ABSTRACT
What is forensic scanning electron microscopy (SEM)? In order to answer this question, it may be best to first offer a definition of forensic science. I define “forensic science” as the application of “science” and the scientific method to assist in the resolution of legal issues that are in contention. Most often, this is in the form of assisting the trier of fact, which is ordinarily the jury. Many times, however, a judge decides questions of fact that are being contested by the litigants. The American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the largest forensic science organization in the world, with over 5000 members from 60 nations, divides its membership into 10 specific discipline sections. These are “Psychiatry and Behavioral Science,” “Criminalistics,” “Questioned Documents,” “Engineering Sciences,” “Jurisprudence,” “Pathology-Biology,” “Odontology,” “Toxicology,” and “Physical Anthropology.” There is one additional multidisciplinary section called “General,” which contains scientists whose fields of expertise are not easily classified into one of the specific sections. There may be a number of specific areas of expertise encompassed under the umbrella of a given section. For example, Engineering Sciences will have electrical, civil, and mechanical engineers, and Criminalistics contains chemists, biologists, microscopists, materials scientists, fingerprint experts, and others.
