Printer FriendlyThe Real CSI Lab
Presented by: Cailin Lally Drugan and Melissa O’Meara, Senior Forensic Chemists, Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory
Workshop Description
Come and see what really happens at a Forensic Laboratory with 2 forensic chemists from the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory. We’ll look into some of the analysis techniques of the Arson & Explosive Unit, Drug Identification Section, Trace Analysis Unit, Toxicology Unit, Criminalistics, and DNA. We’ll also offer our expertise in crime scenes and explore some of the tools we use to process them. You’ll also learn what type of coursework is needed as well as career paths for forensic chemists.
Leaders’ Job Descriptions
Cailin: Cailin Drugan has been a forensic chemist with the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory since 2000. She specializes in the analysis of criminal casework samples with DNA technology. Her job responsibilities include responding to crime scenes, laboratory work within the DNA Unit, operating the CODIS DNA database and providing court testimony as an expert witness.
Melissa: Melissa is a Forensic Chemist with the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory on the Chemistry Section. She currently works in the Drug Identification Section where she analyzes suspected powders/material for illegal narcotics and drugs. The Chemistry Section of the Laboratory also houses the Arson & Explosive Unit, the Toxicology Unit and the Trace Analysis Unit. Melissa has also had experience in the Arson & Explosive Unit which analyzes fire debris for accelerants, explosive debris as well as gun shot residue cases. Melissa has also had experience in the Toxicology Unit which works on suspected poisoning cases, drug induced sexual assault cases, and suspected drunk driving cases. The last unit of the Chemistry Section, the Trace Analysis Unit, analyzes hair, fiber, glass or various other material from collected from crime scenes and also does serial restoration numbers from guns and vehicles.
Advice for Career Path
Cailin: Her interest in forensic science began with her interest in law and criminal procedure. Although she enjoyed many criminology and sociology courses, the core of her studies was in the natural sciences. It is very important to complete coursework in biology and chemistry while in high school, and to later plan on completing a Bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry or biochemistry in college. Molecular biology, biochemistry, statistics and genetics are requirements for those interested in pursuing a career specifically in forensic DNA analysis.
Melissa: I always have had an interest in forensic science at an early age and took extra science classes in high school to feed into my passion. In college, a strong science background is always a great foundation, with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Biology or Biochemistry. If you are interested in pursuing the Chemistry side of forensics, Analytical Chemistry, Instrumental Analysis and/or Quantitative Analysis is needed. Any forensic courses would be recommended as a minor, not as a major, unless they were heavy in the sciences.