Amelia Bussell-Martinez
Forensic Biologist at Army Criminal Investigation Division- Claim this Profile
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Gaelic Limited working proficiency
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English Native or bilingual proficiency
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Spanish Elementary proficiency
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French Limited working proficiency
Topline Score
Bio
Credentials
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Death Investigation Certifications
The University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health SciencesJan, 2015- Nov, 2024
Experience
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Army Criminal Investigation Division
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United States
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Law Enforcement
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200 - 300 Employee
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Forensic Biologist
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Jan 2022 - Present
- Serve as a forensic expert performing professional and scientific work in the area of serology and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). - Analyzes DNA on physical evidence and materials consisting of body fluids, hair, bone, dental pulp, and other human tissue. - Conducts complex examinations to develop evidence and data/information for investigative and judicial purposes. - Prepares formal written reports suitable for legal representation. - Testifies in federal, military, and state courts of law as an expert witness and provides training to investigative and legal personnel outside of the USACIL. - Receives and maintains the integrity of evidence and material - Establish procedures and develop new techniques, approaches, and methods. Show less
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Washington State Patrol
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United States
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Law Enforcement
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300 - 400 Employee
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Forensic Scientist
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Nov 2017 - Jan 2022
• Performing serological analyses and DNA testing, interpretation, and comparisons; • Develop formal reports that accurately identify and analyze physical evidence to determine their significance to the investigation; • Presenting results, conclusions, and expert opinion in the scientific analysis of biological evidence; • Provide expert witness testimony regarding findings in courts of law throughout the State of Washington; • Performing QA/QC to assure quality analysis, evidence integrity, and maintain accreditation standards; • Provide technical and administrative review of peers to ensure quality analysis, evidence integrity, and maintain accreditation standards; • Continuing education and training to maintain competency and proficiency in forensic DNA analysis. • Perform complex examinations and analyses on modern casework, cold cases, and Innocence Project (Post-Conviction DNA Testing) casework; • Use of Popstats and CODIS for casework; • Continuing education and training to maintain competency and proficiency in forensic DNA analysis. • Crime scene response team (CSRT) member involved in aiding in identifying and collecting evidence, performing reconstruction analysis (shooting incident reconstruction and bloodstain pattern interpretations and reconstructions), provide expert witness testimony regarding call-outs and reconstructions, and aid in crime scene investigations throughout the state of Washington; • Educate law enforcement and other auxiliary agencies/personnel, as assigned or requested. Show less
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Texas Department of Public Safety
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Law Enforcement
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700 & Above Employee
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Forensic Scientist
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Aug 2016 - Oct 2017
As a forensic scientist, I perform a variety of complex, independent laboratory tests, analyses, classifications, comparisons and identifications of many types of physical evidence from crime scenes. Interprets analytical results, establishes and maintains records pertaining to casework and court testimony, and composes technical reports. Testifies as an expert witness in court. General Duties: - Receives and returns evidence items and completes proper forms according to strict transfer procedures to guarantee and maintain the integrity of accepted chain of evidence for each item. - Contacts various law enforcement officials and others to obtain and/or provide information related to offense to which provided evidence items are relevant. - Prepares preliminary and final reports concerning results of each analysis performed. - May assist in crime scene investigations, as assigned. - Reads required training materials and demonstrates understanding of procedures through analysis of proficiency test samples provided. - Learns the examination of stains to determine the presence of blood and other human body tissues and secretions, procedures used to extract DNA from these tissues, and to conduct DNA typing tests to compare criminal evidence with samples of known origin. - Learns to evaluate, interpret, and document DNA tests, and to review the work of other DNA analysts. - Serves as an expert witness in court, giving testimony regarding the results of analyses and examinations of physical evidence. - Researches forensic science field and studies current material in scientific journals regarding new advances and techniques in forensic examinations. - Lectures to or instructs law enforcement groups, schools, and others at the discretion of a supervisor. - Performs other duties as assigned. Show less
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Virginia Commonwealth University
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Adjunct Faculty - Department for Life Sciences (Graduate Teaching Assistant)
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Aug 2014 - May 2016
Position Objective: Support undergraduate laboratory instruction in multiple sub-disciplines of Biology. The positions will address issues in meeting student demand in courses that are critical to VCU’s delivery of STEM major curricula. Responsibilities and Classes Taught: - Biology Laboratory 101, 152 - Assist faculty members with instructional preparation of laboratory exercises - Facilitated classroom and laboratory discussion sessions - Graded student reports, quizzes, and exams while giving appropriate feedback - Upload students' grades onto Blackboard and eServices - Attended office hours and meetings with students for study and review sessions - Assist faculty members with instructional preparation, delivery, and assessment of material Supervisor: Emily Watkinson - Gross Anatomy Laboratory Assistant - Assisted faculty members with instructional preparation of laboratory exercises for the purposes of teaching undergraduate pre-med, pre-pharmacy, and pre-therapy students basic human anatomy using models, preserved specimen and cadavers - Facilitated laboratory review sessions - Cleaned laboratory, dissection instruments, and humidors - Maintenance and preservation of preserved specimen and cadavers - Assisted faculty members with instructional preparation, delivery and assessment of material Supervisors: Dr. Cara Cario, Emily Watkinson Show less
