FORENSIC CHEMISTRY & MATERIALS LAB
STOTESBURY RESEARCH GROUP
Click on the images below to learn more about current and past members!
Some members have taken on a few roles in the laboratory and their most current roles are shown here!
CURRENT MEMBERS
PhD candidate
PhD student
MSc
Undergraduate
Colin is a PhD candidate in the Applied Biosciences graduate program. He transferred from his MSc project where he is focusing on multivariate approaches to age degrading bloodstains. Colin's undergraduate degree (Trent U) and USRA focused on RNA degradation in bloodstains. Colin is a 2x NSERC USRA recipient and was awarded a NSERC CGS-M and OGS for his MSc research project!
Jerika Ho (she/her) is a current PhD student in Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Windsor. She is co-supervised by Dr. Shari Forbes and Dr. Theresa Stotesbury. She completed her BSc in Forensic Science at Ontario Tech University, and her MSc in Forensic Science at King’s College London (United Kingdom). Her PhD research is looking to integrate multidimensional chromatography and mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOFMS and MALDI-MSI) approaches to uncover post-mortem time-dependent signatures
Lelo is an MSc student in the Applied Bioscience program at Ontario Tech University. She joined our lab in 2021, where her honors thesis was focused on monitoring the solid-state VIS profiles of bloodstains. Her current research project focuses on developing a skin simulant using an alginate-based biomaterial for forensic training and research.
Erin is a MSc student in the Applied Bioscience graduate program. Her research project focuses on characterizing the physical, molecular, and elemental changes that occur to the various biomolecules present in bloodstains as they degrade. Erin has been awarded a NSERC CGS-M and OGS for her research project. Prior to her MSc, Erin completed her BSc in Forensic Science at Trent University.
Shaijieni completed her BSc degree in forensic physics. In her research thesis, she characterized a BPA impact rig, alongside Amanda Lowe (OPP). Shaijieni is interested in all aspects of physics, working with ballistics and accident reconstruction. This September she will be starting her MSc on a bloodstain pattern classification project.
Daisee started her thesis research with the FCML last year when she received the OUT-STAR award. She has since completed her BSc in Forensic Biology and will be starting her MSc research this semester. She will continue her project on developing an alginate biosensor for the detection of oligonucleotides. This project is co-supervised by Dr. JP Desaulniers.
Faith (she/her) is a MSc. Student at Ontario Tech University, focusing on the Forensic concentration of Applied Bioscience. Her project will investigate bloodstain detection and enhancement in the environment. Prior to her MSc., Faith graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland, with a Joint Honours BSc. in Chemistry and Biochemistry, alongside a Certificate in Criminology.
Meaghan is a fourth-year forensic science student specializing in biology. Meaghan is interested in both biology and chemistry and looks forward to learning everything she can about analytical chemistry and biological fluids. She started as our University Works laboratory assistant, and is now our NSERC-USRA student this summer!
Keegan is a fourth-year forensic science student specializing in physics. Keegan is interested in the aspect of physics in forensic science including bloodstain pattern analysis and ballistics. He is beginning his honours thesis project this year on the differentiating of swipe and wipe bloodstain patterns.
Lab Assistant
Emily is a third year forensic science student at Ontario Tech University focusing on a chemistry specialization. She believes that chemistry is the science of everything, and she is excited about its applications to the future of forensics. When she isn’t working, she enjoys dance, circus, music, playing strategic video/board games, and hanging out with her cat Norma.
PAST MEMBERS
Graduate Students
PhD
MSc
Lab Assistant
Dr. Amanda Orr completed her PhD in Trent University's Environmental and Life Science graduate program and was a visiting scholar at Ontario Tech. This project is co-supervised with Dr. Paul Wilson (Trent). She developed functional soft materials that contain DNA. Dr. Orr is the recipient of the RSC Twitter Pitch Award (2022), NSERC CGS-D Scholarship, OGS (2019), Lausanne Summer School of Forensic Science Criminology (2019) and the CSFS’s Education Award (2019).
Mitchell Tiessen completed his MSc in 2021 in Applied Biosciences. He used electrochemical methods to characterize degrading bloodstains, and won the W.R. Smith MSc Thesis Award, ECS Poster Award, CSFS Educational Award and an OGS for his research (2021). He previously held an NSERC-USRA for his co-supervised UG thesis (with Dr. Naomi Stock) and won 1st place for his poster at the CSFS training conference. He is now an analytical instrumentation specialist with Solvay.
