Melanie Eckberg

Background

About Melanie Eckberg

Melanie is currently a Lead Consultant with Washington Business Dynamics providing scientific and technical expertise in the preparation of technical workshop materials and summaries for federal health agencies. Additionally, she freelances as a scientific technical writing consultant and expert witness. She is a former forensic toxicologist with the Virginia Department of Forensic Science. Melanie enjoys bridging the gap between the scientific community and those that do not have a science background. Her experience as an expert witness in forensic toxicology highlighted this as she has had the opportunity to testify in court over 40 times. Melanie has a strong background as a researcher with experience reviewing relevant scientific literature and preparing summaries or grants, as well as incorporating that knowledge into her daily duties. While with DFS, Melanie reviewed analytical data and case files, generated Certificates of Analyses, provided interpretation, and testified in court as an expert witness dozens of times. She also provided countless "hallway testimonies" with attorneys outside of the courtroom to provide insight and information concerning the results of toxicology testing. Additionally, she provided training in the form of presentations to a variety of audiences, including attorneys and law enforcement officers, on basic toxicological topics. She earned her PhD at Florida International University in Chemistry with a focus in forensic toxicology. During her graduate work, Melanie developed a strong working knowledge of LC-QTOF-MS and LC-MS/MS instrumentation. She developed an MS/MS spectral library and compound database using LC-QTOF-MS. Melanie also served as her research lab's co-manager for four years, was the head teaching assistant for the University's Intro to Forensic Science lab course, and was on the governing board of the Chemistry Graduate Student Organization for four years. During her doctoral work, she earned her Master of Science In Forensic Science in December 2016. She has presented her graduate research at several national conferences and served as a student representative for the Center for Advanced Research in Forensic Science (CARFS) group under the NSF IUCRC program. Melanie is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, earning dual bachelor degrees in Forensic Science-Chemistry track and Chemistry. She conducted research under Dr. Alphonse Poklis in the Toxicology Laboratory at the VCU Medical College of Virginia, and interned at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Forensic Laboratory.