As seen in courtroom dramas, forensic chemists are often called upon to explain what was found in crime scenes and how they reached their conclusions based on the test results. Recently, a group of HKBU students got a taste of what it’s like to work as a forensic chemist, as they identified and analysed the evidence collected from a crime scene.

The "crime scene" was staged at a laboratory on campus, where students of the course Forensic Analytical Chemistry worked in groups and examined exhibits such as glass fragments, powder, and bloodstains. They then employed analytical techniques to characterise the evidence as part of the process of solving a crime.

The innovative course is the brainchild of Dr Gray Ho, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Chemistry and Director of Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Analytical and Testing Sciences (ATS) programme. “The goal of this course is to challenge students to interpret a crime scene and implement scientific methodologies in the forensic process, so they can learn how to recover and present evidence which are crucial to solving a crime,” says Dr Ho.