Adams received a Bachelor of Surgery in Biology from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1977. He went on to study Biology and Microbiology and received an Master of Surgery in Biology from Illinois State University in 1979 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Botany from the University of Oklahoma in 1982.
Federal Government Adams career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation began as a Special Agent in 1983 in Memphis, Tennessee. Adams joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory in 1987. While at the Laboratory, Adams headed the research team that "developed and validated the deoxyribonucleic acid testing procedures ultimately used in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and throughout the world." Adams’ research into reliability of deoxyribonucleic acid through validation enabled the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be the first public crime laboratory to offer deoxyribonucleic acid testing for criminal casework.
Adams would go on to be the first Federal Bureau of Investigation Agent to testify in cases in which deoxyribonucleic acid evidence would be admitted in United States Courts.
He would testify over 130 times at all levels of Federal and State courts. In 1994 through 1996, Adams left the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory to go back into the field in the Newark, New Jersey field office.
While there, Adams supervised the Interstate Theft Squad and Multiagency Interstate Task Force. Further, Adams was the Violent Crimes program coordinator, leading two successful undercover operations.
Doctor Adams would return to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory in 1997, eventually being named as “Acting” Directory of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory in 2001.
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert South. Mueller III would name him Assistant Director to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory on April 17, 2002, the largest and most complex laboratory of its kind in the world with an operational budget of more than $100 million. In 2003, Adams was the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award as Distinguished Executive. The highest award given within the Federal Government.
Doctor Adams retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation after 23 years of service on June 30, 2006.
Current career On July 1, 2006, Adams was named the first Director of the University of Central Oklahoma Forensic Science Institute, returning to his old Alma Mater. While Director, Adams has created a unique dual-degree Forensic Academic program and overseen the construction of a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) facility on the UCO campus to house the Forensic Science Institute.
Adams is also a scientific advisor to deoxyribonucleic acid Solutions, an Oklahoma deoxyribonucleic acid analysis company.
