What do writers and forensic scientists have in common?

[pbray]

Curiosity. Because the field of forensic science is changing so rapidly, curiosity and the desire to continually keep learning new things is considered an essential trait of a good forensic scientist.

It's also extremely helpful if you're a writer. At the current moment I'm researching the history behind the Human Genome Project (particularly the politics), requirements for a career as a high school science teacher, the history of the Military Tract of Central New York, and looking for first hand accounts of women police officers from the late 1970s/early 1980s, just to name a few. I need to know more about DNA analysis as well, but that's such a broad field that I need to frame my questions first before I go digging.

Resding: Just finished Forensic Casebook: The Science of Crime Scene Investigation by Ngaire E. Genge. It's a good introduction to the field for those considering a career in forensic sciences, and also appropriate for fans of mysteries and crime shows such as CSI as it includes numerous examples showing when they got the science right, and when they got it wrong. Showing how quickly the field moves, since this book was published in 2002 it's already out of date in some areas, but still worth reading.

Comments

[pbray.livejournal.com]

>>But I believe a well-rounded individual should have all sorts of interests, and that curiousity should continue as long as you're breathing.

And these are exactly the type of people I want as my friends. When I tell people I'm going back to school this fall to take a course that may or may not be of any practical use to me, the kind of people I like to hang out with are the ones who say "Cool!"

The people who say "Why would you want to waste your time like that?" are the ones I can't fathom.

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

They're probably also the ones that think it's important to watch every episode of American Idol, every week, and discuss it in detail with all their friends the next day.

Because, you know, that's a PRODUCTIVE use of your time.

[elizabeth-welsh.livejournal.com]

They're probably also the ones that think it's important to watch every episode of American Idol, every week, and discuss it in detail with all their friends the next day.

ROFL, yeah, productive use of time -- though maybe it is if you're studying the rudest possible comments one can make to another, in which case an American Idol/Weakest Link cocktail is called for. I'm not even sure if Weakest Link is still on.

I've never had a Simon-type character. He blows my mind really. He is completely rude and entirely self-serving, and yet seems to have built a successful career on his bad behavior. **Scratches head** Go figure. What ever happened to more flies with honey? It makes both sides of brain hurt just thinking about it.

[sylvia-rachel.livejournal.com]

The people who say "Why would you want to waste your time like that?" are the ones I can't fathom.

It must be very boring to have that attitude toward life. (Not that I didn't encounter it a lot back when I was at university, majoring in English lit ...) I mean, what fun is life if you're not learning new things?