NCDD Sessions and Seminars
Serious Science: Advanced Course in Blood Alcohol Analysis & Trial Advocacy-CALL THE NCDD OFFICE TO GET ON THE WAITING LIST 334-264-1950

SOLD OUT
June 09, 2023 - June 14, 2023
Advanced Training in Blood Alcohol Analysis and Trial Advocacy
Arlington, TX
Andrew Mishlove, Course Director
Hotel Accommodations:
Sheraton Arlington Hotel888-236-2427
Use Group Code: NCDD Serious Science
Room Block Closes May 18, 2023.
The Serious Science Blood Alcohol Analysis course is designed to combine hard science and trial advocacy. There is no better course on forensic science and trial advocacy in America.
We start with hard science, including hands-on work in the Shimadzu Laboratory. Students will learn the basics of metrology, blood alcohol analysis and the introduction to the more complex blood drug analyses; and they will get hands-on experience preparing and analyzing their own blood alcohol samples. We focus on science for three full days; and then we transition to a focus on trial advocacy about the science, with reviews of the scientific concepts, and trial skills practice with the scientists from the University of Texas-Arlington. We use trial skills techniques developed by, and instructors trained at the Trial Lawyers College, with grateful acknowledgement.
This year we will start with a complete review of the basic of metrology and blood testing on Friday at 1:00 pm, June 9, 2023. So plan to arrive in Arlington no later than Friday morning.
We will have a walk every morning before breakfast for those interested. The NCDD provides breakfast and lunches, as well as transfers to and from the Shimadzu Laboratory. Students will also receive a professional lab coat for use in the laboratory, which they may keep.
All students are required to take three hours of online lab safety courses from the University of Texas-Arlington, in order to enter the laboratory. You will get certificates for those courses too.
Registration Fees:
NCDD Members: $2,650Member Deposit Only: $650
Non-Members: $2,950
Non-Member Deposit Only: $950
Science Faculty:
- Tiffany Liden, PhD, Analytic Chemistry
- Kevin A. Schug, PhD, Analytic Chemistry
- Alison Paige Wicker, PhD, Analytic Chemistry
- Janine Arvizu, CQA, Laboratory Quality Control, Metrology
- Post Graduate Assistants from the University of Texas-Arlington
Trial Advocacy Faculty:
- Andrew Mishlove, NCDD Dean, Course Director
- Kimberly Benjamin, NCDD Regent
- Joseph P. St. Louis, NCDD Regent
- Mimi Coffey, NCDD Regent
- Paul Burglin, NCDD Fellow
- Francisco A. “Paco” Duarte, Instructor
- Charles Jones, Instructor
- David Lisko, Instructor
- Patrick John McClain, USMC JAG
- Zaki Zehawi, Instructor
SEMINAR DAY ONE – Friday, June 9, 2023 | ||
Time (CDT) | Event Description | Guest Speaker |
1:00p.m. – 2:15p.m. | Basic Metrology. How are things measured? What is calibration, traceability and uncertainty? | Joseph P. St. Louis |
2:15p.m.– 3:15p.m. | Basic Chromatography and Flame Ionization Detection: Introduction to Blood Alcohol Measurement | |
3:15p.m. – 3:30p.m. | Break | |
3:30p.m. – 5:00p.m. | Review of Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection and Introduction to Mass Spectrometry | Andrew Mishlove |
5:00p.m. – 6:00p.m. | Preview of Laboratory Work. How are specimens prepared for analysis? What are we going to do in the Lab the next few days? | |
6:00p.m. – 6:30p.m. | Registration | |
6:30p.m. – 8:30p.m. | Attendees Dinner and Introduction of Faculty. Storytelling and Science, How to teach gas chromatography to a five-year old | Andrew Mishlove |
SEMINAR DAY TWO – Saturday, June 10, 2023 | ||
Time (CDT) | Event Description | Guest Speaker |
