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Forensic Scientists

Forensic science make use of their scientific knowledge to answer or shed light on legal issues.

(a) Forensic Anthropologist
  • A person employed as a forensic anthropologist has specialized in the study of human skeletal biology.
  • he/she is killed in the identification of skeletal remain; the examination of remains in an effort to dertermine the age, sex, stature, race and other characteristic of the specimen uder inverstigation.
(b) Forensic Engineer
  • A forensic engineer`s task is to reconstruct accident scenes to dertermine the cause and origins of fires and/or explosions and is responsible for failure analysis.
(c) Forensic Entomologist
  • He/she studies insects and their relation to a criminal inverstigation.
  • He/she identifies the specific insects present in the body of the decceased person and estimate how long the body has been left exposed, by for example, examining the state of development of the fly larvae.
(d) Forensic Odontologist
  • He/she uses both physical and biological dental evidence for the indetification of uknown victims or the specimen under invertigation.
(e) Forensic pathologist
  • He/she performs an autopsy to dertermine the cause of death; he/she is involved in the inverstigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
  • This may involve the examining of the clothing and/or body itself and an internal examination of the organs.
(f) Forensic Toxicologist
  • He/she is involved in dertermining what role chemicals or drungs played in the death of the specimen under invertigation.
  • Body fluids and tissues of the specimen are used by the toxicologist to dertermine what chemicals or drungs were present in the victim`s body.


REQUIREMENTS

Secondary Education
A HIGCSE Grade 12 with science subjects is preferred, however , an outstading IGCSE Grade 12 can be considered.

Tertiary Education
A Bachelor`s Degree in science with biology, mathematics, chemistry and English are the major requirements. some disciplines within the forensic sciences require advanced degrees.

A Bachelor`s Degree in forensic science is not offered in Namibia.

However, a candidate can do two years of science at UNAM as an introductory course before applying at other institutions e.g South African universities.

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS
People employed as forensic scientists should be thinkers, good with details, good with putting puzzles together and are curious.

WORK OPPORTUNITIES
Forensic scientists work in laboratories, at crime scenes, hospitals, mortuaries and universities.

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