JS 504: Intro to Computer Forensics

Taken: Fall 2011
Instructor: Gary Warner


        This is an interesting class. If you even have the slightest interest in computer forensics, you should at least check this class out. You learn a lot of the basics about computer forensics in this class so you can find out if it is something worth trying out. As far as graduate students go, it is a lot of work. There is an extra paper and a small research project with a paper. It's nothing that one can't handle, but it can still be a lot. And both are worth doing if you are interested in this part of forensics because you will learn more about it doing the research and writing the papers.

           Beware: Gary is a [long] story teller. =] So if something comes up in the lecture that reminds him of something, the story will be told. Don't worry, they are interesting and you often learn something new. Gary is a great teacher tho. He's also very busy so sometimes there will be one of his grad students in there teacher for him while he is away. There are also times when he will not be available. I work in his lab and still don't see him often. So, if you need him, try to set an appointment, get his number, and most importantly, DO NOT email him anything [important] expecting a response. =) He literally gets thousands of emails a day and it will probably get lost. He will tell you to head the subject with the class number to help him see it, which kind of works. He will look at the email if he sees it but he most likely will  not respond. So, if you do email him, follow up about it the next time you see him.When he gives the review of what will be on the test, know that stuff and know everything about it. If you at least know what you are talking about and forget one part of the answer, you will still get credit. If he says something and emphasizes it, KNOW it (like with other teachers).

          I think that is it. It is a good starter class for computer forensics for anyone to figure out whether or not that's the right field. If so, there is a computer forensics certificate to work towards (and this class counts towards it). If you're truly interested in this field, Gary is the one to tell. So in class look interested, participate, ask questions, the whole nine; It will all benefit you in the end.

BST 611 Intermediate Statistical Analysis I

Taken Fall 2011 with Dr. Alfred Bartolucci.

I took BST 611 my first semester in the MSFS program. I had a previous statistic class in my undergraduate degree, however this course  was tailored more towards medical professions. Overall, I enjoyed the class and thought Dr. Bartolucci genuinely cared about his students and their understanding of the material.

The take home concept (beaten) into your brain is how to test a hypothesis. The material builds upon itself and all examples are medical related, however the general concept is taught so don't worry if you're not familiar with medical related topics.

The class requires a book. there isn't any real way of getting around that, however as far as text books go the example problems were helpful in understanding the material. The class also requires a software JMP (or "Jump"). It takes some getting used to but later in the course it is very helpful. Some people would try to avoid it only to shoot themselves in the foot when it gets more demanding.

Dr. Bartolucci is a very pleasant man, and easy to talk to. He is a serious Boston Redsox's fan so, if you wear anything to do with Boston or the team, he will certainly talk to you. The class, was a total of 18 lectures and he goes at a fast tempo, so falling behind with homework is not ideal. Also, a note about homework -you are required to turn in the homework and you are graded with a Pass, Fail, or Incomplete. You are penalized for not doing it however it is used to help those on the border at the end of the semester. The class had two tests: a midterm and a final. He is strict on time and deducts points on those who go over the time (I found the midterm to be more difficult than the final, so don't freak out if you don't get an A on the midterm). Dr. Bartolucci will also work with you if you go to office hours to help you bring up your grade.

My last word of advise is very simple. If you take BST 611 and there is a TA by the name of "Frank", please do yourself a favor and don't listen to a word he says. He constitently says things incorrectly and has to repeatedly correct himself later in e-mails. He wasn't helpful at all and confuses students by the masses.

Overall it is a worthwhile course to take if you are looking to brush up on Statistics as it relates to hypothesis or have a particular interest in Forensic Biology.

Good Luck and Regards!

JS 502: Intro to Computer Forensics

Taken Fall 2011 Instructor: Gary Warner I took this class because cybercrime has become the new way to commit crimes and I wanted to better understand it. I found the class very informative and interesting. You learn a lot, but as a graduate student you need to put a lot of work into the class because there is a mini-research project. This class opened the door to me working in Gary's lab, which because of it I am getting the computer forensic certificate. I am not a computer person, but you don't have to be to take this class. He is sometimes hard to get a hold because he has a lot going on, but if you don't understand something he is more then willing to help. Best time to talk to him is after class, you won't get a response if you email him because he gets thousands of emails everyday.

JS 673: Forensic Drug Analysis

Taken Summer 2012 Instructor: Dan Matteo Fairly basic introduction to drug chemistry and analytical techniques. Teaches about the classes of drugs and lab processing. Pretty much an overview, Dan touches on most topics but leaves depth for toxicology in the Fall. Tests are cumulative and repetitive. Ends with informal presentations and a simple moot court. Enjoyed the class and learned a lot.

JS 676: Adv Biological Methods

Taken Spring 2012 Instructor: Jason Linville This was a very hands-on course - we did much more lab work than actual lecture time. Be prepared to come in for lab a lot during week. It's a great class though because you get a lot of experience analyzing actual DNA samples and getting familiar with techniques that are actually used in crime labs. It's an elective, but a great one to take if you have room in your schedule for it.

