UNDERSTANDING ODOR CHEMISTRY AND DYNAMICS FOR OPERATIONAL K9 TEAMS

This two-day workshop is designed for canine
handlers seeking a deeper understanding of the
science behind odor detection. Participants will
explore the fundamentals of odor chemistry and
odor dynamics, including how odors are
generated, transported, altered by environmental
conditions, and ultimately perceived by detection
canines.
Through a combination of interactive lectures and
practical demonstrations, attendees will examine
the factors that influence odor availability and
canine performance in real-world operational
settings. Topics will include general odor
principles as well as applications involving
narcotics, explosives, human scent, and human
remains detection. The workshop is intended for
handlers of all operational detection disciplines
and emphasizes practical knowledge that can be
directly applied to training and deployment.
Dr. Lauryn E. DeGreeff earned her PhD in
forensic chemistry from Florida
International University, where she is
presently an associate professor in the
Chemistry Department and the
International Forensic Science Research
Institute and where she carries out
research in the area of volatiles analysis
as it relates to vapor detection by canine
and instruments. She takes a chemistry based
approach to studying olfaction for
the purpose of informing field vapor
sampling practices. Her research focuses
on trace vapor sampling,
characterization, and generation in
support of canine and other field
detection approaches.