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EKU Joins Initiative To Grow Region’s Forensics Industry

By Lane Report Staff

Eastern Kentucky University has joined with more than a dozen of the region’s top forensics organizations, businesses and leaders to establish the Tennessee Valley Corridor Forensics Initiative, a group that is working to build, expand and strengthen the forensic science industry and use the region as a national example.

“From nuclear to cyber forensics, to food safety and water treatment, the forensics industry touches nearly every aspect of our lives, yet most people only think of forensics as fingerprinting and DNA testing like they’ve seen on TV,” said Dr. Eric Abelquist, executive vice president of Oak Ridge Associated Universities. “In fact, we have a wide variety of growing forensics capabilities and opportunities right here in our region that we can turn into more jobs and new careers if we work together to take full advantage of them.”

The forensics initiative was recently highlighted as a model economic development initiative in a Global Corporate Xpansion article entitled “Workforce Initiatives to Keep U.S. in a Leadership Position,” and in “The Buzz” on Business Xpansion Journal’s website.

EKU’s forensic science program, established in 1974, is one of the oldest such programs in the country.