Students test their skills during a mock trial and impress with Mech-Tech projects

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Students test skills during a ‘transformative’ trial process

Forensics from Middle Tennessee State University recently gathered at the intersection of justice and science in Circuit Court Judge Barry Tidwell’s courtroom, culminating a semester-long project.

Two dozen forensics senior seminar students participated in a pilot program organized by Tidwell and MTSU adjunct instructor Andrea King, who is also a forensic scientist with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

“One of the most important things a forensic scientist has to do is testify in court,” explains Frank Bailey, MTSU professor and director of MTSU’s Forensic Science program offered through the Department of Biology within the College of Basic and Applied Sciences. “You have to be credible and confident in the stands.”

Tidwell, whose 16th Judicial District includes Rutherford and Cannon counties, presided over the mock trial, which took place in mid-November at the Rutherford County Judicial Center in Murfreesboro. Rutherford County Assistant District Attorney Allyson Abbott and Public Defender Sean Williams interviewed students based on prefabricated scenarios they created as part of coursework.

In the weeks leading up to the mock trial, students in the class created their own cases and professional “personas,” and then wrote reports based on the scenarios, King explained.

“The big picture is you tell the court about the science you’ve done. Overall, what they learn is comparative science versus hard science,” King said. “Being able to testify before a judge and defend yourself in a legal proceeding, and be able to tell them what you’re doing, gives them an advantage.”

After each student’s participation, Tidwell provided constructive criticism of their performance.

“I value students gaining the experience of appearing in court, being under oath, and answering attorneys’ questions based on their reports and investigative scenarios,” Tidwell said. “I think it is important that they can see and feel what it is like to have their work questioned and assessed by the lawyers and the court as if it were a real case.”

During the mock trial, Jaylon Jefferson of Memphis took the stand as a fingerprint analyst and called the experience “transformative.” At first he admitted he was a little nervous.

“Once I got into the flow of explaining the evidence … I was able to stay focused on my role,” said Jefferson, who plans to become a forensic nurse. “This experience bridged the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.”

Katherine Smeltz of Brentwood used her experience as a pharmacy technician to build a case involving a nurse who poisoned a patient with an intentional drug overdose.

“Everything I’ve learned over the years in chemistry, biology and criminal justice all had components that played a role in this mock trial,” said Smeltz, who hopes to work for the FBI. “So it was beneficial for my future as I will have to testify again, and it also allowed me to fully connect all my learnings to what it means to be a forensic scientist.”

The program was started in 2010 by the late Laura Cole, an adjunct instructor and forensic scientist who passed away in 2023. Her legacy is kept alive with an annual award named in her honor and given to the student with the best test performance. This year, senior Camile Phillips won the award.

MTSU engineering students impress with Mech-Tech expo projects

Tech-savvy Engineering Technology and Mechatronics Engineering students from Middle Tennessee State University showcased their one- and two-semester capstone projects at the fall Mech-Tech Expo recently at the Miller Education Center on Bell Street.

The more than two dozen devices reviewed included an oil filter change robot, an automated golf ball retriever, a portable network speaker system, a meat packer and a sealer project with a FANUC-Cobit Collaborative Robot arm and more.

To conclude the spring and fall semesters, Mech-Tech showcases team and individual efforts before holding commencement ceremonies.

Students, faculty and department chair Ken Currie await to host future Mech-Techs in the new Applied Engineering Building, expected to open in fall 2025 on the east side of campus next to the MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Building .

“I like the effort of most of these projects,” Currie said. “They used equipment that we had already purchased for the new building, and they made good use of it.”

Kaleb Smith and Emilio Sanches, friends since sixth grade in McMinnville, were part of a five-person “Meat Men: Thermoseal Meat Packager” team, whose goal was to properly seal a plastic container of meat and ready to be sold to a customer, while interacting and increasing sanitation.

Smith and Sanches said they are considering joining forces after graduation and possibly becoming a mechatronics instructor at Motlow State Community College’s McMinnville campus.

Jeff Buck, co-president of La Vergne-based industry partner Automation Nth, said he “enjoyed talking to students. The projects I saw were great and there are some impressive students among them.”

Coin Sorters took first place in the Mechatronics Engineering category. Team members included Joshua Holm, Dylan Pate, Luke Flatt, Caleb Berman and Nathan Deal. Hunter McMath, an electromechanical technology student, took first place in the Engineering Technology division.

MTSU Mondays content is provided by submissions from MTSU News and Media Relations.

This article originally appeared in Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Students Test Their Skills in Mock Trial and Impress with Mech-Tech Projects