TACNY Sweet Lecture "Forensic Science: Real-Life CSI"

When: Tuesday, February 7, 2012, at 5:30 pm
Where: Whitney Applied Technology Center Room 101 at Onondaga Community College

Anita Zannin, owner and forensic consultant at AZ Forensic Associates, will present Forensic Science: Real-Life CSI, a talk about forensic science and bloodstain pattern analysis, as part of the the Technology Alliance of Central New York’s 2011-2012 Sweet Lecture Series. The event is also sponsored by the Syracuse section of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

People interested in learning more about forensic science are invited to attend the free Sweet Lecture presentation on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Room 101 of the Whitney Applied Technology Center on the Onondaga Community College campus. Networking starts at 5:30 p.m., the speaker is introduced at 6 p.m., the presentation is slated to run from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the event ends at 8 p.m. following questions from the audience. Admission is free and open to the public. Walk-ins are welcome, but we ask that people RSVP by emailing sweet.lecture@tacny.org by Jan. 31, 2012.

Anita Zannin has been an expert witness in state and federal courts, and has worked on criminal and civil cases in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. She recently appeared on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” talking about evidence used in the case of Warren Horinek, a former Fort Worth, Texas, police officer who was found guilty of killing his wife based on the testimony of a bloodstain pattern analysis expert, which others believe to be wrong. Zannin graduated magna cum laude from Buffalo State College with dual bachelors degrees in forensic chemistry and criminal justice. She earned her master’s degree in forensic science from Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences, where she currently is an adjunct professor. She is also a visiting professor at Francisco Marroquin Law School in Guatemala. Zannin earned her certification as a competent forensic expert in bloodstain pattern interpretation from the Institute on the Physical Significance of Human Bloodstain Evidence, which only six people worldwide have earned.

Zannin will discuss the science of forensics and bloodstain pattern analysis, topics that have risen to prominence due to the popularity of television shows such as “CSI.” She will talk about how technology has transformed this field of investigation and share her thoughts on the future of forensic science. Zannin will also discuss some the many cases she has worked on.