Ted R. Schwartz, a senior forensic scientist at the Westchester County Forensic Laboratory in New York, will present the seminar, titled “Importance of Trace and Impression Evidence.” The seminar will run from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Pastore Hall, room 124 on the Kingston campus. It is free and open to the public.
Trace and impression evidence are often overlooked in the field of forensic science, said Schwartz. “Partly due to the success of DNA analysis, investigators, prosecutors, defense lawyers and even some laboratory directors sometimes forget the huge impact that this type of evidence can have on a case.” Schwartz’s talk will provide an overview of trace and impression evidence, and case studies will be used to show their importance.
Schwartz is the supervisor of the trace evidence and photography departments within the Westchester County Forensics Laboratory. He has more than 20 years of experience within the forensics field and qualifies as an expert witness for many forensics related topics. Schwartz, former president of the Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists, has a bachelor’s degree in forensic chemistry from West Chester University and a master’s degree in forensic science from the University of New Haven. The forensic scientist has been an adjunct professor for more than 20 years and currently teaches classes at Western Connecticut State University.