Forensic Entomology Beyond the Crime Scene: Using Arthropods as Environmental Detectives

Organizer(s)

• 

  Charity Owings (she/her/hers)

  Research Assistant Professor
  Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
  University of Tennessee
  Knoxville, Tennessee
• HC

  Heo Chong Chin

  Universiti Teknologi
  Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• CP

  Christine J Picard

  Purdue University Indianapolis
  Indiana University
  Indianapolis, Indiana
• MM

  Michael Monzon

  Purdue University
  Lafayette, Indiana
• SS

  Samantha Sawyer

  University of New Haven
  Johnston, Rhode Island
• KH

  Krystal Hans

  Assistant Professor of Forensic Entomology
  Purdue University
  West Lafayette, Indiana

Environmental Forensic Entomology is an emerging and cross-cutting discipline that investigates the use of carrion arthropods as environmental sentinels. This symposium aims to gather a diverse and international group of researchers working in this area to highlight innovative research and applied methods.

Presentations:

• 1:30 PM - 1:35 PM Pacific

  Introductory remarks
  

  Presenting Author: Charity Grace Owings (she/her/hers) – University of Tennessee
• 1:35 PM - 1:47 PM Pacific

  From fly gut to global insight: Unlocking the hidden data in blow fly digestive systems
  

  Presenting Author: Christine J Picard – Indiana University
• 1:47 PM - 1:59 PM Pacific

  Flies as vectors of disease: Advanced pathogen detection in environmental forensics in Malaysia
  

  Presenting Author: Heo Chong Chin – Universiti Teknologi

  Co-Author: Moriah Jackson – Universiti Teknologi MARA

  Co-Author: Isaac Seow – University of Nottingham Malaysia

  Co-Author: Zhen Yun Siew – University of Nottingham Malaysia

  Co-Author: Kenny Voon – University of Nottingham Malaysia

  Co-Author: Navindra Palanisamy – Universiti Teknologi MARA

  Co-Author: Sara Contente – Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences

  Co-Author: Razuin Rahimi – Universiti Teknologi MARA
• 1:59 PM - 2:11 PM Pacific

  Insect evidence to locate missing persons and aid in unresolved homicide investigations
  

  Presenting Author: Krystal Hans – Purdue University
• 2:11 PM - 2:23 PM Pacific

  Fly on the wall: Using blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as biological monitors of wildlife pathogens
  

  Presenting Author: Makhali S. Voss (she/her/hers) – University of Tennessee

  Co-Author: Richard Gerhold, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVM (Parasitology) – University of Tennessee

  Co-Author: Charity Grace Owings (she/her/hers) – University of Tennessee
• 2:23 PM - 2:35 PM Pacific

  Assessing the potential use of blow fly sampling in xenosurveillance of pathogens in the environment
  

  Presenting Author: Abigail Orr – Texas A&M University
• 2:35 PM - 2:40 PM Pacific

  Break
• 2:40 PM - 2:52 PM Pacific

  Using necrophagous flies to monitor zoonotic pathogen movement between wildlife and livestock
  

  Presenting Author: Samantha Sawyer – University of New Haven
• 2:52 PM - 3:04 PM Pacific

  Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) as potential indicators for locating clandestine graves
  

  Presenting Author: Tammy Lee Bouldin (she/her/hers) – Texas A&M University

  Co-Author: Nadya Kandel – Texas A&M University

  Co-Author: Aaron Tarone – Texas A&M University

  Co-Author: Micky Eubanks – Colorado State University

  Co-Author: Robert Puckett – Texas A&M University

  Co-Author: Edward Vargo – Texas A&M University
• 3:04 PM - 3:16 PM Pacific

  What flies eat and excrete: Insights from puke, poop, and gut contents of blow flies for wildlife and forensic applications
  

  Presenting Author: Lauren M. Weidner (she/her/hers) – Arizona State University

  Co-Author: Bailey Jannuzzi – Utah Valley University

  Co-Author: Andrew Meeds – Arizona State University

  Co-Author: Carl E. Hjelmen – Utah Valley University
• 3:16 PM - 3:28 PM Pacific

  The mechanical vector ecology of blow flies under field and laboratory conditions
  

  Presenting Author: Michael Monzon – Purdue University
• 3:28 PM - 3:40 PM Pacific

  Livestock forensics: Utilizing stable fly microbiome profiles as investigative tools and to monitor agricultural health
  

  Presenting Author: Lauren Beebe – Texas A&M University

  Co-Author: Abigail Orr – Texas A&M University

  Co-Author: Phillip Kaufman, PhD (he/him/his) – Texas A&M University
• 3:40 PM - 3:52 PM Pacific

  Ethical considerations for implementing environmental forensic entomology methods in casework
  

  Presenting Author: Charity Grace Owings (she/her/hers) – University of Tennessee
• 3:52 PM - 3:57 PM Pacific

  Break
• 3:57 PM - 4:30 PM Pacific

  Panel discussion