BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Twelve undergraduate students from Southeast colleges and universities are learning the science of crime-solving this summer during a special research experience offered by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Justice Sciences.
The UAB Crime Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) provides the opportunity to conduct research in criminal justice, forensic science and computer forensics to students who otherwise might not have these opportunities, said UAB Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Kent Kerley, Ph.D. Kerley is the principal investigator on the $334,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that supports UAB Crime REU.
"UAB Crime REU is for students from universities that are non-research oriented and students from groups that have been under-represented in the sciences," Kerley said. "The students have come to the UAB Department of Justice Sciences to conduct research for two months; hopefully, they will gain new skills and experiences and go to graduate school."
Selection for UAB Crime REU was competitive. Nearly 100 students applied for the 12 slots, said Kerley. To qualify, students needed a grade-point average of at least 3.0, at least two years of college work completed and a declared major.
The students in UAB Crime REU work with UAB researchers on projects that explore emerging issues in crime and criminal investigation. Research projects include an analysis of the presence of cocaine on currency, a study of the chemicals used to make methamphetamines, a project to obtain DNA from fingerprints, a study of a faith-based transitional center for women and a study to identify the origins of spam e-mail.
Ellas Aldrich, 21, a junior biochemistry major from Mississippi State University and a native of Gulfport, Miss., is working on a project to obtain DNA from fingerprints.
"I have really enjoyed doing research at UAB," said Aldrich, who has been working in the lab with Jason Linville, Ph.D., the director of the master's in forensic science program. "I would like to go to graduate school at UAB, and I will already have the experience of working in a lab. Coming to UAB this summer is giving me the opportunity to do research in something that I want to make my career."
Lauren Eason, 21, of Atlanta is working with other students to design and conduct a survey and set of in-depth interviews with residents of The Lovelady Center, a Birmingham-based transitional center for women.
"When I came to UAB, I had planned on a career dealing with international crime, whether it be terrorism or international criminal organizations," said Eason who is majoring in criminal justice and international affairs at the University of Georgia. "Now that I'm here, I see myself moving toward a research approach, looking at why people decide to commit crimes or become terrorists and understanding the factors that make people want to join criminal organizations."
Each Friday the students gather during lunch to talk about their research projects and hear guest speakers from agencies such as the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, Birmingham Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Kimberly Burgess, 20, a junior biology major at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Ga., said the program has helped her to discover the areas of forensic science she may want to pursue as a career.
"We have heard speakers from the Alabama Department of Forensic Science, and that sounds like the kind of place where I would like to work," Burgess said. "I really would like to work in a pathology department someday. The best part of being in this program has been the opportunity to work in a lab and gain this experience."
About the UAB College of Arts and Sciences
The Department of Justice Sciences is housed in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences, home to academic disciplines that include the arts, humanities, sciences ands the School of Education. The college's unique structure advances research such as the UAB Spam Data Mine and learning in both K-12 and higher education, and its courses are taught by a world-class faculty. Committed to the UAB spirit of independence and innovation, the college enables students to design their own majors, participate in undergraduate research or complete graduate degrees on a five-year fast track. Through productive partnerships, flexible curricula and a bold, interdisciplinary approach to learning and teaching, the college is preparing students for success in the ever-changing global marketplace of commerce and ideas.