ACS AMA: Hi, Reddit! I am Dr. Suzanne Bell, Chair of the Department of
Forensic and Investigative Science at West Virginia University. Ask me
anything about the chemistry of gunshot residue or educational
opportunities in forensic chemistry.
Abstract
ACS AMA Hi Reddit! My name is Suzanne Bell, and I am the Chair of the
Department of Forensic and Investigative Science at West Virginia
University. I teach and conduct research in analytical and forensic
chemistry and work with students from undergraduate through PhD. I
joined the faculty here in 2003. Prior to then, I worked for the New
Mexico State Police Crime Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory,
and Eastern Washington University. My PhD is from New Mexico State
University. Beyond my faculty work, I served on the National Commission
on Forensic Science as Chair of the Research and Scientific Inquiry
Subcommittee. I also served as a commissioner on the Forensic Education
Programs Accreditation Commission, and am currently an associated editor
for chemistry for the Journal of Forensic Sciences. Additionally, I am a
member of the ACS Experts program
(www.acs.org/expertshttp://www.acs.org/experts). This is my second AMA
with the ACS – you can see the previous session here
https://redd.it/35pi9d Continuing on with that discussion, there is a
lot of chemical analysis that goes into determining what evidence
gunshot residue might provide. Some of the methods we use include
scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray spectroscopies including
energy-dispersive (EDS), and many types of mass spectrometry (MS). Note
that in this discussion I am not an expert on tool markings or
ballistics (ie physical marks caused by weapons nor trajectory of
bullets). Ask me anything about forensic chemistry and how we apply it
in shooting cases, or what educational paths are possible in the
forensic sciences. I’ll be back at 1 pm EDT (10 am PDT, 5 pm UTC) to
answer your questions, ask me anything!