Forensic Scientist

Forensic Scientist

LIsa Black

Cape Coral, FL

Female, 49

I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.

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Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Best Rated

why did you choose this job/career

Asked by anthony melendez over 7 years ago

if you have homework assignment interview questions, please email me all of them at once at: Lisa-black@live.com and I’ll get back to you.

is there a way for me to contact you directly so i can ask more questions

Asked by a student over 7 years ago

Sure you can email me at lisa-black@live.com

What was your first thought when you started your career in forensic science ?

Asked by Krystal over 7 years ago

I’m not sure what you mean—when I decided to go into forensic science (in which case it would be “that sounds really cool, like I could solve mysteries without being a cop”) or more like my very first day on the job (which would be “I hope I don’t screw up “).

Is it possible to be a forensic scientist and a crime scene investigator? Like a job where find the evidence and you test it?

Asked by Rach C. over 7 years ago

Yes, to some extent. That’s what I’m doing now. It all depends on how much staff and equipment the agency has. For instance I’ll collect items and process them for fingerprints or do preliminary tests for blood or semen, but it’s unlikely that a DNA analyst would also be doing crime scene work.

Well, according to the movie, as fingerprints leave an oily residue, they found traces of R-12 mixed with it. They also said that the uric acid levels in the eccrine gland residue were inconsistent with a guy with active metabolism. Too far fetched?

Asked by R-Mod over 7 years ago

Yes. Unless they have a crime lab more incredibly equipped than any I've ever visited.

I am writing a paranormal suspense thriller novel and I need to know if you could figure out a person's identity in 2010 if all you had were the eyeballs and they were preserved since the 1970s.

Asked by Yvonne Schuchart over 7 years ago

My guess would be no. I would think the formaldehyde would destroy the DNA in the cells, though I don’t know for sure, and in any event they weren’t doing DNA in the 70’s so you’d have to find something of the person’s to compare the eyeball DNA. If you have something of the person’s retained from the 70’s, especially hair for example, perhaps there is mitochondrial DNA in some cell in the eyeballs that could still be obtained and compared to the mDNA from the hair.Otherwise I doubt ophthalmologists would take or save retinal scans back in the 70’s. Hope that helps. Best of luck!

Good afternoon Lisa!

I am currently taking a classes to earn my Bachelor's in Forensic Science, I just had some questions regarding your job now and how you went about getting your degree. Do you have an email were could communicate?

Thank you!

Asked by Cassidy Gould about 8 years ago

Sure, you can email me at Lisa-black@live.com.