Get to Know the ISHI 34 Speakers
Tara Luther, Promega
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Before heading to ISHI this year, let's get to know some of the General Sessions speakers a little better.
What inspired you to seek out a career in the forensic field?
Melody Josserand: Honestly, it was the television show CSI! lol
Natasha Poe: “Science-Service-Compassion”
Science: In college I started in the fields of chemistry and biology and found that the forensic science degree overlapped both degrees. But it was the internship requirement that solidified the love for the career.
Service: I wanted to help the community and state where my family lives and hope I have made a difference in my 27 years of service.
Compassion: Over the years when I hire and train new employees, I tell them you will either love this profession or you will not last long in it. It takes a unique person to have compassion for someone’s situation, to work a case tirelessly, to never give up on a case, to think about that case when they go home at night, and never know that person personally.
Quentin Gauthier: I’ve always been interested in the sciences and how to apply it to solving puzzles, so forensic felt like a natural fit.
Colleen Fitzpatrick: I didn’t seek out FGG. I invented it.
Greg Hampikian: Studying wrongful convictions.
Allison Lewis: Working as a public defender for many years, i saw and experienced how difficult it was for defenders to dive deep on challenging scientific principles while also working to be effective advocates with incredibly high caseloads and nonstop demands of court. As the complexity and prevalance of dna evidence continued to increase, it became obvious that we needed attorneys to specialize and advise. I love teaching my colleagues how to understand, investigate, challenge and communicate these sophisticated scientific principles to clients, to courts, to factfinders. Dna can be a powerful ally in storytelling. For both sides.
Amy Smuts: A natural interest in science.
Nicole Novroski: I was first inspired in high school, but it is the constant evolution of the field, the excitement of research, and forensic science education that keep me passionate about my future in forensic genetics.
Meradeth Snow: I came to this field, in part, from the ancient DNA world, where I was often working with DNA from the strangest of sources that was hundreds to thousands of years old. Moving to Montana and working on the forensic anthropology cases that came through our lab exposed me to so many sad and frustrating stories of young people, mostly women, who had vanished. I wanted to help with the skillset I had: infinitesimally small starting concentrations, highly degraded DNA, and oseous materials, which has turned out to be the perfect fit.
If you had to pick one thing, what do you enjoy most about your job?
Melody Josserand: The satisfaction of doing a job that has a real-world impact daily.
Natasha Poe: Forensic science is ever changing. Nothing is ever constant, and every case is different. This makes my job a new experience every day!
Quentin Gauthier: Getting to throw out the SOP and do whatever it takes to achieve a better result.
Colleen Fitzpatrick: Solving the puzzle.
Greg Hampikian: Thinking and laughing with my colleagues and students.
Allison Lewis: Working with my clients, supporting them and their families, and letting them know there is someone in their corner, no matter guilt or innocence, but also no matter their darkest moment or worst actions. Everyone deserves an advocate.
Amy Smuts: My coworkers.
Nicole Novroski: The novelty that each new project brings – the field of forensic genetics in constantly in flux.
Meradeth Snow: Working with students. I have a host of graduate students I work with and they inspire me to no end!
If you currently work in the lab, or have in the past, what's the weirdest thing you've ever collected DNA from?
Melody Josserand: Dirt
Natasha Poe: A block of cheese, the suspect decided to take a bite of it during a home burglary.
Quentin Gauthier: Snapper DNA brought straight from the Florida Keys
Colleen Fitzpatrick: I’d like to hear the answers to that….I can only imagine….
Greg Hampikian: The sewers of Boise.
Amy Smuts: Anything and everything.
Nicole Novroski: When I worked at the OCME in NYC, the NYPD would often get creative when collecting suspect exemplars. My time there was always so exciting because you never knew what would be inside the evidence bag!
Meradeth Snow: Oh, I have a long list of weird stuff! It’s pretty much my specialty. Probably the one that cracks me up the most is the 2000-year-old poop from a dry cave site.
If you could go back in time and give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Melody Josserand: Look for the oddball, niche jobs that stimulate your intellectual curiosity – you’ll never go wrong if you are doing something that interests and excites you.
Natasha Poe: Get comfortable speaking in front of people. A public speaking class was a degree requirement that I took begrudgingly. Looking back, I wish I had made more of the experience of getting comfortable in front of an audience. Being an introvert makes public speaking difficult and networking difficult at times so practicing basic public speaking skills is important.
Quentin Gauthier: Ignore the crime scene forensics. The laboratory is where the fun stuff is.
Colleen Fitzpatrick: To understand the impact that what I did would have on forensics.
Greg Hampikian: Time is your friend, there is only one deadline, and we all make it on time.
Allison Lewis: Don’t be afraid to ask the question! You’re certainly not the only one wondering. And even if you are, it’s better to ask now than to never know. Also wear sunblock…
Amy Smuts: Be aware of burnout and trauma from years and years of casework.
Nicole Novroski: Interestingly, I’m very happy with the path I’m on. But, if I could go back in time, I would have loved to do a placement/exchange internationally in Europe or NZ/Australia.
Meradeth Snow: Don’t forget to breathe a little more! I think we get caught up in our work a lot—it's important stuff that we do! But, that means I have often had to remind myself a whole lot to take time to step away. It’s important for being a good scientist and researcher, but also a healthy human.
What’s one thing that others may not know about you?
Melody Josserand: I’m pretty good at Cowboy Mounted Shooting
Natasha Poe: Growing up I was an active member in 4-H and FFA and showed cattle.
Quentin Gauthier: Despite my best efforts, I ended up with a degree in chemistry, my least favorite subject in high school.
Colleen Fitzpatrick: I’ve been in three operas. Two were in a small town in Texas so that everyone who showed up got to sing. The third was as an extra in a production of La Boheme by Opera Pacifica – I played a floozy who was thrown out of a bar.
Greg Hampikian: I can get any child to eat vegetables, the secret is to let them demonstrate the strength they gain by pushing you across the room. The harder you fall, the more they eat!
Allison Lewis: I love artichokes. I think there is no argument - - they are definitely the most interesting vegetable out there.
Amy Smuts: They know everything because I have no poker face.
Nicole Novroski: I have my motorcycle license and enjoy getting outside on the bike! It’s definitely not my strongest skill, but I love learning and improving in everything that I do!
Meradeth Snow: I’m a novelist on the side. Nothing related to the field, as I need an escape from that world sometimes, but it is something I very much enjoy.
What is one item on your bucket list? Have you checked it off yet?
Melody Josserand: Visit Australia – was able to do that twice so far!
Natasha Poe: Visit All the National Parks. I have started.
Quentin Gauthier: I really want to go skydiving. Hopefully someday.
Colleen Fitzpatrick: More than one - To win a McArthur Foundation Genius Grant, to be invited to do a TED Talk on FGG, to travel first first first class to somewhere international where I’ve never traveled before (Latvia, Lithuania are candidates).
And by the way, if you get to talk to the McArthurs, please don’t forget to mention my name.
Greg Hampikian: Working in Africa. Not yet!
Allison Lewis: Jazz Fest in NOLA, and i am planning to go in 2024!
Amy Smuts: Swim with sharks, and yes.
Nicole Novroski: I’ve always wanted to write a novel - my goal is before I turn 40… So, I still have a couple of years. Wish me luck!
Meradeth Snow: a. I teach Human Evolution on top of my forensic work and really want to go to South Africa and the Cradle of Mankind sites there. I’d like to see them in person and look for fossils. The other biggie is seeing Chauvet Cave, too! Neither have happened, but someday!