JS 673: Forensic Drug Analysis

Taken Summer 2012 Instructor:Dan Matteo I was a bit concerned about taking this course because my background is in biology. Also, it was the first time Forensic Drug Analysis was taught separately from Forensic Toxicology. However, I really enjoyed the course! The instructor was very knowledgeable and down-to-earth. You'll learn about using micro-crystalline and color tests to determine the class of a drug. You will also use tools such as the GC/MS and an IR spectrometer. I would encourage anyone getting ready to take the course to attend every class. Because the semester was only 9 weeks, we covered a lot of material. The majority of class sessions would consist of an exam, a lecture, and an in-class lab assignment. The exams were primarily short answer questions and became more comprehensive as the semester progressed. The test material came primarily from the lectures. A few questions came from the book. The lab assignments were straightforward and some exam questions came from the lab. We also had a presentation, a mock court room testimony, and an unknown drug to identify. These assignments were intended to help boost your grade if you were borderline, although they were not optional.

JS 673: Forensic Drug Chemistry

Taken Summer 2012 Dan Matteo This was the first time they separated the forensic drug chemistry and toxicology course. Forensic Drug Chemistry was a very interesting class for me because it was the first time drug chemistry was introduced while in the program. Most of the other classes when I started were biology based. Dan Matteo was a very good teacher he took out the time to explain things others did not understand and also was very helpful when it came to conducting assigned labs. The class grade was based off of test and everything else was more of a if you need a grade boster. If you did them well he might consider giving you say a B instead if a C if you were borderline. All in all I say this was a very informative class and everything I learned I remember because of the way he taught it and structured the test. If you got a degree in chemistry I think you will really enjoy this class because like I said before most classes before this class, which is a summer class only, are biology based.

JS 673:Forensic Drug Anlys and Toxicology

Taken Summer 2012 Instructor: Dan Matteo I never thought I would be interested in a career in drug chemistry until I took this class. Dan is an actual drug chemist that has been working in the field for about 12 years and exposes you to the basics of drug chemistry. You'll get to see how a GC/MS and IR works as well as how to do different color tests used in drug chemistry labs. Even though the summer session was short, Dan was about to teach a vast amount of information. His tests build off each other, which helped me to retain all the information I learned throughout the semester. This class is very laid back and fun and gives you a good background for future class, like toxicology.

JS 679: Seminar in forensic Science

Taken Spring 2012 Instructor: Elizabeth Gardner During this class, first year students presented their research project proposals and the second year students present their final projects and defended. Everyone completed a research paper to accompany their presentation. While fall semester of seminar is somewhat informal, this semester is formal and should be taken seriously. Don't wait until the last minute to start on the research paper since it will take a good amount of time to find sources and edit everything. This class will give you even more exposure to presenting research findings in a scientific setting. Be prepared to answer questions about your research.

JS 676: Adv Bio Methods in Forensic Science

Taken Spring 2012 Instructor: Jason Linville I took this class at the same time at regular Bio Methods which got a little confusing. Much of the material overlapped, which was helpful for studying, but organizing time in the lab was difficult. During this class we mostly read and dissected research papers that Dr. Linville assigned such as validation papers and papers on touch DNA and did a couple of independent assignments in the lab.

JS 674:Bio Methods in Forensic Sci

Taken spring 2012 Instructor: Jason Liville In this class you will learn everything from presumptive testing on biological stains, to DNA extraction and all the way to analyzing STRs. Dr. Linville takes you through every lab and asks you questions from lecture throughout to reiterate what you are doing at each step during the process. The midterm and final are long and challenging but as long as you pay attention in class and study the notes, you'll do fine. This class will definitely give you a good overview of everything you would do in an actual forensic DNA lab.

JS 672: Adv Conventional Criminalistics

Taken Spring 2012 Instructor: Mitch Rector This is a continuation of the first semester in criminalistics but focuses mostly on tool marks, firearms and tire tracks. This is definitely the area that Mitch shines the most, unfortunately, much of the information may go over your head. It was surprising how difficult learning about all the different kinds of firearms and bullets was. Just like the first class, the lab were challenging and time consuming, although Mitch is always willing to offer help. Mitch has great stories he will share throughout the semester which made the class more fun and interesting.

JS 679:Seminar in Forensic Science

Taken Fall 2011 Instructor: Jason Linville This class gives you the chance to get more experience and become somewhat more comfortable with public speaking in an slightly informal setting. First year students will have to present twice, once with alone and once with a second year student. The feedback I received on my first presentation was very helpful and getting to present twice throughout the semester made it less scary to present my project proposal the following spring.

JS 671: Conventional Criminalistics

Taken Fall 2011 Instructor: Mitch Rector This class involved lectures and lab work in the areas such as trace analysis and fingerprint analysis. This was definitely not my cup of tea, but Mitch is great and knowledgeable teacher (he's considered an expert in this field). He says to buy the book, but don't. I opened it literally once all semester. Generally, everything you need to study for the test are the notes he gives during class. Also, start the labs early enough so you can ask questions throughout since they must be done on your own time outside of class and can be time consuming and confusing.

JS 670: Elements of forensic science

Taken fall 2011 Instructor:Elizabeth Gardner During this class, you will be exposed to a variety of disciplines in forensic science such as drug chemistry, toxicology, forensic biology, fingerprints, etc. Each week, a new speaker will present information on their particular discipline and you will have to write a paper on each speaker, due before the next week of class. Although this class was informative and interesting, it was somewhat challenging to complete a 2 page single spaced paper each week on top of the workload from other classes. However, the papers did help prepare me for when I had to write my project proposal paper the following spring.