Forensic Science Journal Club
Welcome to the Forensic Science Journal Club! We meet regularly to engage with current literature, explore new techniques, and discuss developments in forensic science. The group expertise is very broad, but we don’t let that stop us from diving into the details of different fields.
Upcoming Meetings
Next Meeting
Date: TBD
Time: TBD
Location: TBD / Hybrid
Paper: Next-generation Forensics: Exploring 3D Bioprint Analysis Technologies
Presenter: Erin Giroux
Purpose & Goals
Our journal club provides a space to critically engage with research.
- Engage with advancements: Stay informed on current techniques, tools, and methodologies in forensic science.
- Understand tensions and disagreements: Discuss nuance, competing theories, and active debates in the field.
- Identify research opportunities: Map out knowledge gaps and see how new findings connect to broader scientific conversations.
- Collaborate on methodologies: Work through complex analyses together and help each other adopt modern techniques from literature.
- Develop critical appraisal skills: Strengthen our ability to critically evaluate papers while identifying positive contributions.
Expectations & Culture
To keep our meetings insightful and constructive, we abide by a few shared standards:
- Read the paper in advance: Come prepared to participate in the conversation.
- Criticize ideas, not people: Maintain a respectful, supportive, and open environment.
- Ask anything: All learning levels are welcome.
- Present at least once: Everyone presents at least one paper over the course of the academic year.
If you are presenting, please prepare a brief slideshow covering:
Context: The group is composed of very different expertise. Provide as simply as possible a primer on the topic. Why this paper? Why is it relevant to forensic science or our group?
Major Questions: What central question(s) does the research address?
Methods & Results: Highlight key methodologies and dedicate slides to the main figures/tables.
Discussion & Takeaways: Summarize author conclusions and potential limitations.
Discussion Questions: End with a slide of prompt questions to spark group discussion.
Past Meetings Archive
| Date | Paper / Topic | Presenter | Links & Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| August, 17th, 2026 | Hiring qualified Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) practitioners: Recommendations for forensic science and law enforcement agencies | Drew Sauve | Link to paper · Slides |
Want to present or join our mailing list?
Whether you are an undergraduate, graduate student, or researcher at Ontario Tech you are welcome to attend!