From Desert to Discovery:
Help Support Student Travel and the Forensic Sciences!
At Colorado Mesa University's Forensic Investigation Research Station (CMU-FIRS), students don’t just learn forensic science—they create it!
CMU-FIRS is an internationally renowned research facility located In the high elevation arid desert of western Colorado. Our undergraduate students participate in hands-on research that both advances the forensic sciences and contributes to real life forensic investigations.
At the FIRS facility, students study situational rate and pattern of human decomposition, methods for estimating postmortem interval, field search and recovery techniques, and methods in forensic anthropology. All of their work directly informs medicolegal death investigations and strengthens the scientific foundations of the field.
But discovery is only the first step. To truly make an impact, students must take their work beyond the field and share their findings with the broader scientific community at regional, national, and international conferences. These experiences are transformative. Students present original research, engage with leading experts, build professional networks, and take critical steps toward graduate school and careers in forensic science.
Unfortunately, the cost of travel often stands in the way. Many of our students are first-generation college students or balancing significant financial responsibilities. Even the most promising research can go unheard without the means to present it. That’s where you come in. Your support helps move student research from the desert to the national stage—turning data into dialogue, and students into professionals.
Click to Hear From Our Students!
Every dollar has an impact!
Every dollar donated directly supports student travel costs, ensuring that opportunity is not limited by financial barriers.
Student Travel Impact Levels
$50 — Poster Printing Support: Helps a student print a professional research poster for presentation.
$100 — Ground Transportation: Supports airport shuttles, rideshare, or mileage for one student.
$200 — One Night of Shared Lodging: Covers a hotel room shared by 1–2 students during a conference.
$350 — Conference Registration: Support Offsets the cost of student registration fees.
$500 — Airfare Contribution: Helps cover round-trip flights for one student.
$750 — Send a Student to a Regional Conference: Covers most expenses for one Colorado conference.
$1,250 — Full Travel Support for One Student: Funds airfare, lodging, and registration for a major conference.
$2,500 — Sponsor a Student Research Team: Supports travel for multiple students presenting together.
$2,500+ — Establish a Named Student Travel Scholarship: Provides recurring support and recognition for student presenters.