CSI program coming Oct. 29

A CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) program will be the highlight of a special dinner planned by the Purdue Club of Putnam County for Oct. 29 at Autumn Glen.

The 6:30 p.m. dinner will feature a program by Purdue University's "CSI guy," Prof. David Tate.

He will give an overview of Purdue's Forensic Science program, discussing topics such as fingerprints, ballistics, DNA, blood spatter, and profilers and also present what they teach versus what television implies.

Purdue Club president Ron Birt said, "We are excited to have Prof. Tate for our meeting, and this follows many programs we have held that showcase Purdue University's wide range of studies to our Putnam County residents."

Prof. Tate is known as the "CSI guy" at Purdue because in 2002 he and Prof. Ralph Williams developed and introduced what was considered to be the largest introductory course in forensic science among national colleges.

The forensic science program has now grown into three courses: Introduction to Forensic Science, Criminalistics, and Advanced Criminalistics Lab.

These forensic science courses are within Purdue's School of Health Sciences in the College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Sciences.

Because forensic science involves many science disciplines, it is a good fit for Purdue's curriculum. Tate has given many programs to adult and student groups across the country, acquainting them with the field of forensic science and the preparatory courses necessary to study it at the college level.

Here in Putnam County, Tate will be speaking to chemistry students at North Putnam High School at 10:30 a.m. and to science students at South Putnam High School at 1:30 p.m. prior to presenting the program at the Purdue Club's dinner on Oct. 29.

The dinner and program are open to the public. The cost is $20 per person and reservations may be made with Marianne Ash (386-7554), Ron Birt (526-2466) or Jerry Williams (653-3523).