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Michelle D. Miranda - Farmingdale State College. Farmingdale, NY, UNITED STATES

Michelle D. Miranda

Associate Professor, Security Systems and Law Enforcement Technology | Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, NY, UNITED STATES

Dr. Michelle Miranda teaches Security Systems and Law Enforcement Technology. She has worked as a Criminalist with the NYC Police Dept.

Biography

Michelle D. Miranda holds a PhD in Criminal Justice, forensic science concentration, from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York; an MS in forensic science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY); an MPhil in Criminal Justice from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York; and a BS in Biology from Manhattan College. Dr. Miranda is a diplomate with the American Board of Criminalistics and a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She worked as a Criminalist in the Trace Evidence Section of the New York City Police Department Crime Lab, and as both a Medical Photographer and a Death Investigator for regional Medical Examiner’s Offices in New York State. In addition to her work at Farmingdale State College, she is an adjunct assistant professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Media

Publications:

Documents:

Photos:

Michelle D. Miranda Photo Michelle D. Miranda Photo Michelle D. Miranda Photo

Videos:

Audio/Podcasts:

Areas of Expertise (5)

Forensic Sciences

Tattoos and Tattoo Inks

Gunshot Residue and Shooting Reconstruction

Microscopy

Spectroscopic Techniques

Industry Expertise (4)

Education/Learning

Law Enforcement

Security

Chemicals

Education (4)

Manhattan College: BS, Biology 2000

City University of New York - John Jay College of Criminal Justice: MS, Forensic Science 2003

City University of New York - Graduate Center: MPhil, Criminal Justice 2011

City University of New York - Graduate Center: PhD, Criminal Justice 2012

Affiliations (3)

  • American Academy of Forensic Sciences
  • American Board of Criminalistics
  • Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

Languages (1)

  • English

Event Appearances (19)

Microscopy and Microanalysis of Tattoo Inks

Inter/Micro 2015, McCrone Research Institute  Chicago Il

2015-06-01

Microscopy of Tattoo Inks

Eastern Analytical Symposium, The Art and Science of Analysis  Somerset, NJ

2014-11-01

Current Challenges: Information Communication Technologies for Human Rights Documentation

Build Peace Conference  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2014-06-01

Distance Determinations and Chemical Instrumentation for GSR Analysis Testing-Methods and Interpretation

New Jersey Association of Forensic Scientists, Michelle D. Miranda, Ph.D., Curriculum Vitae 4 A Shot in the Dark-Bridging the Gap between Violence and Detection  Atlantic City, NJ

2011-06-01

Microanalysis of Tattoo Inks

Eastern Analytical Symposium, Celebrating Innovation in Analysis  Somerset, NJ

2011-11-01

A Study in Soxhlet

Believe it or Not! Session, American Academy of Forensic Sciences  Anaheim, CA

Detection, Investigation and Forensic Science in Comic Books

Believe it or Not! Session, American Academy of Forensic Sciences  Anaheim, CA

The Forensic Analysis of Temporary Tattoos

Poster, American Academy of Forensic Sciences  Anaheim, CA

Criminalists at the Crime Scene: Where Do They Come from and Where Can They Go?

Panel, American Academy of Forensic Sciences  Anaheim, CA

‘The Evidence is on the Sheets’: The Microscopy and Microanalysis of Vaginal Glitter Capsules

Invited Speaker, Eastern Analytical Symposium  Princeton, NJ

Detection, Investigation, and Forensic Science in the DC Universe

Poster, Comic Arts Conference, Comic-Con International  San Diego, CA

Tattoos in Forensic Investigations

Office of Chief Medical Examiner of New York City (OCME NYC) Grand Rounds Lecture Series  New York, NY

Redefining Crime Scene Investigation

American Academy of Forensic Sciences  Baltimore, MD

The Microscopy and Microanalysis of Dyed Beaver Hair

Eastern Analytical Symposium  Princeton, NJ

Criminalistics: A Tale of Two Futures

American Academy of Forensic Sciences  Seattle, WA

Reid it or Not: A Case Study in the Perception of Deception Detection Techniques in Public and Private Sectors

Long Island Association of Certified Fraud Examiners  Westbury, NY

Margot, P., Miranda, M., Crispino, F., Lucas, D., Roux, C., De Forest, P., Willis, S. Criminalistics Panel: The Questions of Forensic Science: Quintilianus Revisited

International Association of Forensic Sciences 21st Triennial Meeting  Toronto, Canada

The Chemical Methods of Gunshot Residue Analysis

American Chemical Society-Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting 2016  Riverdale, NY

Forensic Science and the Amazing Multicolor Fur Coat: Microscopy and Microanalysis of Dyed Beaver Furs

Inter/Micro 2016, McCrone Research Institute  Chicago, IL

Sample Talks (2)

Forensic Analysis of Tattoos and Tattoo Inks

Discussion of the role of tattoos in forensic investigations and the analysis of tattoo inks in a forensic laboratory.

