Students to solve murder mystery at USQ Wide Bay

School students in the Wide Bay region will be putting a lab coat and detective hat on over their school uniform next week, and getting hands-on experience at a Crime Scene Investigation.

More than 120 students will converge on the University of Southern Queensland's (USQ) Wide Bay Campus as part of the A Taste of Science: Year 12 Biology Workshop series.

Series Coordinator and Associate Lecturer in Biomedical Science, Helen Ison, said the four-day event will put students' forensic science skills to the test.

"In the first workshop, ‘A Bakers Dozen!' students will become members of a forensic investigation team and investigate the murder of a Baker named Harold (who is actually a dummy borrowed from the Nursing department).

"Harold has been found on-campus with a stab wound to the chest and, along with seven knives which were found at his bakery, has been taken to a laboratory for a forensic examination to determine the murder weapon.

"During the workshop students will learn to identify unknown material/s found on the victims wound and the seven knives by collecting samples and putting them under analysis using a range of techniques.

"By the end of the workshop students will have practiced skills used routinely in a biological sciences laboratory including staining and microscopy techniques, and gene identification using on-line databases."

Helen said Isis State High School Biology Teacher, Andy Davey, came up with the innovative idea and approached the University to run a biology/genetics workshop for his Year 12 students.

"As a result we're developing a school outreach program for rural Year 12 Biology students, to minimise the disadvantage for these students in relation to access to scientists and scientific programs.

"The inter-campus project will increase the collaborative partnership between rural schools and the University by giving students an opportunity to participate in Biology workshops run on the University campus.

"Furthermore it is hoped it will promote Science to these students and encourage them to study at USQ," Helen said.

Schools participating in the workshops include Aldridge State High, Fraser Coast Anglican College, Hervey Bay College Wide Bay TAFE, Isis District State High, Kingaroy State High and South Burnett Catholic College.

Helen will run the workshops with the support from USQ's Head of Biological and Physical Sciences, Grant Daggard, and USQ Associate Dean of Science, Trudy Yuginovich.

The workshop is supported by the USQ Equity grant, USQ Wide Bay, the Faculty of Science and the USQ School Partners Program.

Media Contact: Fiona Taylor, USQ Media, +61 7 3470 4117 or +61 423 808 462
Alternative contact: Helen Ison, USQ Wide Bay, +61 7 4120 6143