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

how do finger[rints get on things, does our fingers leave fluids when we touch things, or we just leave a print on existing dust?

Asked by rekhab about 5 years ago

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you!

Yes, fingerprints are impressions made by the oil and sweat on our fingers. If a surface is very dusty, we take away dust on our fingers instead of leaving prints on the object. It will look like fingerprints should be there because there will be finger marks in the dust, but actually we just removed dust.

Hope that helps!

Why do you delete so many questions?

Asked by Terry about 5 years ago

Why do you post questions that need to be deleted? Most people have better things to do.

Why don’t they let civilians interview suspects?

Asked by Jessica almost 6 years ago

Because that's not our job. That's the detective's job. They're in charge of and responsible for the investigation.

I need to write an extended essay for school about an area of my interest. What is a forensic science method which still needs some research. I need to conduct an experiment and form a conclusion from my hypothesis.

Asked by Yusra over 5 years ago

Arson investigations, bitemarks...though those might be difficult to do experiments on. Best practices for visualizing superglued fingerprints depending on the surface? Genealogical tracing?

Best of luck!

Hello! I am currently taking classes such as Organic Chemistry and Physics, but not doing so well in them. I am worried that this may impact any grad programs in FS in that they will just not accept me altogether. Is there any advise you can give me?

Asked by Struggling Student over 4 years ago

I honestly have no idea, I never did a grad program. Are there any advisors at your target schools that you can ask? But I sympathize—I had the same problem with Organic Chemistry. I got A’s in General Chemistry, but I just never ‘got’ Organic. Best of luck to you!

Is it Unauthorized Practice Of Medicine to make someone wear a mask that is classified by the FDA as a medical device? I think so tell my why, why not, or if you can't or don't know how to answr. Thanks

Asked by Maria about 5 years ago

I have absolutely no idea.

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 6 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.