For Immediate Release July 21, 2005

For More Information Contact: Diane Brown, 317-274-7711 habrown@iupui.edu

New IUPUI Computer Course for High School Students Focuses on Crime Scene Investigation

INDIANAPOLIS - Two dozen area high school students will team up to solve a murder mystery as they learn the high-tech basics of crime scene investigation during a new summer course at IUPUI.

The students are enrolled in "Computing Forensics," a course being offered by the Department of Computer and Information Science as part of its summer college program for high school students. The class will meet from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, July 25-29 in SL247, 723 W. Michigan St. Designed for beginning programming students, the course teaches computer science principles and techniques behind the CSI-scenes of forensic science.

"The Computing Forensics course allows students to explore the application of scientific principles to crime solving," said program instructor Michele Roberts. "Students will work in teams to solve a murder mystery, complete with fingerprint analysis, encryption, database searches, pattern matching and database optimization."

Last fall IUPUI enrolled its first students in its Ba chelor of Science in Forensic and Investigative Science degree program, becoming the first university in Indiana to offer such a program.

High School students from Brownsburg, Carmel, Indianapolis, Lebanon, Southport and Zionsville schools will participate in the summer forensics course.

Several vendors have donated prizes that will be awarded to students achieving distinction in various scientific problem solving areas during the course. D.J. Angus-Scientech Education Foundation has contributed scholarship monies to help disadvantaged students participate in the program.

The Computer and Information Science Department, part of the Purdue School of Science at IUPUI, has offered a summer college for area youth for several years. Students who successfully complete courses can earn college credit at IUPUI.

"We are particularly proud of the 'graduates' of past summer college programs, many of whom have continued their studies in science," Roberts said. ###