Virginia Maxwell is a professor in the Forensic Science Department at the University of New Haven. Dr. Maxwell is also the director of the FEPAC-accredited MS Forensic Science. She has over thirty years of experience in Forensic Science, both as a practitioner at the State of Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and at the University of New Haven. As a practitioner, Dr. Maxwell specialized in trace evidence, examining cases ranging from property crimes to multiple homicides; she has provided expert testimony in criminal cases at both the state and federal levels. She teaches Forensic Investigation of Animal Cruelty and has created a graduate certificate in animal cruelty investigation [MV1] at the university. Dr. Maxwell has authored two books on animal cruelty: Investigating Animal Abuse Crime Scene: A Field Guide (with Dr. Martha Smith Blackmore, DVM) and Animal Abuse and Neglect (to be released in 2026). She is a member and contributing scholar with the Center for a Humane Economy’s Scholarly Network on Animal Protection, where she has supported campaigns, most notably the Animal Cruelty Enforcement campaign. As part of a Collaboration for Investigation of Animal Maltreatment with the University of Connecticut School of Law, she has developed animal cruelty investigation training for animal control officers and other first responders. Dr. Maxwell’s research focuses on physical evidence issues in animal cruelty investigations, environmental degradation of trace evidence, and the analysis of biomarkers to assess pain and stress in animals. Dr. Maxwell is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Science, the Animals and Society Institute, the Dairy Cattle Welfare Council, and the American Dairy Science Association. She holds a doctorate in physical chemistry from Oxford University and a bachelor of science in chemistry from Liverpool University.