Aspiring young sleuths from Aberdeen were given the inside line on crime scene investigation techniques during a school trip to Robert Gordon University (RGU).
Broomhill Primary School’s Primary 6 class paid a visit to the university’s Forensic and Analytical Science team recently.
There they got the opportunity to use the team’s state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to identify fingerprints, track footprints, analyse clothing fibres and study handwriting examination.
Based in the university’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, forensic experts led the pupils through a number of exercises which culminated with the investigation of a fictional crime scene within a house on campus.
There the pupils, who have been studying crime scene investigation at school, got to dust for prints and search for footprints to see if they could identify a book thief.
They also got to use a powerful digital SLR camera to photograph the crime scene for later inspection.
Primary 6 pupil Miyah, said: "The experience at RGU was brilliant and has helped me understand more about forensic science. I liked visiting the crime scene house and enjoyed analysing different fibres in the lab.”
Classmate Benjamin added: "My favourite part of the visit was finding the fingerprints on a tile at the crime scene. The work was great for our class topic and has helped me develop different scientific skills I can use back in school."
Teacher Miss Ailie Lamberton said: "The fantastic staff at RGU have organised an outstanding programme of activities which have brought experiences from within our classroom alive.
“All of the pupils have returned to school with an increased enthusiasm for our CSI class topic. They have developed their scientific skills and have gained a wealth of knowledge from the experts within the forensics department.
“It has been a pleasure to witness the pupils in my class thinking beyond their primary and secondary education to consider the endless opportunities available to them in the future as they explored the University campus. This excursion has completely exceeded all teacher, pupil and parent expectations."
RGU Forensic and Analytical Science lecturer Stuart Waddell worked with colleagues from the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences to facilitate the visit.
He said: “The pupils from Broomhill Primary were a credit to their school as they got straight into working with the forensic evidence and had a number of great questions for us.
“The analytical science facilities we have here are at RGU are excellent and it was a pleasure to show the pupils how forensic casework is done. I think I might have seen some budding scientists of the future at the workshops today.”