FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. –
Army CID partnered with the Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA) during this year’s STEMposium, providing students at Fort Campbell High School (FCHS) with an immersive forensic science learning experience. Military law enforcement professionals led 8th-grade chemistry and biology students in a simulated criminal investigation to strengthen cross‑curricular STEM learning.
Bringing Real-World Investigation into the Classroom
Army CID representatives provided students with a comprehensive mission overview and explained military law enforcement investigation procedures, detailing how CID special agents secure crime scenes, collect and preserve critical evidence, and coordinate with laboratory specialists. This opportunity gave students a real‑world understanding of how crime‑scene investigators integrate strict field procedures with advanced scientific analysis.
Students viewed interviews with forensic scientists from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory. These professionals discussed their specialized roles in forensic biology and chemistry, providing students with valuable insight into STEM careers in federal and military investigative agencies.
Hands-On Science: The Student Experience
The heart of the STEMposium involved students stepping into the roles of forensic professionals across multiple disciplines. The students acted as forensic serologists, using blood‑typing techniques to match biological evidence to a suspect. Through rigorous antigen‑antibody testing, these students successfully linked a simulated murder weapon to the correct individual. Students also operated a simulated forensic drug laboratory, creating chemical standards for simulated controlled substances and comparing them to an unknown powder. By using solubility and reaction‑based testing, the students were able to accurately identify the substance, mimicking the analytical work performed in CID laboratories.
Biology students reexamined a simulated 20‑year‑old cold case. Using DNA fingerprinting technology, the students compared banding patterns from multiple suspects to identify the individual whose DNA matched the evidence. This exercise highlighted the impact of forensic technology in the pursuit of justice.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators
This collaborative event reflects the DoWEA’s ongoing commitment to providing rigorous, relevant STEM instruction by allowing students to apply scientific reasoning and evidence‑based decision‑making skills to real-world scenarios while exploring STEM career opportunities in military and civilian laboratories.