6:00a.m. | Hike for those interested | |
7:45a.m. – 8:45a.m. | Breakfast | |
9:00a.m. | Bus to Lab. BE ON TIME! | |
9:15a.m. – 10:15a.m. | Metrology, Calibration Curves, Chromatography and Flame Ionization Detection | Joseph P. St. Louis, Tiffany Liden PhD & Kevin A. Schug, PhD |
10:15a.m. – 10:30a.m. | Break | |
10:30a.m. – 12:15p.m. | Key Measurement Concepts, Lab Record-Keeping, Lab Errors, Traceability, Calibration, Method Validation, Uncertainty and Maintenance | Janine Arvizu, CQA |
12:15p.m. – 1:15p.m. | Lunch | |
1:15p.m. – 2:15p.m. | Discovery in a Blood Alcohol Case: What You Need and How to Ask for It | Janine Arvizu, CQA and Paul R. Burglin |
2:15p.m. – 3:15p.m. | Blood Analysis-Sample Preparation | Tiffany Liden, PhD |
3:15p.m. – 3:30p.m. | Break | |
3:30p.m. – 4:45p.m. | Lab Tour | |
4:45p.m. – 5:30p.m. | Q & A | All Science Faculty |
5:30p.m. | Bus to Hotel. BE ON TIME! | |
7:00p.m. | Dinner-TBA |
SEMINAR DAY THREE – Sunday, June 11, 2023 | |||
Time (CDT) | Event Description | Guest Speaker | |
6:30a.m. | Hike for those interested | ||
7:45a.m. – 8:45a.m. | Breakfast | ||
9:00a.m. | Bus to Lab. BE ON TIME! | ||
9:15a.m. – 10:30a.m. | Sample Preparation, Hardware Demo, GC-FID | Breakout | |
10:30a.m. – 10:45a.m. | Break | ||
10:45a.m. – 12:15p.m. | Sample Preparation & Hardware Demo | Breakout | |
12:15p.m. – 1:15p.m. | Lunch/Sample Loading | ||
1:15p.m. – 4:00p.m. | Flame Ionization Detection Interpretation | ||
4:00p.m. – 4:30p.m. | Break/Compile data | ||
4:30p.m. – 5:00p.m. | Discussion/Compare Results | ||
5:00p.m. | Bus to Hotel. BE ON TIME! |
SEMINAR DAY FOUR – Monday, June 12, 2023 | ||
Time (CDT) | Event Description | Guest Speaker |
6:00a.m. | Hike for those interested | |
8:00a.m. – 8:30a.m. | Breakfast | |
8:30a.m. – 9:00a.m. | Introduction to Focus Groups. How to Talk About Science: Finding Your Theme. Avoiding Landmines | Charles Jones & David Lisko |
9:00a.m. – 11:30a.m. | Focus Group demonstration. Learning how to talk about science | Charles Jones & David Lisko |
10:00a.m. – 10:15a.m. | Break | |
11:30a.m. – 12:00p.m. | Focus Group Q & A | Charles Jones & David Lisko |
12:00p.m. – 1:00p.m. | Lunch | |
1:00p.m. – 2:30p.m. | Discovering the Story. Lecture, Exercises & Demonstration | Francisco Duarte & Kimberly Benjamin |
2:30p.m. – 2:45p.m. | Break | |
2:45p.m. – 5:30p.m. | Small Group Breakouts on Opening | |
5:30p.m. | Dinner on your own | |
7:00p.m. – 9:00p.m. | Optional: Science Review and Trial Skills Review |
SEMINAR DAY FIVE – Tuesday, June 13, 2023 | ||
Time (CDT) | Event Description | Guest Speaker |
6:00a.m. | Hike for those interested | |
7:30a.m. – 8:15a.m. | Breakfast | |
8:15a.m. – 9:45a.m. | Cross Examination; Review of the basics theory & practice | Francisco Duarte & Kimberly Benjamin |
9:45a.m. – 10:00a.m. | Break | |
10:00a.m. – 12:00p.m. | Cross Exam Breakouts | |
12:00p.m. – 1:00p.m. | Lunch | |
1:00p.m. – 3:15p.m. | Cross Exam Breakouts | |
3:15p.m. – 3:30p.m. | Break | |
3:30p.m.– 5:00p.m. | Cross Exam Breakouts | |
5:00p.m.– 6:00p.m. | Dinner on your own | |
Tuesday Evening | Texas Rangers Baseball Game |
SEMINAR DAY SIX – Wednesday, June 14, 2023 | ||
Time (CDT) | Event Description | Guest Speaker |
6:00a.m. | Hike for those interested | |
8:00a.m. – 9:00a.m. | Breakfast | |
9:00a.m. – 10:00a.m. | Voir Dire: Lecture, Exercise and Demonstration | Andrew Mishlove, Francisco Duarte, Kimberly Benjamin and Zaki Zehawi |
10:00a.m. – 10:15a.m. | Break | |
10:15a.m. – 12:30p.m. | Voir Dire Breakouts | |
12:30p.m. – 1:30p.m. | Lunch | |
1:30p.m. – 2:30p.m. | Review and Closing Ceremony | Andrew Mishlove |
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