Real-life 'CSI' for Lynwood SHS students

by WA Government News | Dec 07, 2017
  • Lynwood SHS students get 'hands on' to help unlock forensic science mysteries
  • Citizen science project helps develop ChemCentre's Australian-first fibre database
  • McGowan Government committed to improving STEM education in schools for jobs of the future

Lynwood Senior High School students today gained a unique, first-hand experience of what life is like as a forensic scientist.

As part of a citizen science project led by ChemCentre, the students have been collecting fibres throughout the year for a ChemCentre custom-built database and search program, the first of its kind in Australia, and one of only two in the world.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Science Chris Tallentire joined the students, at ChemCentre's forensic science laboratory, who got to process some of the collected fibres into the database under scientist supervision.

ChemCentre experts have been working with students to introduce them to forensic science, and instruct them on how to collect the fibres and the use of stereo microscopes.

Currently the fibres database holds more than 20,000 fibres, including fabric and carpet.

The fibres database is an important tool to assist in analysing evidence for criminal investigations.

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