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Research
Experience Level: Silver
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Duration: Fall Semester (15 -20 hours/week)
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Info website:
https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/building-firearms-toolmark-database
Description:
This research has to do with working in the Forensic Topography & Surface Metrology Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The research experience involves undertaking a firearm persistence study to identify a general trend regarding a specific gun’s barrel effect on bullet toolmarks throughout different time intervals. The main objective being, to contribute to the statistical backing of firearms toolmark database at NIST. The transition from bullet samples to finding an end-result trend requires going through a qualitative and quantitative analytical process. This is done by utilizing 2D optical (side-by-side) split-screen microscopy, areal-topography method of white light confocal microscopy, and, by using the cross-correlation function.
Reflection:
This experience has been unique and rewarding. I learned so much about how objective forensic evidence through 3D surface topography is already being implemented to solve real issues, and how this statistical backing for the sciences of firearms and toolmark analysis is growing rapidly. I learned a lot about how research is a trial and error process, that really requires perseverance and critical thinking. This experience opened up my interest in how optics is used in metrology, which also shows why I got involved in optics and photonics for my other experiences (interdisciplinary).
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Relation to Grand Challenge Engineer Better Medicines:
Confocal microscopy scanning is not only used in material surface topographic measurements but also in biology and medicine. Confocal microscopy scanning technique allows for a high-level optical imaging resolution and contrast. It uses a spatial pinhole that blocks out-of-focus light, focusing only at a specific narrow depth level of studied specimen. This allows for superior scanning of a specimen’s depth. With the right software the scanned consecutive slices in the “z-direction” can be reconstructed to a 3-dimensional image. In terms of medicine, this technique allows for a non-invasive optical sectioning of thick living microscopic specimens with the help of fluorophore staining. This can be vastly used to analyze the characteristics or functionalities of different cells, viruses, bacteria, etc. like never before.
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Confocal Microscope
Laser confocal microscopy of dendritic cells
Program-wide learning: This experience dealt with a large amount of raw material that had to be processed and filtered properly for the best possible end-result trend. Therefore, the qualitative analytical process requires persistence due to a lot of trial-and-error. More specifically, it involved going back from a further stage in the process to an initial stage because of outliers found in the data trend. This project also involved showing integrity with the work. Being honest with the results, considering the standards required and ideal procedures.
Experience specific learning objective:
Accept constructive criticism and apply feedback effectively.
This experience required a lot of feedback with regards to the measuring results, it involved being more precise in order to acquire better 3D topographic measurements, or to be careful to obtain all the valuable data in a bullet land engraved area 2D profile. It meant changing and accepting criticism for a better outcome. Also, this was due to the high expectations to obtain accurate data for the NIST toolmark database.
Demonstrate growth form basic to more complex thinking.
This experience requires learning new terminologies related to the forensic surface metrology discipline. This means intellectual development in terms of critical thinking, and conceptualization. All of this, to achieve the experience’s goals.
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Core Learning Objective:
Effective Communication: This experience required a lot of communication between me, my mentor and other team members involved, either to report progress or receive constructive feedback. Project progress was directly reported orally/electronically to the project manager (mentor) throughout the bullet toolmark analytical stages until completion. Mentioning equipment and toolmark analysis concerns, amount of sample materials processed, etc. Constructive feedback was done between me and my mentor, involving result improvements, as well as, my feedback on what could be corrected with the current analysis procedure.
Disciplinary Communication: This experience required writing a personal journal and creating a final presentation to communicate to peers, mentor and professors about the research experience. A personal journal was written explaining the daily accomplishments and concepts learned. This journal was utilized to communicate my research progress to the professor in charge of the NIST internship program. It mentioned the different stages of the project including technical details, for instance, how to utilize the confocal microscope or how to analyze for similarities involving firearm toolmarks. The final presentation was written to meet the appropriate technical standards and was reviewed by my mentor.
