Georgia Institute of Technology College of Sciences

Although DNA forensic evidence is widely considered objective and infallible, a great deal of subjectivity and bias can still exist in its interpretation, especially concerning mixtures of DNA. The exact degree of variability across labs, however, is unknown, as DNA forensic examiners are primarily trained in-house, with protocols and quality control up to the discretion of each forensic laboratory. This talk uncovers the current state of forensic DNA mixture interpretation by analyzing the results of a groundbreaking DNA mixture interpretation study initiated by the Department of Defense's Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC) in the summer of 2014. This talk will be accessible to undergraduates.