As an undergraduate history student at Portland State University, back in 1990, I first learned invaluable critical thinking and research skills (I'm not kidding; history has applications outside of learning to teach it to others). I also took my first undergraduate courses in forensic science, taught by a veteran from the Portland Police Bureau's Identification Unit. Later, as an undergraduate psychology student at Portland State University, I had a fantastic advisor, Thomas Kindermaan, who gave me great latitude in designing specialized independent study courses focusing on forensic psychology.

On the advice of Gary Perlstein of the Administration of Justice Department at PSU, I was also able to make contact with, and conduct prison interviews with, incarcerated serial murderer Jerome H. Brudos. It was in preparation for these interviews that I fully came to realize how important the forensic sciences were to my goals. You see, during the interviews, Brudos lied to me constantly, and when he wasn't outright lying, he was distorting the facts to favor his position. Fortunately I had prepared myself by visiting the Marion County Sheriff's Office and reviewing the case file on Brudos - all of the investigator's reports and notes, all of the crime scene photos and all of the autopsy reports. When his statements to me strayed from the facts in the file, I knew it. In the absence of those facts, I'm sure that this guy could manipulate just about anyone.

It became clear that if I wanted to study violent serial offenders, the only objective record of their behavior would be through a reconstruction of the physical evidence in the crime scene documentation. So I set out to seek what turned out to be an advanced degree program in forensic science. My advisors, my friends and even my forensic science teacher from the ID Unit had no idea where to point me.

I wound up in the PSU library with a copy of the Journal of Forensic Sciences. Every so often, an international review of forensic science programs is published. I applied to three schools based on the idea that I wanted training as a forensic investigator (rather than a criminalist). I was accepted to the University of New Haven, which was my first choice.

The program seemed ideal for my needs and was run by Bob Gaensslen. I had read several journal articles written by Dr. Gaensslen and was also pleased that he was the Editor of the very journal that I was reading. These were my criteria for a master's program, ignorant as they were.

So my wife and I packed up our kitten and moved East for a huge culture shock in Connecticut. But it was well worth it. All of the instructors were excellent, from Dr. Gaensslen, who patiently explained to us that forensic science and Quincy have nothing in common, to Dr. Lee whose teachings in crime scene reconstruction were nothing short of astounding. During those years I also hooked up with Max Thiel, a retired FBI hostage negotiator and profiler who worked as an adjunct in the program.

It was with Max's guidance that I was able to develop the confidence to seek out and receive an internship with a serial rape-homicide task force in upstate New York. That was a major step, and taught me more than I ever imagined. During this time, I also began a web site dedicated to forensic science education to help other students find information on forensic science education.

When I graduated from UNH with my MS in forensic science, I made the decision to go independent after discussing it with a number of colleagues who were profilers. Because of my experience with the task force, because of my UNH education and background, and because of the material I had published on my web site regarding serial crime, I was receiving unsolicited inquiries from law enforcement officers all over the country who wanted help with their unsolved investigations. I would help them find (recognize) evidence they had initially overlooked in a case, help them interpret wound patterns per my training and experience (partial reconstruction), and I would then profile the crime to give them investigative insights.

I learned that what got me in those first doors was the reputations of my instructors, the program that I attended and my availability via the Internet. But I knew that what kept me there was a reputation that I developed for competency, integrity and a method for profiling based solely on crime scene evidence. It also led to clients in the defense community as well.

As my web site grew, and as my case experience increased (as well as the demand for my services), I began to get requests to provide training. I got together with two partners, formed a private company called Knowledge Solutions, and we made a decision to start offering online courses. We redesigned my personal web site to become the company site and constructed the first version of http://www.corpus-delicti.com. The first online course ran in May of 1997, and we have been adding highly qualified instructors with unique, specialized course offerings ever since.

At the same time, my consulting work through Knowledge Solutions really took off. I currently specialize in profiling rape, serial rape, autoerotic death, homicide and serial homicide. You would think there wasn't much of that type of specialized knowledge needed. But hardly a week goes by that I don't get at least one inquiry from a colleague, defense attorney or law enforcement agency looking for some type of help.

But if I ever seem tall by any stretch of the imagination, it is only because I am standing on the shoulders of giants. From past instructors to current friends and colleagues - there are many people who share the credit (and the blame) for any success that I have achieved or will ever achieve. As I have come to understand, forensic science is a team effort. And those who achieve any measure of longevity in the field appear to have mastered a simple concept - that education is a process and not a result. We never stop learning, and we never stop needing the insights and assistance of our colleagues.

I have the following straightforward advice for students of the forensic sciences who wish to make their education the basis for a career:

1. Get on the internet - join FORENS-L (the forensic science mailing listserv), seek out information about careers and graduate programs and solicit the advice of practicing forensic scientists.
2. Attend professional meetings - when possible, attend the AAFS annual meetings and annual regional meetings of forensic scientists. This provides a great networking opportunity.
3. Attend a graduate program with a strong reputation. An important part of where you study is whom you study under and their reputation in the field.
4. Take the initiative and seek out internships that you want. Find or create opportunities for yourself.
5. Seek out competent forensic scientists who have been working in their field for a long time. They don't necessarily have to be in your field. Many of the forensic sciences are complimentary. Learn to appreciate that, and you'll find that you have a lot to learn from each other.
6. Have thick skin and accept criticism in stride. Nothing is impossible. If you've got a clear vision of what you would like to do, then proceed undeterred. Your own good judgment is sometimes the best compass.

Copyright © 1999 Young Forensic Scientists Forum / American Academy of Forensic Sciences