CSI: A Chemistry Student's Investigation in a Career of Forensic Science
...ike every job, this career takes time away from home and family, especially when having to be on twenty-four hour call. In forensics, there are risk of exposures to biological hazards, like bacteria, viruses, and biological fluids such as blood and saliva. Also, there is exposure to fumes and contact to decomposed body tissues and fluids. Sometimes they are required to testify at a court. They are called expert witnesses; they use their skills, experience, and ability to explain, in simple terms, the scientific test and the results of evidence. The average starting salary is about $30,000 a year and over time it can accumulate to about $65,000 a year. While in the forensic profession, there is the opportunity to become the director of a lab and be able to earn over $100,000. A forensic scientist not only works in laboratories, but also at crime scenes, morgues, hospitals, and coroner offices. Before jumping into the forensic field, it is important to find a college that has a forensic science program. UC Davis, UC Riverside, and City College of San Francisco all have a forensic science program. For those who prefer to go out of state, Pace University, in New York, and Michigan State University are good colleges to consider. In order to become a forensic scientist, the minimum requirements are four years of school and a bachelor’s degree in any science, preferably in biology, chemistry, physics, anthropology, or forensic science. Although having a higher degree like a Masters or Doctorate is an advantage. College can cost from a few hundred dollars to more that $30,000 a year, depending on which school and the cost expenses like books, housing, food, and transportation. In order to help with the cost of schooling, there is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Federal Perkins Loan, which allows students to borrow up $3,000 per year for undergraduate school and $5,000 for graduate school. There are also scholarships that are given out every year like the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) for $1,000, and the Lilian Moller Gilbreth Scholarship, which gives $1,000 scholarships to two outstanding undergraduate and graduate forensic ...