Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory
George Mason University’s new Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory establishes Mason as an unparalleled leader in forensic anthropology and investigations
This specialized facility is devoted to the scientific study of forensic taphonomy and enhances the Forensic Science Program by providing extensive research, educational, and training opportunities.
The lab serves as a proving ground for technological advances in applied forensic sciences
With the addition of the new five-acre forensic taphonomic research facility on its Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, Virginia, George Mason becomes just the eighth location in the world capable of performing transformative outdoor research in forensic science using human donors.
The facility offers a unique learning experience for Mason students, allowing them to perform cutting-edge forensic science research pertinent to the criminal justice system while developing highly sought-after skills as career-ready graduates.
In addition to studying the processes of human decomposition in various conditions for the purposes of solving crimes, the lab also examines environmental changes, soil composition, animal scavenging, floral diversity and insect species variations. This information is used for medical-legal applications and law enforcement training.
Mason, FARO partnership to advance forensic science research
The Forensic Science Program has further established its place as one of the nation’s premier programs in its field with a partnership with FARO Technologies, Inc. resulting in the world’s first FARO-certified forensic science laboratory.
Much of the research is conducted at the Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory, thanks to its transformative outdoor research in forensic science using human remains.
An unlikely collaboration between the Honey Bee Initiative and the new outdoor Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory
Mason teams from a number of different fields are working in unison at the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, Virginia, on an ambitious project to see if the honey produced by bees after feeding on flowers can help them better locate missing persons.
In the media
There are only eight body farms in the country and the newest one is in northern Virginia.
George Mason University is gearing up to receive its first donated body to its Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory, better known as “the body farm.”
Forensic research on human donors is not for the faint of heart, Mary Ellen O’Toole, director of the Forensic Science Program, admitted to Mason President Gregory Washington.
Visit the Science and Technology campus
The lab sits on a five-acre facility on the George Mason University Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, Virginia.
- Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory
While the Science and Technology Campus welcomes the public, access to the Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory is restricted to authorized personnel to ensure privacy and the integrity of our research.
- Campus map
