Environmental Forensic Science (8248.2)

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Unit Outlines

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• Semester 1, 2015, ON-CAMPUS, BRUCE (145391) - View

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Syllabus

Topics in this unit include: - types of pollution;- toxicity of pollution;- legal frameworks governing pollution;- environmental monitoring and assessment;- transport and partitioning of chemicals in the environment;- pollution of air, water, groundwater and land;- analytical methods for detecting and measuring pollution; and . hydrocarbon fingerprinting.

Learning Outcomes

DESCRIPTION:

1. Express an opinion in the field of environmental forensic science, in the form of a written case report, with confidence and clarity. Environmental forensic scientists are often called to give evidence in court.

2. Collate, analyse, manipulate, evaluate, interpret and present information and numerical data from environmental forensic case studies. As an environmental forensic scientist, you will be called upon to write reports that could be used as court records or form the basis for prosecution.

3. Select and use appropriate information and communication technology to retrieve, manipulate and present data from environmental forensic case studies. This will include the use of spreadsheets and digital outputs from analytical instruments.

4. Implement and evaluate strategies for the resolution of problems in environmental forensic science. You will need to select appropriate analytical techniques to examine evidence.

5. Work with others as part of a group. You will need to allocate tasks among group members to complete a case report for an environmental forensic case study.

6. Have the ability to cope with uncertainty. Expert opinion in a court room is always challenged and you will need to be able to communicate uncertainty in your findings.

7. Act responsibly, ethically and with integrity in the context of environmental forensic science. Court room evidence must be as unbiased as possible with rigorous chain-ofcustody requirements for handling of exhibits.

8. Accept service to the community as the primary purpose for a professional life in environmental forensic science. Your role as an environmental forensic scientist is ultimately to protect the natural environment for the benefit of the community.

9. Have an understanding of how to apply your knowledge and abilities to many different contexts and fields. The skills of an environmental forensic scientist are transferrable to many problems of environmental protection.

10. Be confident in yourself and your own skills and knowledge. You may need to be able to provide evidence in court and convince a jury of your competence.

Assessment Items

Contact Hours

The equivalent of one two-hour lecture and one three-hour practical per week

Prerequisites

Analytical Chemistry