In This Story
George Mason University researcher Katherine Scafide, PhD, RN, FAAN, has been honored by the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) with the Ann Burgess Forensic Nursing Research Award for advancing bruise identification on all skin colors. Scafide and a team of George Mason colleagues recently received a $4.85 million award, the largest gift toward research in the College of Public Health’s history, to continue her groundbreaking research on bruise and injury detection for individuals who experience interpersonal violence.
In her nearly 20 years of experience in forensic nursing practice and research, Scafide has developed a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges within forensic nursing. Scafide’s research focuses on developing innovative light technologies to reveal bruising on darker-colored skin. This advances equity in the medical identification and forensic documentation of injuries, particularly for patients of color. She has received several federal awards to support these efforts. Scafide is a tenured associate professor in George Mason University’s College of Public Health, a forensic nurse, and a scientist in the School of Nursing.
“Throughout her career, she has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving the care and forensic examination of both living and deceased victims of violence, particularly among marginalized communities,” said Jocelyn Anderson, associate professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who nominated Scafide for the award. “Her research findings have not only expanded our understanding of forensic examination techniques but also have the potential to improve clinical practice and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.”
Scafide is currently developing and evaluating clinical guidelines to support the implementation of this technology into forensic nursing practice. Her George Mason interdisciplinary research team includes a collaboration between the College of Public Health’s Health Informatics Program and the College of Engineering and Computing to use deep learning to analyze digital images of healing bruises and determine a bruise’s age, as well as develop a national repository of bruise images.
During her time at George Mason, Scafide has collaborated with colleagues at Texas A&M and Georgia State universities, conducting one of the largest and most diverse bruise studies in modern forensic history. Their investigation identified specific wavelengths of visible light that significantly improved bruise detection across diverse skin tones compared to existing practices. Those findings have since garnered national media and celebrity attention.
“Dr. Scafide is an accomplished academician and scientist with a profound dedication to advancing the field of forensic nursing. Her research inspires others in the field of forensic nursing, as well as her PhD students and her graduate assistants. Students at George Mason are learning first-hand from a world-class scientist how to improve the public’s health,” said Margaret Rodan, acting codirector of the School of Nursing.
"Kat Scafide has long been, and continues to be, an influential researcher in the field of forensic nursing. Her innovative work has directly contributed to patient exams, for example, and pushes the field of forensic nursing forward for the benefit of our specialty and ultimately the patients our nurses care for every day. Her dedication to forensic nursing and research is unquestionable, and it is truly an honor to recognize her with this award," said Anne Boatright, MSN, RN, SANE-A, FAAN, International Association of Forensic Nurses president.
Scafide is heavily involved in service at Mason, several professional organizations, and the government. She teaches primarily in the PhD program in the School of Nursing where she mentors doctoral dissertations. Among many awards, Scafide most recently received the Forensic Nurse Scientist Award at the American Academy of Forensic Science meeting in February 2024 and was recently named to the editorial board of the Journal of Forensic Nursing.
The International Association of Forensic Nurses is a professional organization of approximately 6,000 nurses from 25 countries who provide specialized healthcare for patients impacted by violence and trauma. The Association establishes the standards of practice for forensic nursing; defines and advances the global research agenda to enhance forensic nursing’s evidence-based response; develops, promotes, and disseminates information about forensic nursing science; and serves as a global network for forensic nurses to exchange ideas, serve as mentors, and enhance their practice.