Samantha J. Sawyer, PhD, M-ABFE

Dr. Samantha Sawyer is a decomposition ecologist and board certified forensic entomologist whose research focuses on the basic ecological processes that structure decomposition systems, using necrophagous insects and other scavengers to understand ecosystem functioning. Her work examines how interactions among insects, vertebrate scavengers, and microbial communities regulate resource use, community structure, and organismal development under varying environmental conditions, taking a population and community ecology approach to multi-trophic systems. She also investigates how biological and chemical agents, including pathogens, pharmaceuticals, and environmental toxins, alter these interactions, addressing fundamental questions about how external perturbations shape ecological dynamics while informing applications in forensic science and environmental monitoring.

In addition to her research, Dr. Sawyer's expertise provides insight to neglect, abuse, and Time of Colonization (TOC) of insects on remains in forensic cases. This can establish a forensically important timeline aiding investigators, medical examiners, veterinarians, and private citizens. Dr. Sawyer also utilizes insects as environmental sentinels, providing insight to chemical and biological contamination in environments.

Dr. Sawyer is a Board-Certified Forensic Entomologist through the American Board of Forensic Entomology (ABFE), is a member of the North American Forensic Entomology Association (NAFEA), the Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology section of the Entomological Society of America (ESA), and is a member of the Pathology/Biology section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). 

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Samantha Sawyer has worked with and trained law enforcement at the local, state, and federal level. She has also worked with veterinarians, medical examiners, and attorneys regarding entomological evidence and their role in criminal and civil litigation.