The Emporia State Forensic Science program opens its 2021-22 seminar series on Monday, Oct. 11, with a presentation by Dr. Timothy Rohrig, a forensic toxicologist who testified in the criminal trials of Bill Cosby. The evening also includes an open house of the program.
Rohrig currently is a visiting professor in Emporia State’s master of science in forensic science program. He retired two years ago after 19 years as chief toxicologist and director of the Regional Forensic Science Center in Sedgwick County.
Cosby was charged with several felony counts relating to criminal sexual assault. Rohrig testified as an expert witness for the prosecution in both trials, with the first trial resulting in a hung jury. In the second trial, Cosby was convicted and sentenced to prison. His conviction later was vacated. Rohrig’s testimony centered on the types of drugs that Cosby might have given to women.
Rohrig’s presentation begins at 7 p.m. Monday in Science Hall 72 on the ESU campus.
The MSFS department will have an open house from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. the same day in Science Hall 147. It will include guided tours of the department.
All events in the 2021-22 seminar series are free to the public, with some individual cautions when parental discretion is advised.
Future seminars include:
- Nov. 8: Tales from a Crime Science Investigator with Ryan Rezzelle of Leica Geosystems
- Feb. 7, 2022: Social Media and the Internet — Friend or Foe with Mark Phillips of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Criminalistics Laboratory
- March 7: Using DNA to Solve Crimes with Jarrah Kennedy of the Kansas City Police Crime Laboratory
- April 11: Forensic Science in the Wild — Wildlife Crimes with Dustin Shorma of Wyoming Game and Fish Department