Forensic Scientist

Have you ever almost got fired before?

Asked by Mike over 5 years ago

Not that I know of.

Haha what if some of your old co workers see your post LAMO that’s too funny

Asked by Mike over 5 years ago

Does it help my chances of employment if I am a certified peace officer? I know your a civilian but if having the added peace officer certification along with everything else does it help, hurt, or make no difference? Plus I get to carry a gun and badge

Asked by Parker almost 6 years ago

I would think it would help because it would show some familiarity with law enforcement agency procedures. Even if you work for a completely civilian agency such as a medical examiner’s office, you would still be interacting with law enforcement constantly, so I would think it would help. Though even if you can carry a gun and badge in your everyday life, you probably wouldn’t be able to carry it on the job unless it was all right with your employer.

Are there any famous cases in history that involved thin layer chromatography (TLC) that you are aware of? Or any interesting facts many would not know?

Asked by Mike about 5 years ago

I”m sorry but I”ve never used thin layer chromatography. If I had, it most likely would have been to distinguish extracted fiber dyes. As far as I know it’s the only way to determine if natural fibers likely had the same source.

What is the most complicated case you’ve ever worked and why?

Asked by Captain Coke over 5 years ago

I can't think of any one in particular that was the most 'complicated'--many were difficult and complicated for different reasons. Forensics is only part of the whole investigation, so things really get much more complicated for the detectives who not only have to absorb the information we're giving them but deal with victims, witnesses, suspects, documentation, records, warrants and prosecutors. I worked one where the victim had been taken to three different places before the body was dumped and burned, so there were indoor scenes, outdoor scenes, the suspect's house to deal with. Right now we're dealing with one that spans 30 years, so trying to find reports and piece together who did what and when and what, if anything, still remains to be done. And we had one earlier this year that had inexplicable behavior by about 9 different people over three days and all to cover up an accidental death. Hope that helps.

As a senior in college who is interested in pursuing forensic science, would you be willing to give me either some tips or advice about this career path?

Asked by Christina about 5 years ago

Best of luck to you! Other than taking all the science and laboratory courses possible, I would suggest checking out the websites of national forensic organizations to check job postings and what different agencies require. You might also decide if you’d consider moving and where. Try to get a tour of any forensic facility you can, this is a good way to meet people and to see what different jobs entail.

I hope that helps!

What level math do you actually need and use?

Asked by Elizabeth G. over 5 years ago

It depends on what you want to do. I've always used only basic addition, division etc., for calculating reagents. Accident reconstruction would probably require a bit more and maybe DNA analysis, but I don't really know. Best of luck!