2008 Woodie Awards
Blood spatters, phones shatter
Students attracted to forensics class by professor's personality
Chelsea Cameron
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: News
"It seemed the perfect fit. It was a good choice. Freedom to do research, freedom to design classes." That includes SMS 120, which he teaches as an interactive class. He brings in an orange filled with red dye and throws it at the wall to demonstrate blood-spatter patterns. He brings in firearms and bullets so the students can get a first-hand look at them. He even goes so far as to take a few drinks and perform a sobriety test to show the students the effects of increasing amounts of alcohol.
He has received calls from students years after they took the class, and they used what they learned from the alcohol experiment to test whether someone they knew was drunk or not, which may have stopped them from getting behind the wheel. "That's worth it," Kornfield said.
Kornfield used his love of marine science to travel the world, including Israel, South America and Asia where he studies species of fish in lakes. For the past 10 years, he has worked for the Maine Warden service, cataloging deer and moose specimens, which led him to help other labs when they found a strange animal, and they needed it identified.
In Turner, Maine in 2006, he helped identify a strange animal which turned out to be a dog, and he used the example to show his class what can happen when legends go too far.
His eyes light up when he talks about his recent trip to Mexico with his three brothers, one of whom is his twin, to study the legend of the Chupacabra. The animal feeds on goat blood and looks like something from the "Weekly World News." According to Cryptomundo.com, "The Chupacabra reportedly stands four to five feet tall on two powerful hind legs. It has been known to leap up to 20 feet. It has skin like a reptile that can change colors to blend in with its surroundings. Spikes stretch from its head to the bottom of its back. It has eerie red eyes and long fangs, with a slimy forked tongue that constantly glides in and out of its mouth." He has been working on a hair sample taken from a fence to see if the mythical creature really exits. So far, he has not been able to identify.
He has received calls from students years after they took the class, and they used what they learned from the alcohol experiment to test whether someone they knew was drunk or not, which may have stopped them from getting behind the wheel. "That's worth it," Kornfield said.
Kornfield used his love of marine science to travel the world, including Israel, South America and Asia where he studies species of fish in lakes. For the past 10 years, he has worked for the Maine Warden service, cataloging deer and moose specimens, which led him to help other labs when they found a strange animal, and they needed it identified.
In Turner, Maine in 2006, he helped identify a strange animal which turned out to be a dog, and he used the example to show his class what can happen when legends go too far.
His eyes light up when he talks about his recent trip to Mexico with his three brothers, one of whom is his twin, to study the legend of the Chupacabra. The animal feeds on goat blood and looks like something from the "Weekly World News." According to Cryptomundo.com, "The Chupacabra reportedly stands four to five feet tall on two powerful hind legs. It has been known to leap up to 20 feet. It has skin like a reptile that can change colors to blend in with its surroundings. Spikes stretch from its head to the bottom of its back. It has eerie red eyes and long fangs, with a slimy forked tongue that constantly glides in and out of its mouth." He has been working on a hair sample taken from a fence to see if the mythical creature really exits. So far, he has not been able to identify.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
ryan
posted 4/28/08 @ 10:13 PM EST
Woah... Where is the rest of the story? This was well-written, but it abruptly ends.
hoola
posted 4/29/08 @ 9:19 AM EST
Did you read all three pages?
ryan
posted 4/29/08 @ 5:21 PM EST
Yes, I did. I'm still wondering where the rest of it is. It's as though the writer just ran out of time and stopped writing. There's no conclusion.
Lemonade Diet
posted 7/13/08 @ 7:56 PM EST
It is good to have an exciting class in college. That phone stunt helps to remind people that they are alive. It would be great if all classes could be this good. (Continued…)
Ellie Barker
posted 9/11/08 @ 2:46 PM EST
I LOVED SMS 120. I wish there was a forensics lab course. It would be great to be able to learn more about such an interesting subject. If someone is looking for a great class take SMS120 I also hear that the evolution course Kornfield teaches is really good. (Continued…)
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