Careers and Alumni
Our Graduates
Our graduates have obtained jobs in a variety of laboratories throughout the country which include, but are not limited to, the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory, Boston Police Crime Laboratory, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Virginia OCME, Rhode Island State Police, Texas Department of Public Safety, St. Louis Crime Laboratory, OCME – Boston, Las Vegas Police Department, Wisconsin Crime Laboratory. In addition to careers in public laboratories, a number of our graduates work in private forensic and/or research laboratories such as MIT/Harvard’s Broad Institute, GoodStart Genetics, New Port Laboratories, Orchid Cellmark, Calloway Labs, Massachusetts General Hospital and Genzyme Genetics. Others have matriculated into Ph.D. or law-school programs. The faculty of the BMFS’s program is proud to feature the following student(s) as they begin their careers .
John Grassel, Graduating Class of 2009
John came to the BMFS Program with a B.A. from Boston College while working as a Detective for the Rhode Island State Police and was assigned to the Criminal Identification Unit which is responsible for processing crime scenes as well as analyzing fingerprint, footwear, tire, and video evidence. Additionally, the unit is responsible for analyzing police involved shooting incidents within the state. After graduation he continued working in his current unit “although with a far greater appreciation of the science behind my work!”.
When asked about the BMFS program John stated, “I felt that the program was top notch. First, all of the instructors were either still involved or recently involved with the field of Forensic Science from a practical standpoint and not just an academic one. This helped because they were able to bring their “real World” experiences to the classrooms and laboratories. During my time in the program the facilities continued to improve and even more electives were made available. In each of my classes I had the genuine feeling that the instructors not only wanted to simply teach the material but wanted the students to understand the subject matter. They were readily available outside of class and their combined experience in the facets of forensic science was impressive. Prior to entering the program, I had submitted hundreds of items to laboratories for Trace and/or DNA Analysis. After taking the classes and labs in these and other subjects at the BMFS program I felt that I had the “missing piece of the puzzle” and I could truly understand not only the value of the evidence I was collecting but the full analytical process. My thesis project, which covered Cartridge Case Ejection Patterns, was also a highlight. Not only did I gain some valuable practical experience by completing it, I was also able to present a portion of it at the NEAFS/NEDIAI conference held in Vermont in 2011.”
Now John is a Detective Corporal at the Rhode Island State Police where he is the second-in-charge of the Criminal Identification Unit and is responsible for supervising crime scene investigations and pattern evidence examinations in the laboratory. Additionally, he is the acting Quality Manager responsible for guiding the unit towards ISO accreditation. John is also an adjunct instructor at Johnson and Wales University and teach undergraduate Criminalistics and Criminalistics Laboratory classes.
John states, “I feel that obtaining my Masters Degree from the BMFS program was a key to my success for promotion within my department. Also, it has allowed me to better supervise other employees in the unit as I feel that the knowledge gained at BU was invaluable. My teaching employment is directly related to obtaining my degree as well and the BMFS experience was exceptional in regard. I have also recently been certified as a Senior Crime Scene Analyst with the International Association for Identification (IAI). My classes at BMFS had a tremendous impact on my ability to achieve this certification. Finally, I feel that when testifying in court the fact that I obtained my Masters from the BMFS program carries some significant weight. With the recent National Academy of Sciences report reflecting the need for better training of forensic science professionals, the program obviously is a valuable educational experience in this regard.”
Recently Featured Alumni
Careers in the Forensic Sciences
Graduates of the M.S. in Biomedical Forensic Sciences are qualified to work as forensic scientists, DNA analysts, chemists, death investigators and crime scene responders at the local, state and federal levels. See the following links for current job opportunities in the field
American Academy of Forensic Sciences – Job Opportunities List
The Forensic Science Society – Job Search and Situations Vacant
Reddy’s Forensic Page – Job Opportunities
The International Association of Identification – Job Listings
The Northeastern Association of Forensic Sciences – Employment Opportunities
