crimescenecamps.comcrimescenecamps.com/SceneIntro.docx  · Web viewSignificance of high pressure in the life cycle of ocean trench sulfur-feeding worms, with Prof. Gregory Billings

The Professor and the Watch

Setting: The room is a college classroom in Arowana Hall on the campus of Moray State University. The building has three floors. The first floor has the building’s office, several classrooms, two restrooms, and a student services office. The second floor is entirely classrooms and two study areas. The third floor has three classrooms and seven labs. The room (Room 112) is used for several classes throughout the day. The class that took place just before the crime scene was discovered was taught by Prof. H. Farnsworth.

(View from the doorway from the main hall).

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the schedule in Room 112 is:

8:00 to 9:15 -- Math 442 (Differential Equations III)

9:30 to 10:45 -- Biology 474 (Astrobiology Seminar), Farnsworth

11:30 to 12:45 – English 101 (Introduction to Literature)

1:00 to 2:15 – Economics 401 (Blindfolded Monkeys Throwing Darts)

2:30 to 3:45 – Music 366 (Advanced Brass)

The building was originally designed to be the music building, so all classrooms were designed to be music classrooms and practice rooms. All rooms are soundproof.

What was reported: At 11:07, the 911 Response Center received a call from Darren Hendricks, the building’s janitor, who reported that Professor Hubert Farnsworth was laying at the front of the room and might be dead or injured. At 11:19, police and EMTs arrived and found that Prof. Farnsworth was dead. There was no evidence that anyone else was injured in or near the room.

When police arrived, Darren Hendricks was questioned. He said:

“I came to the room to clean up between classes and as soon as I entered the room, I saw the professor on the ground and I panicked. I ran out and called 911. I stayed out of the room and down the hall about 20 feet until the police arrived. I didn’t want to go back in there. “

What has been discovered:

College website entry about Prof. Farnsworth: Professor Hubert Farnsworth earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1981. He is a full professor and has won numerous awards for his research. In recent years, he has focused on astrobiology, or the study of life on other planets. Professor Farnsworth is a finalist for NASA’s Distinguished Astrobiology Researcher award for work that has not yet been announced.

Detectives have also talked to several people to find out what they know. Most people did not like the professor. He was arrogant and seemed to care more about his research than about his students. He was known for wearing very expensive watches and rings. He had been showing off a new watch to students and other professors recently. He was working on three research projects, all with different professors and graduate students. Very often, other professors from his research projects were guests in his classes and talked to students about their work.

Professor Farnsworth was working on the following projects:

Analysis of organic compounds in Martian soil with respect to the potential for past life on the planet, with Professor Elizabeth Howell and graduate students.

Significance of high pressure in the life cycle of ocean trench sulfur-feeding worms, with Prof. Gregory Billings and graduate students.

Oxygen recycling rates of fast growing plant species, with Prof. Lucinda Bell and graduate students.

List of “persons of interest”

Veronica McDonald: Student in Biology 474. She is a graduate student in Biology. Ricky Jefferson: Student in Biology 474. He is a graduate student in Chemistry. Mindy Davis: Student in Biology 474. She is a graduate student in Microbiology. Jerry Carter: Student in Biology 474. He is a graduate student in Biology and is on one of Prof.

Farnsworth’s research teams. William Morris: Student in Biology 474. He is a graduate student in Biology and is on one of

Prof. Farnsworth’s research teams. Rita Fitzgerald: Student in Math 442. She is a graduate student in Biology and is on one of Prof.

Farnsworth’s research teams. Darren Hendricks: Janitor for this building. Reported finding Prof. Farnsworth laying at the front

of the room. Andy Martin: Truck driver who delivers bottled water, juice, and soda to the vending machines,

offices, and cafeterias on campus. Robert Mitchell: Supervisor of building services for this building. He is in charge of unlocking all

of the doors, ordering supplies, and responding to problems. Prof. Hubert Farnsworth: He is a well known professor who teaches Biology 474. He was found

dead at the scene. Prof. Elizabeth Howell: She is a well known professor in geology. She has been working with

Prof. Farnsworth on a project that looks at bacteria in soil to see if microbes could exist in certain types of soil found on Mars. She co-teaches Biology 474 with Prof. Farnsworth one day each week.

Prof. Gregory Billings: He is in his third year at the university, and is at the Assistant Professor rank. He has published 13 articles during that time and in his final four years of grad school. His area of interest is marine biology, particularly deep sea species.

Prof. Lucinda Bell: She is a full professor of plant biology and has been at the university for 18 years. She was approached by a private partnership of companies that are interested in space exploration and colonization to work on a project to determine the types of plant species that might be best for terraforming projects.

Fran Farnsworth, Prof. Farnsworth’s wife.

College website entry about Prof. Howell: Professor Elizabeth Howell earned her Ph.D. in Planetary Geology from MIT in 1993. She is a full professor and has received major grants for her research on extraterrestrial soil and subsurface fluid flow. She has planned a news conference to announce a major new discovery that resulted from research that she completed with Ph.D. students.

College website entry about Prof. Billings: Professor Gregory Billings received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 2014. He is currently engaged in an international collaborative project focusing on the biology of deep ocean trenches. Prof. Billings has completed six deep sea explorations and has been involved in robotic exploration of the deepest trench locations. He has recently begun

working on a related project which connects the study of high pressure on life forms to potential space exploration and colonization efforts.

College website entry about Prof. Bell: Professor Lucinda Bell received her Ph.D. in plant biology from Stanford University in 1995. After a four year post-doc appointment with an Oxford University/European Community/World Health Organization, she joined the university and is now a full professor. Her research has focused on reforestation efforts to combat climate change and the selection of species to be used in future terraforming projects.

Initial statements from students in Biology 474. Unfortunately, the detective did not clarify which students said which things.

Most people didn’t really care for the professor. It wasn’t like anyone hated him, but he was arrogant and acted superior to the students.

This class was a small seminar. All students seemed to put a lot of work into it, and none seemed upset by the workload.

Today’s class started at the normal time. Class ended about 5-10 minutes early. No one seemed upset or angry during class. Everyone agrees that Mindy Davis was the first student to leave the class. Jerry Carter or Veronica McDonald may have been the last student in the room at the end of the

class. Ricky Jefferson was the first person in the classroom. There was a midterm exam coming up in the class in two weeks. Students were preparing proposals for their final projects. These proposals were to be due at

the end of next week.

Front page of notepad on Prof. Farnsworth’s desk:

Note found in Prof. Farnsworth’s office: