Forensic Fridays to Explore Fracking, Social Media and More

Fracking, social media and the courts, and the profession of forensic science are among the topics to be addressed during the upcoming season of Forensic Fridays seminars.

Hosted by the Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law, the Forensic Fridays series was established to regularly offer continuing legal education and other professional education opportunities in shorter courses that are more convenient for busy schedules. “In keeping with the Institute’s longtime mission, our 2014-15 program season promises to address a broad range of social concerns through the prism of applied forensic science,” said Ben Wecht, program administrator for the institute.

The new season launches on Friday, Sept. 12, The Forensics of Fracking: The Science and Law of Hydraulic Gas Extraction, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Power Center Ballroom. “This daylong seminar will provide a comprehensive overview of the key issues in the regional and national debate over hydraulic gas extraction, including environmental, toxicological, healthcare, legal and public policy considerations,” said Wecht.

The Forensics of Fracking is presented in conjunction with the Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences and the Center for Environmental Research and Education, and will feature a deputy secretary from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, an attorney from the environmental services group of Babst Calland, and one of the lead attorneys who spearheaded the Act 13 challenge on behalf of local communities, along with Duquesne University experts in environmental chemistry, toxicology and nursing.

The four-part series will feature the additional seminars:

  • Is Forensics Getting Fixed?, Friday, Jan. 16, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Africa Room. This session will take a look at the state of the forensic science profession five years after the publication of the National Academy of Sciences’ eye-opening report, Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward.
  • Social Media and the Courts, Friday, March 6, 1 to 4:30 p.m., Africa Room. This seminar will explore issues of privacy, discovery, admissibility and the role of computer forensics in investigating and adjudicating criminal and civil infractions involving the use of Facebook, Twitter and other social media.
  • Sexual Assault On Campus, Friday, May 1, 1 to 4:30 p.m., Africa Room. The Forensic Fridays series will conclude with this seminar that will examine the common challenges encountered in investigating institutional sexual violence, including the renewed focus on reporting standards under the Title IX amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Registration is free to members of the University community, although advance registration is recommended to ensure space. A $10 service fee will be assessed at the door. For more information, Continuing Education credit details and to register, visit www.duq.edu/forensics, call 412-396-1330 or email wechtinstitute@duq.edu.