Sumiko completed her MSc in Environmental and Life Science in 2018. She was supervised by Dr. Paul Wilson. She worked closely with my research on developing a luminol-reactive forensic blood substitute. Sumiko represented Trent University at the Provincial Three Minute Thesis Competition in 2018. Sumiko is currently a contract instructor and teaching assistant at Trent University.
Undergraduate NSERC USRA, OTU-STAR and and Honour's ResearchThesis Students
Brayden Vale completed his BSc in forensic chemistry at Ontario Tech University. Brayden joined our lab in 2021 as an Undergraduate Student Research Fellow, and completed his honours thesis project this year. Brayden characterized the surface profile of degrading bloodstains using optical profilometery. Brayden is currently the Canadian Society of Forensic Science’s Social Media Coordinator and was the past president of the FSSA. He is starting his MSc in Trent's MICA program.
Julia completed her BSc in forensic physics at Ontario Tech University. Her honours thesis project on the efficacy of portable 3D laser scanners to document impression evidence. This project was in collaboration with Eugene Liscio (Ai2-3D) and Amanda Lowe (OPP). Julia previously worked for the CFS as a summer research student. Julia is now a Forensic Technologist at the RCMP National Forensic Laboratory Services, Biology Section.
Maryam completed her BSc thesis on VOC identification of degrading bloodstains. Maryam was previously our laboratory tech under the Work Study program at Ontario Tech U. She completed her MSc at Laurentian. Now Maryam is a Forensic Analytical Toxicologist at the CFS!
Jesse is completed his NSERC-USRA in August 2020. He analyzed some "cold case" data for us and further explore how bloodstains form on snow and ice. Currently, he is a Laboratory Analyst II at Bureau Veritas.
Kristen Yeh is completed her thesis at Trent University using MALDI imaging to understand the chemical composition of modified and bloodied fingerprints. This research is in collaboration with Dr. Naomi Stock (Trent WQC) and Dr. Wesley Burr (Trent). Kristen is a 3x recipient of the NSERC-USRA. She is now pursuing her PhD in chemistry at the University of Toronto.
Marie-Laurence completed her honours thesis project at Trent University developing more robust models to determine the time since deposition of a bloodstain. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Aaron Shafer (Trent). Marie-Laurence is the recipient of two NSERC-USRA award. Marie is now pursuing her PhD at Trent University with Dr. Shafer.
Priya completed her forensic science degree at Ontario Tech University. Her thesis investigated how bloodstains form on ice. She is now at Durham College completing a program in paralegal studies.
Rebecca completed her BScFS at Trent University in 2019. She completed her thesis with me, entitled, "The optimization of bovine blood for research use in forensic bloodstain pattern analysis". Rebecca is now a chemist at the Canadian Border Services Agency.
Tamara completed her BScFS at Trent University in 2019. She was co-supervised by myself and Dr. Aaron Shafer (Trent) on her thesis, "Determining time since deposition of passive drip stains using spectroscopy". Tamara has previously won an NSERC-USRA , completed her MSc in Forensic Science (Trent U) and is now a Scenes of Crimes Specialist at Peel Regional Police.
Craig completed his BSc in Chemistry at Trent University in 2019. His project was co-supervised with Dr. Naomi Stock (Trent WQC) and used LC-MS to develop a chemical database of spray paints. Craig is currently a laboratory analyst at Bureau Veritas (Maxaam Analytics).
Lab Assistant
Dhrumik was our laboratory assistant from Jan - April 2022 funded through the University Works Program. He is in his fourth year of the forensic science program. After graduation, he wants to pursue forensic pathology and become a coroner. Since he is specializing in chemistry, he is building on his analytical and material science skills for further research.
Laurianne is a first-year forensic science student at Ontario Tech coming from Calgary. Laurianne was our laboratory assistant funded by the University Works program Sept - Dec 2021. Laurianne has previously worked in a microbiology lab at the University of Calgary. She aspires to one day become a medical examiner and in the meantime hopes to become an integral addition to the lab.
LIFETIME MEMBERS
Social Committee
Tiki the Frenchton keeps the lab ready for adventure. She is a great listener and has an endless supply of love and support for all members.