October 6, 2023

The Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (IGG) held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its innovative lab, the first of its kind in the nation, on September 29, 2023, and reflected on its accomplishments since the Center launched in Fall 2022.

L-R: Provost Michael Middleton, Dean Aaron Lorenz, BOT Chairperson Susan Vallario, IGG Center Director David Gurney, Nick Vallario, Foundation Executive Director Chris Romano, President Cindy Jebb, and IGG Certificate Program Director Cairenn Binder.

The Center was born from a Priority Needs Proposal (PNP) submitted in 2021 by Dr. David Gurney, assistant professor of law & society and director of the Ramapo College IGG Center. The PNP process was initiated to empower the Ramapo community to develop centers or programs to advance understanding of issues that affect the lives of citizens in the 21st century, and to widen and deepen the reputation of the College. “IGG at Ramapo builds on existing strengths in our undergraduate curriculum and among our talented faculty.  IGG at Ramapo serves a public good, lending itself to consequential matters of ethics and justice. And, IGG at Ramapo doubles down on our mission to develop skilled ethical leaders who are civic minded and committed to learning through doing,” said Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb. 

The IGG Center successfully developed a number of initiatives since last fall, including the:

• IGG Certificate Program: A 15-week program designed to teach students how to work on an IGG case from beginning to end, as well as how to communicate effectively with investigating agencies and DNA labs
• IGG Bootcamp: A one-week program that provides the opportunity for students to expand and practice their IGG skills on a real unsolved case.
• Ramapo IGG Conference (RIGG):
• IGG Workshop: A one-semester undergraduate course for Ramapo College students interested in learning how to work IGG cases proficiently and ethically

IGG on the Case

The Center offers pro bono work on cold cases in which the identities of those who died have yet to be determined. “Unidentified remains cases in particular are extremely difficult for agencies to fund, and many of the individuals we have tentatively identified may have never been if not for the IGG center’s ability to assist in their cases,” said Cairenn Binder, director of the IGG Certificate Program.

IGG Certificate Program Director Cairenn Binder

Due to the work of students in the Spring 2023 cohort of the IGG certificate program, the remains of a person in a 20-year old case in Arizona were identified. This was the first case solved in the Ramapo College IGG Center. The cohort also provided authorities with leads in three additional cold cases. During the Summer 2023 IGG Bootcamp, two more investigative leads were delivered, with one that could result in the exoneration of a wrongful conviction. According to Binder, “These investigative leads represent long awaited answers in the cases of six long term missing people. They represent the chance at justice for a person wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. They represent a fruitful end to the difficult work of detectives, attorneys, medical examiners and other dedicated individuals advocating for the unidentified, the innocent, and for victims of violent crime.”

The Future of IGG at Ramapo

IGG Center Director David Gurney

The IGG Center is growing, and it is growing fast. Nineteen students completed the first certificate program. “We are now looking at 80 students in the certificate program this year. And along with that growth has come the need, and the resources, to grow our caseload from 5 to 20 cases per year on average,” said Gurney.

All Hands on Deck Effort

The ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the work of the IGG Center would not have been possible without the cross-collaborative work and support of the Ramapo community.  “By far, the best part of role as Executive Director of the Foundation is seeing today occur because it represents the very best of what’s possible,” shared Ramapo College Foundation Executive Director Christopher Romano, adding, “When I say what’s possible, I mean what’s possible when the passion of those on the ground doing cutting-edge and mission-critical work get support and from their leaders, and then the tremendously generous philanthropists who see that work and believe in that work…opportunities to share the Ramapo mission and vision with larger audiences occur.” Special thanks go out to President Cindy Jebb, Provost Michael Middleton, School of Social Sciences and Human Services Dean Aaron Lorenz, Potter Library & Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons Dean Leigh Keller, the Offices of Capital Planning and Information Technology Services, Board of Trustees Chairperson Susan Vallario and her husband Nick Vallario, IGG Center Director David Gurney and IGG Certificate Program Director Cairenn Binder.

To learn more about investigative genealogy and the IGG Center at Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu/igg.