“Anxious. That word pretty much summarizes how I feel at the beginning of the OSU/PAST summer forensic field school. I’m excited to learn about aspects of forensic science that I’ve never thought about before. I’m excited to meet different professionals in their fields, and I’m most excited to visit the state crime lab since a lab is where I want work in the next 5 years. But I’m nervous to meet the people who I’m going to work with for the next month. Are we going to get along? I’m nervous about the case presentations since I’m not completely confident with public speaking. I’m really nervous about whether or not I’m going to be good at what we’re going to be asked to do, since forensics has been my chosen career path for three years now. When I anticipate something big I never know whether I’m more excited or nervous. So I always say I’m anxious.
After completing the pre-course survey and hypothetical scenario, I realize that there’s more about forensic science and anthropology. I know not to expect it to be like anything on TV though. Collecting scientific evidence takes much longer than 5-10 minutes, and I think the role as a crime scene investigator on TV is the equivalent of 3-4 jobs in the real world. At any rate, I’m grateful to be a part of this year’s forensic school. So I’m going to take this experience one day at a time, and jump right in!”
Cassadie B. – Participant
“I am excited to experience the great opportunity of participating in this forensic field school and learn more in depth about the job of a forensic anthropologist. All I know about forensic anthropology is from lectures and I am thrilled about getting hands-on experience with professionals that were trained in these various fields. I expect the professionals to teach me as much as they can in order to increase my skills that I can use in my future career. I am excited about having the opportunity to engage in the various topics within the course but I am worried about the workload and the presentations. I am not comfortable giving a presentation in front of my peers, but I am willingly to enhance my skills and find a way to feel more comfortable giving presentations in the future. I am willing to work hard in order to perform at my maximum potential and accept any advice that could improve my skills. Before I took forensic classes in school, I believed forensic science was the same work seen in television shows such as CSI and Bones. After taking classes, I have realized how these shows can be wrong and corrupt the ideas of the jurors in the courtroom.”
Corey P. – Participant
“The 2014 Forensic Science and Anthropology Field School is going to be the best program to date. We have 19 participants from five different institutions all looking to get hands-on experience and interaction with professionals that they can’t get in the classroom. There are 19 instructors representing seven different organizations and institutions that will be working with the participants to show them the reality of CSI. This first day participants did some online work to prepare themselves for the intensive four weeks that lie ahead. By the time the field school is over participants will be able to employ the scientific method to answer questions related to crime scene reconstruction and individual identification, distinguish between forensic science as portrayed in popular media versus the reality of forensic science as practiced by professionals, develop interpersonal professional and public presentation skills, and appreciate the important role of an Anthropologist in medicolegal death investigations. Little do the students know that I am more nervous than they are in that I want to make sure the program goes off without hitch!”
Adam Kolatorowicz – Program Director