I was also tasked to help with computer-related cases when they came in, and over the next several years, they took over more and more of my caseload. In , the department created a new position in the detective bureau for computer crimes, and I was assigned to working computer crimes and computer forensics full time. From the moment I got involved in digital forensics, I knew it was something I wanted to do for the long haul and the reason was simple: it's an industry that is always changing.
With the continued evolution and use of technology, digital forensics has had to adapt to meet the needs and answer the questions technology sparks.
The constant change consistently opens doors for new research projects and specialization areas. Some digital forensics professionals may focus their efforts on mobile forensics, IoT internet of things , incident response, intellectual property theft investigations, flash memory, and a litany of other areas.
In addition to the fact that no two days are the same, digital forensics is a great way to actively help people. In my career I have helped families find closure by answering crucial questions in unsolved murders.
I have helped children who were victims of sexual abuse. I have helped businesses hold their competitors accountable when intellectual property was stolen. I have assisted countless small businesses in response and recovery from ransomware attacks so they can keep the doors open for their communities. Finding a career in digital forensics anywhere in the nation is very likely, and candidates for digital forensics and incident response work are in high demand.
In fact, there is a staffing shortage in digital forensics, incident response, and many other areas of technology. This is partially due to the lack of awareness of digital forensics as a career path, but also to the sheer volume and variation of casework.
Digital forensics as an industry needs more investigators to address the questions posed by technology. One of my passions as a digital forensics professional is to build awareness of this industry as a viable and rewarding career path, especially for women and people of color. I serve on the advisory panel for initiatives like The Cyber Sleuth Lab , which is an educational program designed to expose young women and underrepresented and underserved high school students to digital forensics through hands-on learning experiences.
These types of programs are eye-opening for many students when considering their career options and build awareness of issues of data privacy and how technology houses and displays personal information. As I mentioned earlier, I more or less fell into digital forensics prior to completing an academic program. While some may not have pursued education after several years working in the field, I found that many of the available hour training programs and certification tracks I participated in started to feel redundant and did not progress to the more advanced level I was seeking.
At that point, I decided to combine something I knew I needed to do with something I wanted to do. After completing my degree, I continued to work in law enforcement as a detective investigating computer-related crimes.
In , Scott Holewinski approached me with the idea of departing from law enforcement to build a digital forensics company. While I initially resisted, his persistence, clear vision of building something special, and my own ambition led to launching Gillware Digital Forensics in Since then, we have grown into a successful digital forensics, incident response, and cyber risk management firm.
With how my career has changed over the years, I am reminded that the decision to formalize my digital forensics education continues to open doors and create opportunities in my career.
As with any career move, there was some hesitation and contemplation of whether or not it was the best decision. However, ultimately, I realized I wanted to continue growing personally and in the field. I was ready for a new challenge and wanted to team up with the impressive data recovery engineers at Gillware. I never looked back and could not be happier. It's funny, many of the pros can also be the cons in this career field. It's an ever-changing industry, requiring consistent professional development, which is something I yearn for.
The mind boggles when looking back to the beginning of digital forensics and how far the industry has come. When I started in the field, there were very few commercial tools and not many active practitioners.
Keeping up with that progression and continuously learning and watching the network of professional peers grow is one of my favorite challenges I have faced. On the other hand, a career in digital forensics and incident response work can pose a challenge in terms of avoiding burnout. I deliberately place value on my off time as much as on my work time. I know that it often feels like, in order to get everything done that needs to be done at work, we need to be there for more and more hours, but burnout is a real and extremely damaging threat.
I am conscious of and place limits on my work hours and attempt to work smarter, not harder. I have found that allowing myself dedicated time to focus on my personal interests playing music with my band; spending time with my family, friends, and dogs; and spending time outside allows me to be fully present and invested in what I'm doing when I'm at work.
If I allow that balance to shift too far, I am far less productive at work because I am distracted by all of the other things in my life that I want and need to do, and I am less able to focus on the work in front of me.
All in all, one of the cons is also the best pro: there is no coasting in digital forensics. On any given day, something new and different is likely to turn up and present a new challenge. That's part of what makes this work so compelling. We might be dealing with a corporate customer crippled by ransomware; attempting to extract and decode data from a point-of-sale card-swiping device, GPS device, or drone for a law enforcement agency; or working on a data theft case for a small business.
