Michigan State University has the nation’s oldest and largest forensic science program, and it is one of only two universities in the United States to offer an online course.

Taught by Richard Merritt, chairperson of entomology, and doctoral student Ryan Kimbirauskas, two of the nation’s 11 board certified forensic entomologists, the online course, which began in January, teaches the various ways insects can and have been used as evidence in trials.    

Together, Merritt and Kimbirauskas have more than 25 years of professional experience in the field and have appeared in court as expert witnesses. They also are actively involved in on-going criminal investigations.

“There are very few forensic entomology courses in general,” Kimbirauskas said. “This course uses actual cases to emphasize the major topics of the course.”  

Within the last two decades, forensic entomology has played an increasingly important role in giving detectives the tools necessary to solve crimes.

Insects normally colonize a body within minutes to hours of death. By looking at the type of insects present and determining their stage of development, experts can offer investigators a good estimate of when the body became host to the insects, and therefore when death may have occurred.

“Insects follow a predictable pattern of growth,” Merritt said. “This, together with a body’s state of decomposition, can get us pretty close to a time of death.”

The course, entitled “Forensic Entomology: The Role of Insects in Crime Scene Investigations,” lets students follow the same steps a forensic entomologist would take while collecting and analyzing evidence.

Armed with the information presented in the lectures, students or crime scene investigators walk through a virtual crime scene where a murder has occurred.

Just as a professional forensic entomologist would do, the student investigators will collect evidence and estimate when the victim was murdered.

Finally, the investigator will construct a report detailing what they’ve uncovered and offer an estimated time of death.

The course is open to undergraduates, graduate students and others who may be interested in learning the role of insects in crime scene investigations.

“There’s great interest and demand for this information,” Kimbirauskas said. “In the past, we’ve had to actually turn people away.”

Prior knowledge of insects is not necessary. There are millions of insects and only a small proportion is forensically significant. Insect behavior and ecology are covered, but only as it’s related to the investigation, Kimbirauskas said.

There also is a two-week course designed specifically for detectives and police department technicians.

Here, the primary focus is on procedural information – providing instruction for the proper collection, preservation and shipment of evidence.

“This is a way we can really address the need for more training in these areas,” Kimbirauskas said. 

The course will be offered again during the summer B session and in fall 2006.

“Whether someone is taking this course to understand the science behind a crime novel or maybe to make watching 'CSI' more enjoyable, every student can anticipate taking something valuable from the course,” Kimbirauskas said. “It may even open someone’s eyes to an area they’ve never considered before.” 

For more information on the course, e-mail forensic@msu.edu.