Teacher: Ms. Robertson
Forensics class at JVA is an exciting elective diving into the world of forensic science and solving crimes. We interviewed Ms. Robertson about the class, who told us about herself, what forensic work entails, and her favorite part of teaching the elective. Grab your detective hat and magnifying glass, because as Sherlock Holmes might say, “the game is on!”
Share a little bit about yourself.
I’ve got a masters degree in science education and a second masters in exercise physiology, which allows me to also work for the community college system teaching biology. I’ve been teaching middle school and high school science since 2000. I got into teaching because I was working on my masters and coaching swimming in Orange County, California. I grew up in San Diego. My father was a Naval Officer, which is why we lived in California. We moved to Huntington Beach my senior year of high school. I attended Chapman University in Orange and earned my Bachelor of Science. Besides swimming, I also danced. In high school, I was on the POMS dance team. I became an ocean lifeguard for Huntington Beach when I was 18. It was a blast and I do miss the beach at times. I came to Colorado to raise my children and get out of crazy, busy, crowded California. Colorado has been a great place to live. I am divorced now. I have two grown children. My son is 21 and he just finished his associates degree in business. He is currently supporting himself and working full time. He is a very hard worker. My daughter is attending the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. She hopes to be a Naval Pilot for Jets someday.
What does the class cover throughout the semester?
It’s such a fun elective. Overall, it covers the basics of crime science techniques and analyzes the ethics of modern technology and criminal justice techniques.
What will students learn in the class?
We cover crime science basics like fingerprint technology and DNA science. Also, students learn how to take information from a crime scene, including photographs and mapping. Topics like eyewitness testimony are explored to analyze how reliable it is.
What’s your favorite part of the class?
My favorite would be the DNA technology lessons. Students learn how to collect their own DNA samples, and they also learn how DNA fingerprinting electrophoreses technology works. In addition, they consider the ethics and flaws of this technology in court.
What do you want others to know about the class?
In my college biology class at the community college level, I always have a few students interested in criminal justice and forensic science as a career. It is a challenging science degree requires a lot of biology, chemistry and physics. So if you like solving puzzles, criminal justice and science it may be a career for you!
Thank you Ms. Robertson for your time! It was a pleasure to learn about her and this very fun elective. Forensics is a great class for students who love science and are interested in criminal justice, and just for anyone who wants a fun elective to take! With interesting topics and many things to learn, Forensics is one of many amazing electives here at JVA.