Send a thoughtful thank you card or email after an interview. It shows that you value the time of the interviewer and the organization for their consideration.
In that same vein, prioritize and hone your soft skills just as much as your technical acumen. Performing the technical work and having technical knowledge is only part of the puzzle.
Many digital forensics professionals can uncover the answers, but those answers are only valuable if you can clearly explain your methods and findings to technical and nontechnical audiences alike. There are many resources that can help keep you up to date on changes in the forensic science field. Professional organizations, industry publications, and high-quality open courseware all allow you to continue learning as you progress in your career in forensic science.
The following sections outline a few resources you can use to find new information, connect with mentors and peers, and hone your skills. Alpha Phi Sigma : APS is the national honors society for undergraduate and graduate criminal justice students. Vivian Leonard. The society provides students with five different scholarship opportunities annually.
APS offers its official newsletter as a free PDF download and recognizes noteworthy professionals and chapter achievements.
American Academy of Forensic Sciences : This academy is a multidisciplinary professional organization dedicated to forensic sciences.
AAFS was founded in in Colorado, and it has grown to include a membership of over 6, professionals. AAFS posts national meeting schedules four years in advance so that members can plan ahead to attend conferences across the United States. The academy has compiled a helpful guide of accredited undergraduate and graduate forensic programs within the U. Association for Women in Forensic Science : This nonprofit is dedicated to the advancement of female students within forensic science.
The association hosts programs and workshops throughout the year to educate students about available career specializations, including forensic chemistry, forensic serology, arson investigation, and toxicology.
Society of Forensic Toxicologists, Inc. This society offers different membership levels for students, current professionals, and retired members of the forensic toxicology community. Students can access public SOFT reference information that covers topics like designer drugs and drug-related crimes.
The ABC offers professional certifications at the diplomat, fellow, and affiliate levels. Students can also access free study guides for ABC credential exams, such as the forensic science assessment test and the molecular biology certification exam. Introduction to Forensic Science - University of Strathclyde : In this course, instructors introduce principles and theories of evidence collection through a case-based scenario.
Students learn about DNA, firearms, drugs, and impression evidence over the course of six weeks. Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination - West Virginia University : This four-week course introduces students to fraud detection and investigation. Covered topics include cybercrime and money laundering.
Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier - Massachusetts Institute of Technology : This course introduces controversies related to control of the internet, law, policy, and technology. Forensic Science and Fingerprints - Open University : This introductory course requires about 10 hours to complete.
Students learn basic facts and concepts related to fingerprint matching, how forensic science interacts with the legal system, and ways to draw together information from multiple sources to make logical deductions. Corruption - University of Pennsylvania : The Wharton School of Business offers this four-week course that explores corruption, the effects of corruption, and controlling corruption. Coursework covers government, business, and citizen perspectives around the world.
Journal of Forensic Research : This peer-reviewed international journal covers several forensic fields. Practitioners share information on topics like fingerprinting, DNA analysis, environmental forensics, and forensic clinical medicine. This open-access publication is readily available to all forensic scientists. Journal of Forensic Science : Published by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, this scholarly publication reviews various branches of forensic research.
Submissions include topics related to criminalistics, anthropology, digital and multimedia sciences, and questioned documents. Journal of Forensic Nursing : This peer-reviewed journal publishes original research related to forensic nursing, policy analysis, the history of the forensic nursing specialty, and evidence-based project reports.
The International Association of Forensic Nurses publishes this journal quarterly. Journal of Digital Forensics, Security, and Law : The Association of Digital Forensics, Security, and Law works with researchers, faculty, and practitioners specializing in digital and cyberforensics. Peer-reviewed articles consider issues of standardization and accreditation, novel algorithms, and processes and procedures.
Topics also include e-discovery, malware, money laundering, and incident response. Digital Forensic Magazine : This quarterly magazine focuses on cybercrime and digital forensics. Articles discuss tools and techniques, hardware and networks, mobile devices, and product reviews. This publication also delves into the evolution of laws surrounding digital forensics, e-discovery, and training. While the publisher focuses on the United Kingdom, many of the tips and tools can benefit practitioners around the world.
