Q: When did you join the M.S. in Forensic Science and when did you graduate?

A: I was a student at SU in the J.D./M.S. program from Fall 2016 until Spring 2019.


Q: Why did you choose the M.S. in Forensic Science at Syracuse University?

A: I chose the M.S. in Forensic Science program because of the connection the program has to the law school. My undergraduate career was very much at the intersection of law and science, so the J.D./M.S. program was the perfect way for me to continue in this vein in the hopes of finding a career that married the two.

Q: Who did you do your internship/research and how was it?

A: I completed my internship with the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor of the City of New York. It was a great experience working with attorneys who were frequently calling drug chemists as experts, which was an area of forensics I had less experience in than others.

Q: Where are you working at the moment?

A: I am currently working at the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department.

Q: How do you apply the knowledge acquired in the M.S. in Forensic Science in your work?

A: I frequently use the knowledge I acquired in the M.S. in Forensic Science program through my work reviewing criminal court cases on appeal. I am often tasked with reviewing and summarizing cases where DNA analysts, drug chemists, and blood spatter analysts have provided testimony critical to the People’s case and the knowledge I acquired in graduate school is invaluable in understanding and accurately conveying that testimony.

Q: What was a major advantage of having done your master's at Syracuse that has helped you at your current position?

A: The master’s program at Syracuse provided me with a breadth of knowledge and hands-on skills in multiple areas of forensic science, which has enabled me to not only provide richer analyses in my current position, but also to aid my colleagues in their understanding of the different forensic science disciplines.