Upper school students in The Institute for Cultural Engagement's (TICE) Center for Inquiry + Design visited The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) this past Monday. 

TICE encourages students to utilize their gifts outside the classroom, actively asking, listening, and engaging in a post-Christian world for the glory of God. I+D particularly focuses on nurturing problem-solving and critical thinking skills in students interested in Engineering, Computer Science, Biomedical Sciences, and Urban Sustainability, among others. 

Recently, Amber Romaine’s Forensic Science class immersed themselves in numerous forensic disciplines at TBI, including toxicology, latent fingerprints, microanalysis, forensic biology, Combined DNA Index System CODIS, breath alcohol, and evidence receiving. 

Using their classroom knowledge and previous laboratory experience, students put their skills to the test, examining different compounds, analyzing samples, and searching for fingerprints alongside TBI analysts. One of the student’s favorite disciplines included DNA profiling, which is performed at TBI by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Short Tandem Repeat (STR) analysis.

Other highlights include impression comparisons, glass fracture analysis, and evidence receiving. Throughout the quarter, Romaine and her students will take a deeper look into these disciplines and more, offering students invaluable knowledge as they continue to discover their career passions and personal interests. 

Additionally, during each department visit, TBI professionals shared relevant coursework and other beneficial recommendations for students interested in pursuing a career in forensic science. These insights combined with classroom learning and future lab assignments create the ideal foundation for students as they prepare for careers as forensic analysts, chemists, and engineers. 

Students left motivated, empowered, and excited about a potential future in forensic science. In January, students will visit Belmont University School of Pharmacology, where they will shadow and learn from world-class pharmacists.