Amie Houghton

Faculty Member

Amie Houghton

Biography

Amie is an expert within the forensic investigation field. She has an extensive background in crime scene investigation, analysis and reconstruction, which she obtained from over a decade of working in federal law enforcement. Amie serves as the director of the Forensic Investigation emphasis and Crime Scene House. She teaches Introduction to Forensic Science, Crime Scene Investigation Techniques, Forensic Photography, Forensic Pathology and Medicolegal Death Investigations.

Prior to her appointment at UVU, Amie was a Special Agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. During her 11 years of experience with NCIS, she conducted felony level criminal investigations for the Department of the Navy within the US and overseas, including Afghanistan. She worked homicide, suicide, natural death cases; property crime; adult and child sexual assault. She worked counterterrorism/force protection issues by supporting US Naval ships visiting foreign ports within the Middle East, in addition to counterintelligence operations in Afghanistan. In 2013, she joined a specialized unit within NCIS, Office of Forensic Support, where she served as forensic consultant for Marine West, Camp Pendleton, CA. In this capacity she supported all Marine Corps bases in the western US. She provided consultation on major or complex crime scene investigations/analysis. She also provided training to NCIS personnel and local law enforcement focused on skills associated with CSI. In 2015, she was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent for the Pacific Region in the Office of Forensic Support. She supervised Forensic Consultants who provided support in the western US and Far East regions for the DoN.

Education

MS, George Washington University, 2004

Major: Forensic Science

BS, Arizona State University, 2001

Major: Biology

Teaching

FSCI 3830

Complex Scene Analysis and Reconstruction, Spring 2025

FSCI 491R

Directed Reading and Special Projects, Spring 2025

FSCI 481R

Forensic Science Internship, Spring 2025

CJ 1350

Introduction to Forensic Science, Spring 2025

FSCI 4200

Medicolegal Death Investigations, Spring 2025

Presentations

Houghton, Amie , 2025 Association for Crime Scene Reconstruction Annual Conference, "Reconstructing Knowledge_ Innovative Approaches to Teaching Forensic Reconstruction Techniques in Higher Education", Association for Crime Scene Reconstruction, Boise, ID. (March 17, 2025)
Houghton, Amie , Lancour, Julissa , First Responder Mental Health & Wellness Summit, "The Mental Health Gap for Forensic Practioners", UVU CJ and Forensic Science , Orem. (March 21, 2024)
Houghton, Amie , 2023 National Forensic Science Week, "2023 National Forensic Science Week", Forensic Science Program, UVU, UVU. (September, 2023)
Houghton, Amie (Coordinator/Organizer), Houghton, Amie (Presenter & Author), Keller, Jason (Presenter & Author), Carlsen, Wayne (Presenter & Author), Haslam, Jill (Presenter & Author), Lanzo, Joe (Presenter & Author), Gelsten, Jennifer (Presenter & Author), 2022 National Forensic Science Week, "2022 National Forensic Science Week", UVU Forensic Science Program, UVU. (September, 2022)
Houghton, Amie , 2022 IAFN Utah Chapter Conference, "A Picture is Worth 1000 Words_ Proper Victim Documentation", International Association of Forensic Nurses, Utah Chapter, Utah - Virtual. (September 10, 2022)
Houghton, Amie (Presenter & Author), Ortland, Victoria (Presenter & Author), 8th Annual Utah Sexual Violence Conference, "Sexual Violence Victim Documentation and Sexual Assault Scene Documentation", Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Salt Lake City. (March 17, 2022)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Houghton, Amie , Houck, Max M., (2023) "Recovery of Human Remains" (Issue: Third Edition, vol. 4). Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences/Oxford: Elsevier.
Houghton, Amie , (2023) "Forensic Pathology_ Medicolegal Death Investigation and Management of Fatalities in a Disaster" (Issue: 1st Edition). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. https://www.routledge.com/The-Distributed-Functions-of-Emergency-Management-and-Homeland-Security/McEntire/p/book/9781032396446
Houghton, Amie , (2023) "Forensic Technicians_ Locating and Analyzing Physical Evidence in Disaster Events" (Issue: 1st Edition). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. https://www.routledge.com/The-Distributed-Functions-of-Emergency-Management-and-Homeland-Security/McEntire/p/book/9781032396446

Awards

Board of Trustees Award of Excellence

Utah Valley University - February, 2022

The UVU Board of Trustee Awards of Excellence are the university's most prestigious award designed to recognize UVU employees who have made outstanding long-term contributions to the university.

Expenditionary Medal

Naval Criminal Investigative Service

Global War on Terrorism

Secretary of Defense

Non-Article 5 NATO Medal

NATO, ISAF Operation

Global War on Terrorism

Secretary of Defense