Public Safety is tracking a significant snowfall that will be arriving in our area late Sunday morning (Jan. 25). It will snow heavily throughout the day and evening eventually tapering off Monday (Jan. 26) with 10-14 inches expected statewide. A sleet and freezing rain mix is also possible along the shore. Temperatures will be in the teens and twenties.
Due to this significant winter storm and the extensive campus clean-up operations that will need to take place, all in-person day and evening classes scheduled for Monday, January 26, 2026 have been cancelled. All scheduled in-person classes will transition to being held online or remotely. Additional information on the virtual format for each class will be provided by your instructor.
Faculty have been asked to prepare for Online or Remote sessions in the event of in-person meeting cancellations. These options will be determined by the Faculty member and all questions should be directed to the Faculty teaching each course section. Faculty also have been asked to be very understanding and accommodating of the individual situations of their students who may have difficulty managing these alternative online or remote class meetings on short notice.
Please note that only essential employees, as previously determined by their respective department leaders, should report to campus. All other employees should fulfill the requirements of their role remotely.
Campus operations for residential students, unless otherwise noted, will operate as scheduled, though hours may be modified or changed based on the conditions. Separate messages will be sent from the Peterson Library, the Beckerman Recreation Center, and Dining Services regarding any changes to their normal hours of operation. The Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation will remain open for residential students to use for study space and to participate in online classes.
Off-campus students that live in the City of West Haven should abide by the city’s parking ban during inclement weather to avoid having their vehicle tagged and towed. Please check the City of West Haven’s website for further information on their snow parking ban.
The Charger Blog
The inaugural cohort of the University’s forensic genetic genealogy certificate program helped give a name to a woman who had been unidentified since 2017.
November 12, 2021
Karen McDermott recently completed an internship that enabled her to apply her forensic genetic genealogy skills to help investigators solve a case and offer closure to the family of a missing woman.
Working with the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit organization that assists law enforcement with investigating unsolved cases, McDermott and five of her classmates were completing their final practicum requirement for their graduate certificate in forensic genetic genealogy at the University of New Haven. They helped identify a woman who had been found deceased behind a home in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2017. Forensic DNA profiling had not been able to identify her.
The students started with an artist’s rendering of the woman, as well as some basic information, including her approximate age and information about her tattoos. Using genetic genealogy tools, they identified individuals who could be related to her, and they applied genealogy research and used social media to identify potential common ancestors. They were able to give a name to the woman who had been without one for years: Laura Jean Jordan.
“Working with the DNA Doe Project was an amazing experience, and we were able to see the real-world application of the tools and knowledge we gained through the program,” said McDermott. “When we finally received the confirmation of the identity of the woman and her family members were notified, it was a combination of sadness for the family, but also relief, joy, and pride as we celebrated our success as a team.”
McDermott, who has been a forensic scientist for the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory’s Criminalistics Unit for 15 years, looks forward to applying her experience in the program to her cases. She and her fellow interns were all offered the opportunity to continue as volunteers with the DNA Doe project, and she says they “all happily accepted.” They are now working on a second case.
Nancy Landini, who has also collaborated with the Utah Cold Case Coalition, says this was her first time working on a case like this one. She plans to continue volunteering with the DNA Doe Project, and she aspires to become a forensic genetic genealogist.
“I’ve worked many unknown parentage cases, but I found working on a case where the individual no longer has a voice or the ability to advocate for herself to be especially meaningful and impactful,” she said. “The DNA Doe Project has some great processes and tools in place to facilitate collaboration. Working with their volunteers and my teammates from the University was a great experience.”
McDermott and Landini were members of the inaugural cohort of the University’s graduate certificate program in forensic genetic genealogy. Developed by Claire Glynn, Ph.D., an associate professor of forensic science, the program prepares students to work in one of the fastest growing areas of forensic science. Offered fully online, the program offers students flexibility while gaining hands-on experience. In addition to the DNA Doe Project, students also interned for Bode Technology.
“Collaboration with our industry partners has been instrumental in both the development of this program and its continued success,” said Dr. Glynn. “This provided the students with hands-on experience using forensic genetic genealogy in real cases, and ultimately, it allowed them to make a meaningful impact in the resolution of those cases.”
Dr. Glynn calls the inaugural cohort a “phenomenal group of students.” Approximately half of them were already working for law enforcement agencies of some sort, including as forensic scientists, cold case investigators, or death investigators, throughout the U.S. and around the world. The other half of the students had diverse backgrounds. Some had significant experience with genealogy, and others were new to the field.
“What connected the class was everyone's passion and drive to learn about this new investigatory tool and their desire to apply that knowledge to criminal investigations and unidentified human-remains cases,” said Dr. Glynn. “We all have a passion for serving the public and bringing justice to victims. When you combine that passion with dedicated students and investigators, industry experts, and challenging cases, we can achieve very powerful and rewarding outcomes for everyone.”
Lisa Needler, who also was among the students who worked with the DNA Doe Project, is passionate about helping families such as that of the woman they helped identify. She says forensic genetic genealogy can be an effective way to solve a variety of the existing unsolved cases, and it is an important method to turn to when others have failed to offer solutions.
“This was a life-changing learning experience for me,” she said. “I learned the value of working as part of a team, and how even the most minor-seeming details can be extremely important later on. The families of lost people deserve to know what happened to their loved ones. Emotionally, it was overwhelming, and yet satisfying, that our Jane Doe was identified.”
Forensic genetic genealogy has already helped investigators solve a variety of crimes, including identifying the infamous Golden State Killer. It has also been used in a variety of investigations, including identifying unidentified human remains (i.e. Jane and John Does); freeing the innocent in wrongful convictions, identifying fallen soldiers from World War II and in historical investigations, and solving decades-old cold cases of homicide and sexual assault.
Designed to be accessible to professionals who already work full time, the University’s graduate certificate program comprises four courses that are taken sequentially. Presented fully online, the program offers a supportive and collaborative virtual community for students. In addition to the “educational and rewarding” experience she had in her practicum, the network she developed is what Wendy McLean liked the most about the program.
“I really enjoyed meeting others who are interested in the field of forensic genetic genealogy,” she said. “Although the program is online, it had several elements that enabled us to interact with each other. This cohort included professionals in all the fields that came together, and their insight as we learned together was extremely valuable.”
Dr. Glynn is excited to welcome the next cohort in January 2022, a group that will include students from a wide variety of backgrounds, as well as from nearly two dozen states, as well as from Europe and Australia.
“The diverse makeup of the students allows us to learn from each other's experiences and perspectives,” she said. “The graduates from our inaugural cohort are already making a huge impact resolving cases, giving victims voices, and pursuing justice. I couldn't have dreamt of a better outcome from the first cohort, and I am immensely proud of every one of our alumni.”
University News
New University-wide council will advance strategic partnerships, immersive student opportunities, and innovative research, supporting the University’s strategic plan the development of its pioneering Center for Innovation and Applied Technology.
The Charger Blog
Entrepreneur David Sussman, Pompea College of Business Advisory Board Member and chief visionary officer of The Family Security Plan®, is collaborating with University of New Haven students, faculty, and staff to create a program and app that helps Chargers support each other to achieve academic, personal, and professional goals. It’s called Uccountability.
University News
Vice President for Innovation and Applied Technology Paul Lavoie will serve on the Board of Directors and as America’s Chief Manufacturing Officer for the newly launched American Manufacturing Futures Institute.