FARO® Technologies, Inc., a global leader of 3D measurement, imaging and realization solutions for the 3D Metrology, AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction), and Public Safety Analytics markets, announced a partnership with George Mason University in Virginia to create the world's first FARO-certified Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory. As a direct result of the partnership, Mason's Forensic Science Program will soon become the first in the nation to offer a 3D course in crime scene documentation.
FARO has lent $300,000 of hardware and software for use by students training in state-of-the-art forensic science technology. Students will also have the opportunity to work alongside law enforcement partners such as the George Mason Police, Fairfax County Police, Fairfax City Police and others, including the U.S. Army. Much of the research will be done at Mason's new five-acre Forensic Field Lab (the Body Farm), which offers transformative outdoor scientific training using human remains.
"FARO and George Mason University have a unique partnership based on the common goal of advancing the field of forensic science through innovative technology," said Alina Burroughs, FARO Senior Business Development Manager for Public Safety Analytics. "Our powerful laser scanning solutions allow investigators to document scenes, supplying more comprehensive data faster, resulting in more accurate analysis, identification of victims, and resolution of cases. We are proud to work together to build the next generation of forensic investigators through this shared vision and hope that this partnership will serve as a model to extend to other institutions in the future."
Forensic science has changed considerably over the years, with technology such as 3D scanning and reality capture now playing a critical role in the preservation of crime scenes so that investigators can continue to return to the virtual crime scene to evaluate evidence. By storing that information digitally, forensic investigators can review even the most minute details and share that information before returning to the crime as many times as needed. George Mason students will immediately benefit from that real-world taste and hands-on experience with the latest technology.
"This exciting FARO-Mason Forensic Science partnership is the first of its kind and the opportunities we can now give our students and develop with our external partners can only be imagined," said Mary Ellen O'Toole, a former FBI profiler who heads the Forensic Science Program within Mason's College of Science. "Whether a student is training in the new FARO Forensic Lab, learning how to process an outdoor scene at our Forensic Field Lab, measuring a murder scene inside the Crime Scene House or testifying in court as an expert witness, they will walk in the shoes of real forensic scientists and learn how to apply science and skills to get answers about how crimes are committed and how to solve them with the accuracy and precision of 21st-century technology."
