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When she was nine years old, Makena McLean knew exactly what she wanted to be—a forensic scientist. Now years later as a criminology honours student, she is one step closer to making that dream a reality. For her honours thesis, she led a research project that could make a big impact on how disaster victims are identified around the world. 

The research idea came about when , a human remains identification company led by SFU alumnus Megan Bassendale, approached SFU's Centre for Forensic Research (CFR) for their research help in developing new methods and technology for body tagging and identification. FGI had done some previous work exploring this topic but needed more data to expand their research scope. This led to McLean's project, which investigated the survivability of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags under the harsh conditions of decomposition and whether they could be relied upon when it matters most. A powerful but under-explored technology, these tiny radio frequency devices could one day play a critical role in identifying victims in mass casualty events such as natural disasters, wars, or plane crashes. 

"Innovation in this space is really needed from a human and scientific perspective," says Bassendale whose company has been deployed in many places around the world such as Gaza, Ukraine, and Guatemala. "Working with universities, students, and other professionals is the only way we can move forward to help first responders deal with what is going on in the front line and help families get an answer faster." 

Currently, body tagging in disaster scenarios often rely on manual methods like paper tags, handwritten notes, or grave markers—techniques that are prone to damage, error, or loss. “If the writing on a tag degrades, becomes unreadable, or if the tag is lost, that person may never be identified,” Bassendale explains. “That means they’re never returned to their families or given a proper burial.”

The use of RFID technology in this area promises potential, but it had never been thoroughly tested in such extreme conditions.

Getting her hands dirty—literally

McLean's research aimed to answer a critical question: Can RFID tags survive the corrosive and chaotic process of decomposition?

To find out, McLean spent three years planning and executing her research. Using pig carcasses—commonly used in forensic studies due to their similarity to the human body—she ran multiple experiments in a remote Maple Ridge BCIT Woodlot. She attached nine different commercially available RFID tags to the carcasses in various ways and placed them in conditions mimicking real life scenarios. Some were buried underground, and others placed above ground in cages to deter scavengers. The experiments spanned 17 weeks, with McLean visiting weekly to document changes as the carcasses slowly decomposed. 

Building confidence and community

Despite the challenges, McLean says the experience transformed her. â€śThis project gave me so much confidence. I even got to present at the Centre for Forensic Research Symposium, which was very nerve wracking. I was standing in front of people who have my dream career, and they were listening to me, so that was a confidence booster.” 

Volunteering with the CFR not only boosted her self-confidence and professional skills, she also found lifelong friendships that made her university experience unforgettable. “Shoutout to all the friends I made at CFR's Forensic Entomology Lab. Everyone is so kind and supportive. I was always told that in university you meet like-minded people—and that’s so true.”

From student to researcher to future forensic scientist

As McLean prepares to publish her research with the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, which partially funded this research, this is only the beginning. â€śObviously I'm a novice researcher, but I sometimes I do feel like I stepped into the world of DVI research," says McLean. "They say that when you’re done with your honours project, you become an expert in that field. It is neat I can say that I have practical hands-on experience, which many people can't say that.”

Reflecting on her journey, McLean is proud of how far she’s come and where she started. "I think back to being nine years old and wanting to do this," says McLean. "My whole dream was to be a forensic scientist and then I was out there as a forensic researcher. That was a crazy realization to come to.”