Currently serving as Lead Faculty for Criminal Services programs at Coastal Bend College, Division Coordinator for Public and Professional Services, as well as Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Forensic Crime Scene Analysis courses, Dr. Lisa C. Bowman-Bowen joined the Cougar family in 2020. Upon being recruited by CBC, she has returned to fieldwork, most recently attaining an updated certification for Medicolegal Death Investigations from St. Louis University.
Dr. Bowen’s current teaching focus is on relevant theories and administration of criminal justice, specifically organizational management and ethics, forensic science crime scene analysis and strategies, and youth related violence. Her most recent publication is a textbook titled Theoretical Foundations of Criminal Justice (2020). Her research has now broadened to criminal death investigation initiatives, legal aspects of the case process, spatial mapping utilizing geographical information systems software (ArcGis), departmental software (e.g.CompStat), and evidentiary technologies (3D modeling, child abuse detection, laser scanning).
Dr. Bowen earned her Master of Science in Criminology from Indiana State University in 2004 and Bachelor of Science degrees in Criminal Justice, Behavioral Science, and Communications from Grace College and Seminary in 2000. Before entering the Ph.D. program at Sam Houston State University in 2007, she was a state-licensed private detective (2000-2003) and owned and operated The Lighthouse Agency in Elkhart, Indiana. She also served as a member of the prosecution administrative implementation project as program coordinator and client counselor for the Elkhart County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team from 2005-2006.
Beginning in 2000, Dr. Bowen has taught in the collegiate environment as an adjunct Professor for Ivy Tech Community College, a limited term lecturer for Purdue University, served as Department Chair of Legal Studies and Adjunct Professor at Brown Mackie College, and as Adjunct Professor at Grace College and Seminary's maximum security prison program. She has been listed in Who's Who of America's Teachers (2004) and was recognized for teaching performance at Ivy Tech in 2006 and 2007, as well as Outstanding Student Leadership (SHSU, 2009; TAMUK, 2019), Outstanding Service (TAMUK, 2020) and awarded the Susan C. Cranford Memorial Scholarship by the Texas Correctional Association for exhibiting outstanding promise in correctional programming for restorative programs. Upon completion of a Doctorate in Criminal Justice in 2014, she entered the tenured track of academics as an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice for Texas A&M University – Kingsville from 2016 to 2021.
Dr. Bowen serves in various capacities balancing between community-based initiatives and the promotion of service learning in academic excellence. Long term projects include the formation of Serendipity Bridge, a community pilot program of matching at-risk youth with local livestock and canine projects, formulated from ideas and conversations experienced while teaching at a men's maximum-security prison. Volunteer endeavors include base command coordinator for search missions involving rescue of missing persons and remains retrieval with Search Dog Network, as well as the Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group and as Coastal Bend District Coordinator for the Rio Texas Conference Office of Mission Vitality during hurricane response.