of students who have completed the accelerated B.S.-to-M.S. degree program, which offers high performing students an opportunity to engage in graduate work earlier, completing both degrees in just over five years.  Additionally, the department offered its first training programs for working forensic practitioners this summer with a digital badge course in crime scene photography as well as introductory modules for forensic firearms trainees. Finally, we are excited to share that our M.S. degree has expanded with a new concentration track in digital forensics and incident response!

With expansion comes the addition of new colleagues to our department roster. Last year, we welcomed Winston Sanders as our Instructional Lab Coordinator, a new role designed to provide instrumentation and general support for our teaching mission. To support our new M.S. concentration track, we recently welcomed Jake Olesen, Ph.D., who will help us implement and expand our programs covering digital forensics. Amanda Hale, Ph.D., also joined us this fall as our resident forensic anthropologist and chief liaison to the VA Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Dr. Hale replaces Tal Simmons, Ph.D., who retired as of September.  Lastly, Amy Bailey has joined the department as our new department and community engagement coordinator. Amy replaces Jo Murphy, who also recently retired.  We are sad to see our treasured colleagues go, but hope you will join us in warmly welcoming the new members of our team.

As we look ahead, I encourage you to stay connected—whether by joining us at upcoming events, mentoring a student, contributing to one of our student scholarship funds, or returning to campus to share your professional insights in our seminar series or for a guest lecture. As always, if you are in the Richmond area, please come visit! While you are here, we invite you to:

• Come by the department to visit old friends and meet our new colleagues.
• Visit our new chemistry instrumentation lab in Oliver Hall.
• Check out our newly renovated main office and collaboration room in Harris Hall South.
• Walk through the microscopy and firearms lab, anthropology lab, and the Marilyn T. Miller Crime Scene Investigation facility in the beautiful new STEM building on Franklin Street.
• Ask us how to apply for our upcoming forensic chemistry faculty position.
• Cheer on our Rams at a basketball game.

Your continued involvement strengthens our department and helps sustain the spirit of collaboration and discovery that defines the Department of Forensic Science. Thank you for all you do to represent our program so well. Please keep in touch, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Tracey Dawson Green, Ph.D.

Professor and Department Chair

VCU Department of Forensic Science