Gunshot Residue Analysis and Shooting Reconstruction

Discussion of techniques utilized in the forensic laboratory and at the crime scene to evaluate gunshot residues and aid in reconstructing shooting events.

Style

Availability

  • Panelist
  • Workshop Leader
  • Author Appearance

Media Appearances (7)

Interview with Dr. Michelle D. Miranda

Evidence Technology Magazine  online

2015-11-02

Interview with Dr. Miranda on her book, Forensic Analysis of Tattoos and Tattoo Inks.

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Professor Takes Us Inside the Work of Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation

"Big Ideas" blog, State University of New York  online

2015-12-01

The forensic science behind tattoos and tattoo inks is the subject of a new book – Forensic Analysis of Tattoos and Tattoo Inks (CRC Press) – by Michelle Miranda, associate professor in the Department of Security Systems & Law Enforcement Technology at Farmingdale State College, and a forensics consultant. She’s in the investigative trenches, and has strong opinions on how forensic science is portrayed on TV.

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Microscopy and Microanalysis of Tattoo Inks

McCrone Research Institute - The Microscope Vol. 63  print

2015-12-01

Microscopy and Microanalysis of Tattoo Inks Michelle D. Miranda The Microscope 63 (4), pp 147 – 160 Abstract: In forensic science, the recognition of inorganic and organic pigments in human tissue can aid in the identification of charred, decomposed, mummified or otherwise unidentifiable human remains. In the fields of art conservation and cultural heritage, the characterization and archiving of organic pigments found in traditional tattoo inks can aid in future anthropological and archaeological studies of human culture and history. This research explores the application of microscopical and spectroscopical methods employed in the analysis of modern organic pigments found in tattoo inks. The aim of this research was to scientifically evaluate these inks by documenting their physical and optical properties with macroscopical and microscopical methods and identify the chemical properties of the pigments through spectroscopical analysis. Analytical methods included Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry (UV/Vis) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The lack of an established method for analyzing tattoo inks and a comprehensive database for comparing them were additional catalysts for this research..

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Forensic Scientist Helps Fight Crimes

Manhattan College Alumni Magazine  online

Forensic Scientist Helps Fight Crimes, Fall 2018.

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How Tattoos Help to Clear up Crimes

Aargauer Zeitung  online

How Tattoos Help to Clear up Crimes

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Inkspector: The Forensic Analysis of Tattoos and Ink

Inked Australia/New Zealand. Issue 45.  print

Inkspector: The Forensic Analysis of Tattoos and Ink

The Girl with the Forensic Analysis Tattoo

Innovate Long Island  online

The Girl with the Forensic Analysis Tattoo

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Published Articles (12)

The Microscopy and Microanalysis of Tattoo Inks


The Microscope

In forensic science, the recognition of inorganic and organic pigments in human tissue can aid in the identification of charred, decomposed, mummified or otherwise unidentifiable human remains. In the fields of art conservation and cultural heritage, the characterization and archiving of organic pigments found in traditional tattoo inks can aid in future anthropological and archaeological studies of human culture and history. This research explores the application of microscopical and spectroscopical methods employed in the analysis of modern organic pigments found in tattoo inks. The aim of this research was to scientifically evaluate these inks by documenting their physical and optical properties with macroscopical and microscopical methods and identify the chemical properties of the pigments through spectroscopical analysis. Analytical methods included Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry (UV/Vis) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The lack of an established method for analyzing tattoo inks and a comprehensive database for comparing them were additional catalysts for this research..

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The Weaponization of Ebola: A New Risk in the Wake of an Outbreak?


Comparative Strategy

The Weaponization of Ebola: A New Risk in the Wake of an Outbreak?


State Intervention During Public Health Emergencies: Is the United States Prepared for an Ebola Outbreak?


Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

State Intervention During Public Health Emergencies: Is the United States Prepared for an Ebola Outbreak?


