Forensic Scientist

Forensic Scientist

LIsa Black

Cape Coral, FL

Female, 49

I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.

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Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Best Rated

Why are the questions on these pages so irrelevant and so many are repetitive as well as people just going on and on and on. Some people some how to way past the character limit. Sorry I know I’m kind of doing the same thing I’m just wondering

Asked by Paula almost 5 years ago

I didn't know there was a character limit. But yes, many people write 'how can I become a forensic scientist' without ever checking past questions to see that that has been asked 20 times. And I think others are trying to goad me into saying something non-PC. Apparently too many people have too much time on their hands.

Have you ever almost got fired before?

Asked by Mike over 4 years ago

Not that I know of.

Does gas chromatagraph/chromatagram data always show peaks relative to the solvents used with samples to perform gc/ms analysis?

Asked by Answer Seaker about 5 years ago

That is a great question that I can’t answer! So sorry, but I never worked with a GC or Mass Spec. That was the toxicology department.

How do you do a ride along?

Asked by Cale over 4 years ago

Contact your local PD and ask what their procedure is. You will probably have to fill out an application and a waiver. Best of luck!

I would like to know if an autopsy conducted on a woman buried in dry soil for three years
could determine if she had an abortion, being the cause of her death.
Thank you
Karen

Asked by karen_west@bigpond.com over 3 years ago

That’s a good question…I know that the human body will either decompose or desiccate, so if the conditions were right and she dried out instead of breaking down, then the body might be largely preserved. But what could be determined from an autopsy would be a question for a pathologist, I’m afraid. Sorry I’m not more help.

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 over 4 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.

Is there anyone who you have known do this job because it looked good on TV? How did it go for him or her?

Asked by Bart about 5 years ago

Probably everyone gets interested in the field because it looked interesting in a TV show. But by the time you’re sufficiently trained to actually get a job, you’d know that it’s not like TV.