Learning Curve-NST Today(19/02/06)

COVER STORY: Forensic Science - USM is first at the scene

ARNI ABDUL RAZAK

Feb 19:

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There is a demand for forensic science in Malaysia but Universiti Sains Malaysia is the only university in the country - and Southeast Asia - which offers an undergraduate programme in the subject. ARNI ABDUL RAZAK writes.

PROFESSOR Norazmi Mohd Nor does not have cable TV. He does not watch the popular CBS' TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation either.

But this professor of molecular immunology at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) was so perturbed by the rising number of crimes in the country that he felt compelled to push for forensic science to be taught at the university.

He and his colleague Professor Zainul Fadziruddin Zainuddin (who is dean of the School of Health Sciences) spent months of on-line research and meetings with officers from the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Department of Chemistry and the Health Ministry, before designing a curriculum on forensic science which was presented to USM.

Hence, the introduction of the subject at the university in 2000, about a year after the establishment of the School of Health Sciences at the Kubang Kerian (Kelantan) campus.

Till now, USM is the only university in Southeast Asia which offers an undergraduate programme in forensic science. Even at the postgraduate level, the number of universities offering courses in the field is still small.

"The problem is that we just don't have enough forensic scientists here," says Norazmi. "Malaysia needs about 400 to 500 of them but currently, we only have about 150. It doesn't help that crime and rape cases have risen too."

Norazmi, who is a vaccinology expert by profession, says there is a need for forensic science education, especially at the postgraduate level.

"USM offers postgraduate courses in forensic science but only by research. It would be nice to see other universities taking up the challenge and offer master's and doctoral degrees in forensic science. We need more experts in this field.

"There are just too many people who are getting away with crime due to lack of scientific evidence."

To ensure that the curriculum on forensic science at USM is relevant in practice, Norazmi even sought the help of forensic scientists from India, the United States and Scotland to assess the programme at the university.

Dr Mohammed Tahir (from the Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency), Dr C. Damodaran (Tamil Nadu's forensic science laboratory director) and Professor Peter Vanezis (Glasgow University's forensic medicine and science head) not only gave glowing accounts about the programme but also shared their experiences in the area.

"We had to rope in the experts, including Dr Tahir, who used to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, because we want our programme to be good and relevant. All is well because, as far as I know, all our graduates are employed as soon as they leave university," says Norazmi, who was also the former chairman of USM's forensic science programme.

So far, the university has churned out close to 60 Bachelor of Forensic Science graduates. Which is not many, really.

Then again, the university only admits 30 students into the programme every year; it has turned out to become one of the university's most competitive programme. Its "worst" students score a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.8 (out of four)!

Norazmi explains: "We like the class to be small and interactive. There are lots of discussions in class too. We appreciate students who have a knack for exploring new things.

"Students must spend a semester at the Maktab PDRM and the Department of Chemistry in Kuala Lumpur as part of their training and we just can't afford to send too many students."

Currently, the school engages help from external lecturers as well as experts from PDRM, the Fire Department and the Department of Chemistry. It also has lecturers from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India who are forensic scientists themselves.

"We fly in professors and lecturers from the main campus in Penang as well as invite lawyers to help out in our sociology, criminology and gender subjects."

The forensic science programme at USM not only revolves around tissues and blood samples.

"Forensics is not just about 'dead bodies'. Forensic medicine deals with humans, dead or alive, but forensic science deals with a lot of other stuff. Our graduates can work with the police and become investigative officers, crime laboratory analyst or crime scene examiner, handle cases involving fraud documentation and computer crime as well as join academia."

Although traditionally chemistry is regarded as most essential, other areas of science, such as DNA profiling, have also gained much importance.

"There is a lot of chemistry and the use of chemical substance in forensic science but students learn other things too. They also do DNA and psychological profiling as part of their training.

"At the end of the day, we want our graduates to be able to do a lot of things rather than concentrate on a specific area of forensic."

But that's not to say that students cannot become experts in just one particular area. One of Norazmi's students from the pioneer batch is currently in the midst of doing a doctoral degree in immunology with him!

"We have students doing their postgraduate degrees in forensic science as well as in other areas such as biomedicine and biotechnology because there is enough biomedical background in the curriculum that allows them to do so."

Dr Che Wan Zanariah Che Wan Ngah, who is currently the forensic science programme chairman, says the school is working closely with the National Forensic Institute and is looking forward to more collaborations with hospitals and private sector.

"It would be nice if we can work with insurance companies, health laboratories and anyone who is willing to collaborate with us. Apart from providing forensic science graduates, we are also looking at providing more services for the public," she says.

Currently, Che Wan Zanariah is busy compiling databases on drugs and environmental forensic.

The school also works closely with the Registration and Immigration Department in running paternity tests to ascertain citizenship status. It also offers private paternity tests conducted by its forensic DNA experts at the university.

Norazmi, who will be seconded to the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation as senior vice-president, says there are more reasons to take up forensic science now.

"The death of management consultant Dr Liew Boon Horng in December after a 720kg concrete mould fell and crushed the BMW he was in, for example, has called for a thorough investigation involving forensic engineers.

"So yes, we need more forensic scientists but will focus on the postgraduate level studying specific areas of forensic science. Scrambling to produce too many undergraduate students within a short period may only jeopardise market value and make the programme unsustainable in the universities," he says.