Tattoo Ink: Chemistry, Culture and Criminal Investigations


Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Annual, Vol. 1

Tattoo Ink: Chemistry, Culture and Criminal Investigations


The Silence of the Lambs: Critical Essays on a Cannibal, Clarice and a Nice Chianti


Rowman & Littlefield

2016-11-08

Contributed a chapter. One of only three films to-date to win Academy Awards in all five major categories, The Silence of the Lambs marked a sea change in horror films when it debuted, shifting the genre from teen slasher fare of the 1970s to the sophisticated psychological horror that characterizes acclaimed films today. Praised by some as the first true feminist thriller, it has drawn criticism from others for perpetuating narratives of crimes against women and demonizing its queer character. Regardless of the controversy, this film is a perennial favorite and even made it into AFI’s list of top 100 movies of all time. In The Silence of the Lambs: Critical Essays on a Cannibal, Clarice, and a Nice Chianti, editor Cynthia J. Miller compiles fifteen essays, contributed by authors from a wide range of disciplines, which are divided into three sections, each approaching the film from a different vantage point: “Situating the Silence” looks at the film in its cultural and historical context—as an adaptation, popular culture icon, and as an element in genre and character history; “Dissecting Evil” takes a closer look at portrayals of evil in the film, in both Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill; and “Minds, Hearts, and Body Parts” offers critical explorations of gender, patriarchy, class, Orientalism, and humor as lenses for continued contemporary analysis of this classic film. Written accessibly, this collection of essays also introduces readers to forensics, semantics, and the psychology of serial killers. The Silence of the Lambs: Critical Essays on a Cannibal, Clarice, and a Nice Chianti will be of interest to scholars and fans of horror, thriller, and crime drama films, as well as those interested in film history and the legacy of “Hannibal the Cannibal” in popular culture.

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Reasoning through Madness: the Detective in Gothic Crime Fiction


California Association of Criminalists

Dr. Michelle Miranda

The article covers forensic science and criminal investigations in the tales of E.A. Poe and A.C. Doyle (Sherlock Holmes).

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Tattoos and Tattoo Inks: Forensic Considerations


WIRES Forensic Science; Volume 2, Issue 1, Article e1360

Miranda, M.

Tattoos and Tattoo Inks: Forensic Considerations

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Do You See?: Clues, Reasoning and Connoisseurship


Syracuse University Press

Miranda, M.

Do You See?: Clues, Reasoning and Connoisseurship in Finn, K. & Nielsen, E.J. eds., Becoming: Genre, Queerness, and Transformation in NBC’s Hannibal


Overlooking Forensic Evidence? A Review of the 2014 International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict


Global Security: Health, Science and Policy, 2(1) 10-2

Maras, M-H. & Miranda, M

Overlooking Forensic Evidence? A Review of the 2014 International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict


‘Sir William of Baskerville'


Rowman & Littlefield

Miranda, M.

‘Sir William of Baskerville’ in Sandberg, E. ed. The 100 Greatest Literary Detectives


Sexual Violence Perpetrated Against Women in India: The Role of Forensic Evidence


International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 41(1-2), 95-107

Miranda, M. & Maras, M-H.

Sexual Violence Perpetrated Against Women in India: The Role of Forensic Evidence


Cultural Property Terrorism: Preventing the Theft and Destruction of Cultural Property in Museums and Cultural Sites


Security Management 60(11) 50-5

Miranda, M. & Maras, M-H.

Cultural Property Terrorism: Preventing the Theft and Destruction of Cultural Property in Museums and Cultural Sites


Courses (4)

Security Law and Policy

This course introduces students to the study of security law and security policies. Topics include crimes and offenses encountered by security personnel, application of criminal, civil and administrative law in the security field, employment liability, workplace violence and legal issues in security services. The course will also discuss the security policy formulation process. Students will learn how to develop security policy by incorporating federal regulatory requirements and business demands. Other topics examined are the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act, the Communications Decency Act, and the Communications Privacy Act.

Forensic Psychology

This course introduces the student to the study of forensic psychology, a discipline that applies psychology to the law and the criminal justice system. Topics to be covered include: the psychologist's role in the criminal courts, ethical dilemmas of psychologists working in the criminal justice system, psychological perspective on the nature of criminality and the investigation of crime, criminal profiling, the effects of psychological empirical research on the outcome of criminal trials, and the psychology of the police, witnesses, offenders, and victims. Other new research topics in the field, such as the use of brain fingerprinting technology to determine criminal culpability will also be explored.

Topics in Criminal Justice- Forensic DNA Technology

The course will introduce the student to photographic and video equipment and methods that are used for crime scene documentation and police surveillance operations, including forensic imaging analysis. The course will include a study of camera design and operation, lens selection and functions, role of light and illumination technologies, digital image editing software, and a review of the chain of custody procedures in recording and archiving images for courtroom presentation.

Topics in Criminal Justice - Advanced Forensic Investigations

This course will introduce the student to the methods of conducting a criminal investigation. Topics covered will include use of the scientific method, reasoning, and critical thinking in investigations, detection methods, crime scene investigation, and criminal profiling. Students will learn about interrogations and interviews, trial preparation and testimony, conducting arrests and legal matters concerning criminal investigations.

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