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Virginia Department of Health
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Government Administration
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700 & Above Employee
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Medicolegal Death Investigator
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May 2015 - Dec 2015
Investigate all deaths in Central Virginia pursuant to code: § 32.1-283. This includes all deaths that appear suspicious, unnatural, violent or unusual in nature, and includes all manners of death. In addition to this, medicolegal death investigators are responsible for the following: • Identify, establish and collect items of evidentiary value • Prepare reports and present to forensic pathologists and authorized personnel from collaborative agencies • Responsible for gathering case specific data and interpreting, analyzing, reviewing and applying data • Daily database entry which ensures real-time reporting and consistency throughout the entire state of Virginia • Responsible for handling telephone calls reporting deaths, responding to death scenes, data collection, database entry, preparing and filing reports, document review, handling evidence, moving remains, assisting with the identification of remains, and determining the necessity for an autopsy or further examination at the district office Show less
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FIRS (Forensic Investigation Research Station)
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Colorado Mesa University Whitewater Campus
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Intern on Decomposition Studies, Student Researcher, Lead Diener
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Aug 2012 - Jul 2014
The Forensic Investigation Research Station (FIRS) is centered upon an outdoor facility focused on research, teaching, and service regarding the decomposition of human remains. Construction of the state-of-the-art building began in 2012. The first pig was placed in the outdoor facility in late September 2012, and the university is currently underway with its human donation program. The FIRS trains and works with students, law enforcement specialists, forensic scientists, and qualified researchers in many disciplines. The building contains a classroom and morgue with an up-to-date teaching facility, a cooler, and modern morgue equipment. Duties: - Creation of SOPs, PPEs, cleaning procedures, dead-flow entry/exit, morgue procedures after donor intake and placement - Conducting desiccation and decomposition research at high altitudes (approx. 4660ft above sea level) - Human remains recovery in Mesa County, Garfield County and Plateau Valley Rearticulation of human remains for post-mortem examinations, evidence collection and chain of custody compliance, working with local and state law enforcement agencies, use of ForDisk3.0 for skeletal remains, use of GPS, GIS and soil surveying techniques - Complete human donor intakes that include: photography, death certificate, funeral home and medical record paperwork, personal item inventory, complete donor information packets, placement in outside facility - Daily total body scoring (TBS) of human and porcine donors in outside facility - Maintenance of outside facility - Train new interns on policies, procedures, safety and confidentiality of the research station - Assisting in forensic autopsy cases of the local Coroner Supervisors: FIRS Director, Dr. Melissa Connor; Mesa County's Forensic Pathologist: Dr. Rob Kurtzman Show less
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Colorado Mesa University
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United States
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Education Management
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700 & Above Employee
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Teaching Assistant
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Aug 2011 - May 2014
- Assisted faculty members with instructional preparation of laboratory exercises for the purposes of teaching undergraduate freshmen basic biology and laboratory techniques.- Facilitated classroom and laboratory discussion sessions.- Graded student reports, quizzes, and exams while giving appropriate feedback.-Assisted faculty members with instructional preparation, delivery and assessment of material.- Classes taught: Human Anatomy I&II, Scanning Electron MicroscopySupervisors: Dr. Richard C. Dujay, Julie Fredlund Show less
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Microscopy Technician
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Aug 2010 - May 2014
- Maintenance microscopes and laboratory equipment, calibration, ordering supplies, checking out laboratory equipment, database management, record keeping.- Giving tours of facility, assist in scheduling laboratory use, instructing use of microscopes.
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WIT (Western Investigations Team)
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Western Colorado
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Historic Archaeology Intern
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Aug 2009 - May 2014
- Using an historic, archaeological, biological and chemical approach to understanding the mysteries of the Western united States. Some of these discoveries that have been made include the exoneration of the "Colorado Cannibal" Alferd Packer by using SEM+EDS to determine that the metal fragments from the bullets in his gun were consistent with those found in the hip of Shannon Wilson Bell; investigation of the "Gambler's Hole" in Hotel Colorado, and the exhumation of and discovery of Spaniard redoubts and artifacts that predate Dominguez and Escalante by 150 years. - Field techniques, such as using advanced metal detectors, searches, aerial photography, gridding and exhuming techniques were used Laboratory approaches, such as SEM+EDS, x-ray deflection, comparison of osteocyte formation in bones, and microscopy were used. Show less
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Field Technician
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Apr 2011 - Aug 2011
-Hired as a seasonal employee/intern -Located areas of mosquito breeding and infestation and mark on a GPS device -Choose appropriate chemicals to dispatch mosquito larvae to lessen mosquito numbers -Made mosquito traps to ensnare mosquitoes, take back to lab to key out and report numbers to the local Health Department and CDC -Hired as a seasonal employee/intern -Located areas of mosquito breeding and infestation and mark on a GPS device -Choose appropriate chemicals to dispatch mosquito larvae to lessen mosquito numbers -Made mosquito traps to ensnare mosquitoes, take back to lab to key out and report numbers to the local Health Department and CDC
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Education
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2014 - 2016
Virginia Commonwealth University
Master of Science (M.S.), Forensic DNA Analysis & Research -
2008 - 2014
Colorado Mesa University
Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Biological and Biomedical Sciences
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