On the morning of 10 March, 2020, students of the IMU Biomedical Science programme gathered at the atrium, hastily putting together final preparations to ensure that their respective booths were presentable and interesting to participants visiting from neighbouring schools and within the university. At 9 am, the annual Biomedical Science Day was officiated, and participants began pouring into the atrium. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, participants were first required to make a health declaration before they were allowed into the event venue. The event consisted of five activity booths and a crime scene, all located at the atrium.
| Booth | Activity |
|---|---|
| Introduction Booth | Participants were first guided to the introduction booth, where a brief introduction of the event theme, forensic science, was given along with a quick touch on the roles of biomedical scientist in the field of forensics. |
| Crime Investigation Booth | They were then led to the crime investigation booth where they were enlightened on how an investigation was conducted. Participants were also provided with an empty autopsy report for them to complete after a briefing on the backstory. |
| Crime Scene | The participants were directed to the crime scene, recreated based on the backstory, with items of evidence to solve the crime scattered within it. |
| Forensic Pathology or Forensic Chemistry Booths |
Once they had collected the necessary evidence from the crime scene, they then proceeded to either the forensic pathology or forensic chemistry booths as their next destination.
At the forensic pathology booth, participants were given a quick walk through regarding the presentation of the human brain, as well as laminates related to cerebral ischaemia which correlates with the plot. |
| Crime Identification Booth | When the participants had completed their autopsy reports, they then proceeded to the final booth, crime identification, where their findings report findings were evaluated. Budding forensic investigators who successfully solved the crime were treated to a short video clip that depicted the story behind the crime. |
At 3 pm, there was a flurry of activity at the lecture theatre as attendees settled down for a talk by our guest speaker Dr Pramod G Bagali, a renowned medico-legal expert from Witty Charman CoTS. The participants were greeted with an educational and entertaining discourse on the future of forensic science, as well as the advancement made in recent years which have made the work of an investigative officer easier and more effective.
Overall, the event was a success despite the challenging circumstances. From the feedback relayed to us as the organising committee, we conclude that our objectives – making this event enjoyable to the participants, whilst offering them an insight into Biomedical Science, were achieved. The participants reinforced our sense of achievement by remarking that this event was both enjoyable and educational.
Finally, we hope that upcoming Biomedical Science Days may be conducted under better circumstances, and look forward to the new and exciting biomedical science concepts shared during the future events. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the individuals who have supported our event throughout.
Related article: “The Dead Can Lie” – Forensic Fun for BMS Day