The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology : This academic journal provides coverage of new forensic medical practices for examination and documentation. Authors include forensic pathologists, criminologists, and lawyers.
The National Association of Medical Examiners publishes the journal quarterly. Journal of Forensic Accounting : This open-source journal from the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts publishes original research related to forensic accounting and fraud investigation. The Forensic Case section offers insight into field investigations using real-world situations. Many people find careers in forensic science rewarding and fulfilling, as they work with law enforcement to solve crimes.
Key skills for this field include observation, attention to detail, and meticulous organization and record-keeping. Many organizations require a degree in forensic science or a specialty area, such as chemistry, biology, or computer science.
Prior work experience in law enforcement or the legal field may also benefit your resume. Many schools offer degrees in forensic science, which cover the basics of evidence collection and testing. Students learn about the legal system and rules for evidence and testimony. In addition to your degree, you may need to pass certification exams to demonstrate your ability to properly collect and process evidence.
The American Board of Criminalistics offers many of these certifications in conjunction with the National Institute of Justice. As a forensic scientist, the job role involves collecting scientific evidence and piecing them together.
You will then present these as evidence for a case - collecting pieces of the crime puzzle and help to piece them together to form the full picture of what happened.
A forensic scientist increases public safety by contributing to the capture of dangerous criminals. They help to achieve justice for victims and their families by using a range of techniques: DNA analysis, psychological theories and profiling approaches. With new developments, it is now possible for forensic scientists to solve crimes that have remained unsolved for years.
You might say they were the local heroes of the criminology world…. For those passionate about science, this is a dream job if you have always pictured yourself in a lab coat, testing things in a lab! As a forensic scientist, you will of course collect the evidence from the crime science.
You will then spend a lot of time in the lab analysing samples the evidence. This could be anything from hair, skin cells, drugs or any substances found on the scene. There are many exciting career opportunities within forensic science!
The main areas to work in are:. You can specialise in a range of different areas or get involved in them all. You can choose to become a fingerprint officer, a criminal intelligence analyst, or even a toxicologist. The career benefits are even better.
As well as being recognised for your work in documented journals or at industry conferences, work your way up the ladder! As it is a highly skilled job, earning potential is fantastic!
Although it is a job that involves a lot of dedication and often fairly time consuming when attending a crime scene to collect evidence , the salary potential is excellent. Every investigation and crime scene is different so your tasks will differ day to day. You could be visiting a crime scene and taking photographs one day, while the next you could be in the lab exploring links between suspects and the criminal activity.
You will also have to reconstruct crime scenes based on your scientific findings. Following from the fact that no two days are the same, your work environment will be a different place from day to day! One day you might be working on a crime scene collecting scientific evidence.
The next day you may spend it in the lab, testing the evidence you've found. They do not store directly personal information, but work by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device.
A Forensic Science degree could lead to a dynamic career where no two days are the same. You could be responding to unusual situations, conducting complex tests and using your problem-solving skills to uncover secrets.
We need forensic scientists to improve public safety and protect people from dangerous criminals. Courses include a lot of practical content where you apply your learning to life-like settings.
Many universities have dedicated facilities containing mock crime scenes that resemble scenarios you could encounter as a professional forensic scientist. Some degrees also present you with the opportunity to take part in a work placement — an excellent chance to apply your education in a practical capacity.
Forensic Science overlaps with several other disciplines; hence universities offer a wide range of course combinations. You could study the subject area as a dual honours degree with a subject such as archaeology, computer science, analytical chemistry or psychology. You can even choose a course that includes a study year abroad.
The roles you can go into with a Forensic Science degree are not limited. Many graduates investigate crime scenes, test DNA or drugs in humans, or become fingerprint officers, toxicologists or criminal intelligence analysts.
They work in law enforcement, healthcare, finance, computing and several other industries. This includes numeracy, communication, reporting, data interpretation, analysis and presentation skills, which will be helpful if you go down an alternative career path. We value your privacy We use cookies to allow this site to work for you, improve your user experience, and to serve you advertising tailored to your interests. Your Privacy. Manage consent preferences Strictly Necessary Cookies.
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