Heidi Eldridge
Heidi Eldridge
Director of Crime Scene Investigations
Associate Professor
Contact:
Email:
Heidi Eldridge
Dr. Heidi Eldridge received her MS in Biology from Duke University and her PhD in Forensic Science from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). Her dissertation research involved using a white box approach to understand the factors that are most diagnostic for latent print examiners when making suitability determinations for friction ridge impressions and using this information to build a predictive model of suitability along four distinct scales of usefulness. Dr. Eldridge’s research interests are focused predominantly in the friction ridge domain on topics such as: standardization of minutiae selection and mark-up; reduction of errors, particularly erroneous exclusions; increasing understanding of palmar impressions and comparison; the evolution of friction ridge conclusions; and the role of human factors in forensic science, particularly in the areas of thresholds for decision-making, presentation of courtroom testimony, juror comprehension of scientific testimony, and resilience and vicarious trauma. Dr. Eldridge has worked in the field of forensic science since 2004. She spent approximately 11 years working in state, local, and regional forensic laboratories where she performed casework in controlled substances, latent prints, and crime scene analysis and reconstruction including bloodstain pattern interpretation, shooting reconstruction, event analysis, biological screening, and serial number restoration. From 2015 to 2022, she was a full-time forensic science researcher at RTI International, where she completed internally- and externally-funded research on the suitability decision in latent prints, establishing a baseline discipline error rate estimate for palmar comparisons, recognizing warning factors for close non-matches in latent prints, and human factors in forensic science. Dr. Eldridge is an active member of the forensic science community and is current Chair of the Friction Ridge Consensus Body of the American Standards Board (ASB) and of FEPAC. She sits on the Boards of Directors of both the IAI and the ASB and is a Fellow of the AAFS and a member of the Friction Ridge Subcommittee of the OSAC. Additionally, Dr. Eldridge sits on the Editorial Board of the JFI and is a peer-reviewer for the JFS, FSI, S&J, LPR, Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, and International Journal of Evidence and Proof. Dr. Eldridge is a Certified Latent Print Examiner with the IAI.
Latent Print Analysis
2024 Crime Scene Quality Latent Fingerprint Collections
17 months, $225,506
Federal Bureau of Investigation
2022 Measuring rarity of combined features in palm versus finger impressions
and evaluating examiner perceptions, 30 months, $489,524
National Institute of Justice, Research and Development
Award Number: 15PNIJ-22-GG-04404-SLFO
2019 Improved Latent Fingerprint Quality Metric, 24 months, $868,853
Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO)
FORS 6001 Research and Professional Responsibility
FORS 6251 Crime Scene Investigation I
FORS 6207 Photography in the Forensic Sciences
FORS 6075 When Forensic Sciences Gets it Wrong
FORS 6215 Latent Print Comparisons I
Eldridge, H. (2025, in press), Book Chapter: Field Techniques for the Recovery and Preservation
of Friction Ridge Impressions, in A Primer: Forensic Scientific Techniques and Instrumentation
for Criminal Justice Professionals.
Eldridge, H. (2025, in press), Book Chapter: Friction Ridge Impressions and Field Techniques
for their Detection, in A Primer: Forensic Scientific Techniques and Instrumentation for
Criminal Justice Professionals.
Heidi Eldridge and Christophe Champod (2025), Fingerprint Identification, Chapter 32, in David
L. Faigman et al. (eds.), Modern Scientific Evidence: The Law and Science of Expert Testimony.
Toronto: Thomson Reuters.
Quigley-McBride, A., Eldridge, H., Gardner, B. (2024), Examiner consistency in perceptions of
fingerprint minutia rarity, For. Sci. Intl., 364, 112244,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2024.112244.
Eldridge, H., Quigley-McBride, A., Gardner, B. (2024), A Survey of Naming Conventions for
Different Minutia Types in Friction Ridge Examination, J. For. Ident., 74(3): 251-281.
Eldridge, H., Spellman, B.A., Busey, T., Eds. (2022) Human Factors in Forensic Science
Practice Sourcebook, For. Sci. Intl: Synergy, 4, available at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/special-issue/10HK39LR2VS.
1997 Bachelor of Arts – Speech and Theatre, Minors in Biology, French
Wagner College, Staten Island, NY
2002 Master of Science – Biology
Duke University, Durham, NC
2021 PhD – Forensic Science
University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Dr. Heidi Eldridge for her hard work and vision in developing and securing approval for the new Graduate Certificate in Latent Print Examination, which will launch next academic year. With more than 11 years of experience as a forensic scientist in latent prints, crime scene analysis, and controlled substances—and as a leading researcher in fingerprint comparison validity and forensic communication—there could be no one better suited to design this program. Dr. Eldridge’s expertise and dedication ensure that this certificate will set a new standard for excellence in forensic education.