Researchers Study Impact of Climate on Dogs' Ability to Detect Explosives.

ELYSSA SANDERS OCTOBER 11, 2021

Paola Tiedemann and Nathan Hall to study canine explosives detection under different environmental conditions.

Paola Tiedemann, a research associate professor of forensic science in Texas Tech University's Department of Environmental Toxicology, and Nathaniel Hall, an assistant professor of companion animal science in the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, have received a $270,717 cooperative agreement from the U.S. Army Research Office to study how environmental factors impact the performance of explosives-detection dogs (EDD). Funding for this study is provided by the Defense Health Agency as part of a larger portfolio supporting Military Working Dog basic research.

“This project will help us understand the odor fate of important explosives under different environmental conditions while simultaneously studying the limits of canine detection,” Tiedemann said. “Together, these experiments will evaluate their interrelated effects and help us inform the canine community of better ways to acclimatize dogs and mitigate environmental impacts on their detection.”

Because of their superior sense of smell and tolerance for extreme working conditions, canines serve as a critical line of defense against security threats involving explosives and firearms. However, despite the prominence of EDDs in military and law enforcement operations, very little is known about how atmospheric conditions impact their odor-recognition capabilities, let alone what can be done to mitigate any negative performance outcomes.

Spanning May 2021-22, this research contract is an interdisciplinary collaboration between Tiedemann's Forensic Analytical Chemistry and Odor Profiling Laboratory, housed within the Department of Environmental Toxicology, and Hall's Canine Olfaction Research and Education Laboratory, housed within the Department of Animal & Food Sciences.

By studying the psychological and physiological impact of extreme weather and other environmental factors on canine odor detection, Tiedemann and Hall are exploring virtually uncharted territory. This emerging research could uncover effective strategies for boosting canine performance in extreme climates.

Dr. Paola Tiedemann was invited as a keynote speaker this past June 25, 2021 as part of Miami Dade College’s School of Science initiative STEM Advanced Institute for Scholastic Leadership Experience (STEM AISLE)

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The STEM AISLE project is an effort by Miami Dade College, located in South Florida, to increase retention and completion of minorities and female students in STEM programs. As part of this effort, Dr. Tiedemann contributed to the career speaker series with a presentation titled “K9s and Forensics: Concepts on odor detection and applications”. Within her lecture, she also highlighted her career path steps being a double minority – female and Hispanic and mentored young undergraduates wishing to pursue this educational track. This program aims to improve the academic, professional, and “soft-skills” of STEM students through various educational resources.

Researchers Awarded Contract to Study Vigilance in Detection Dogs

GEORGE WATSON AUGUST 7, 2020

The project by Department of Animal & Food Science assistant professor Nathan Hall and the Institute of Forensic Science’s Paola Tiedemann is supported by a contract from the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.

Have you ever found yourself losing concentration when performing a repetitive task, even if that task requires your attention to be sharp and unwavering? It's hard to pay attention when doing the same thing over and over.

There's a term for that. It's called "vigilance decrement." It was discovered through research after World War II and was determined to be a biological phenomenon.

And it's not just found in humans. Dogs can get it, too.

While much research has gone into mitigating vigilance decrement in humans, Texas Tech University researchers are using their expertise in canine behavior to study canine vigilance and performance during lengthy search durations in operational environments.

Nathan Hall, an assistant professor of companion animal science in the Department of Animal & Food Sciences and director of the Canine Olfaction Research and Education Laboratory in the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, is conducting this research project under a $446,197 contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T). Hall is joined in the project by research assistant professor Paola Tiedemann in the Department of Environmental Toxicology.