Goals

My first goal with this internship is to become familiar with these scientific processes and techniques so that I can solve problems as they arise without compromising the integrity of the sample and/or analysis. This ability is an importance piece of having a consistent and reliable performance as a forensic scientist. I will accomplish this through active listening with hands on practice and an "ask questions" mindset. I have been assigned a project that will largely be responsible for establishing familiarity in scientific processes - I will be running hemoglobin assays on a variety of pre-prepared sample plates to determine how time impacts the integrity of the reagents these plates are coated in. This skill has progressed throughout the internship both as I have gotten more practice in the preparation steps. Understanding the collected data and what it means on a base level, as well as learning why it is important information to gather for research, has led to a well rounded understanding of the hemoglobin assay process.

My second goal was to become familiar with biology specimens and their corresponding data so that I can understand and apply that knowledge as a forensic scientist in the future. Applying my existing knowledge in the field of biology to situations and asking questions when I do not understand will be key to understanding data procured and learning why what is done in this lab is so important. A good forensic scientist needs to be able to apply their data and results to a question and procure an answer to aid in investigations. Some of this familiarity will be fostered through the project mentioned previously because I will tailor my experiment based on the data collected, under the guidance of my supervisor.

My third goal was to refine my teamwork skills so that I can contribute to the laboratory environment. I was able to accomplish this by being attentive to what needs done and asking my immediate supervisor where I can be of help when I am not doing anything. My project requires a great portion of waiting with only small intervals of actual work. Over the course of my internship I have learned many smaller tasks that can be completed in my off time that will be of aid to the coworkers around me. The completion of these goals have developed a sense of self-competence and pride in my work. This has prepared me for my career in the field of science because I have learned not only how to operate in a lab as a scientist, but also as a team member.

I have grown more confident in my decision to study and become a forensic scientist as my years of education go on, due to both my enjoyment of the study and my belief that I can be successful in this field. I was never exceptionally talented in any of the sciences in high school and this caused some initial intimidation as I started my college journey. While science is certainly difficult, I find it rewarding and enjoyable when I grasp the content. Forensic science can be such a broad combination of chemistry and biology, and I have enjoyed studying both of these topics alongside my forensic science courses. My final two years for my bachelor's will be highly concentrated with forensic science courses.

This period of time will be the most vital because it will reaffirm my decision to study this topic, given the exposure I will have to more the advanced topics that I will likely see throughout my career and as I study for my masters. My short term goals include simply graduating, and securing at least one more career-oriented internship before I graduate. I value these internships because they help to build a strong resume and allow me exposure to my future occupation with lower stakes. A large piece of this current internship is building confidence in myself to accomplish these scientific tasks with precision and accuracy to reaffirm my belief that I can be successful in this field.

Following my graduation, my long term goals include receiving my master's in a field that further supports Forensic Science. I have grown to like the complex areas of forensic science, such as genetics and cellular biology. Given this information, I will likely pursue my master's in genetics. I will likely begin my career as a forensic technician while I complete graduate school. Receiving further education will open many doors for advancement to practice a higher level of forensic science, such as genetics, and allow me refine my skills in the field as a whole. A job as a forensic geneticist is typically a senior position and often requires at least a decade of experience. Given the time and opportunities, a position as a forensic geneticist is my end goal.

My time at this internship has opened my eyes to how extensive science goes and has reminded me that hard work comes first, knowledge comes second. Most of this information will not come naturally and must be learned through extensive schooling, which can be intimidating. Knowing what to expect going into this field prepares me to always be pursuing the next goal and to take advantage of every learning opportunity. I am confident in the things that I have learned thus far, and my ability to retain the information gives me confidence in my capabilities as a forensic geneticist in the future.