Below is a transcript of our conversation with Drs. Cathy Willermet, Chair of CMU’s Department of Philosophy, Anthropology and Religion and Kyle Scherr, faculty in CMU’s Department of Psychology
David Nicholas:
I'm David Nicholas and this is Central Focus, a weekly look at research activity and innovative work from Central Michigan University students and faculty. Forensic science brings to mind the study of evidence and solving crimes. Think the popular television series CSI, but the range of applications is wider than you might think. And now two CMU faculty are building off forensic courses they teach to create a certificate program across many disciplines that can use the practice of forensics and apply it to many fields of study. I sat down with Kyle Scherr from Psychology and Cathy Willermet, Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Anthropology, and Religion…
Cathy Willermet:
You have forensic psychology, you have forensic anthropology, you have forensic computers, science, you have forensic accounting. You have a forensic DNA labs, right? And so there, this is all the applied pieces of the discipline, right? So, students will learn the discipline, but then they didn't really have an outlet for learning the applied. And that's what the certificate we, you know, we hope to bring for at least from our two disciplines. The idea is you take two psychology classes two anthropology classes, and then you do an internship or some a research project or experiential thing that will give you that that certificate.
DN:
What are they kind of attaching this certificate to so that they can go out and do…what?
Kyle Scherr:
It really depends and I (I) think this is some of the beauty of it really depends on what they want to do. So, if someone wants to work in a (a) crime lab and do DNA analysis, they could pair this with biotechnology major or biology or chemistry major. If someone wanted to be a forensic psychologist and do assessments and (and) competency evaluations, they could be a psychology major. If someone wanted to do investigative journalism, they could pair this with a (a) journalism major. And (and) so the (the) beauty is (is) that it really can be tailored to what you want to do and what you aspire to do as a student after you leave CMU.
DN:
Are there others on campus that you can see if this is starting to evolve into something, and if that next step is maybe to (to) have a minor, who else might get in on the game with the two of you?
CW:
We were thinking some time ago about, you know, what would it take to have a forensic major? We did a lot of research around the state as we have to do in order to make a, an argument for (for) creating something. And one of our colleagues talked to a bunch of crime scene labs in the state and those folks said they did not want people to have a major in forensics. Because forensics is the tool, of the (the) way to use the applied piece of their area. So, what they wanted was students to have a degree in biology, chemistry, journalism, anthropology, psychology, business, whatever it was, and then wrap the forensics around it. We thought, well, we don't want to go the major route, but we can go a minor route and we can actually sort of create these intentional tracks for students who have these specific interests to help guide them, you know, the right area for them.
KS:
That's right. And (and) again want to be upfront, this is all in the planning process. So, nothing has been approved or, but we've both had discussions and meetings with people in computer science for example. And so, this minor would involve a (a) track for students to take a core set of courses and then a variety of electives if they wanted to go into cybersecurity for example after they graduate. We've had talks with people from biology. And again, you take a course set of classes and then if you want to, you know, work as a DNA analyst, you take classes in (in) some of the bench sciences and biology and you would specialize in that. We've had conversations with people in journalism and they've come up with a set of electives for students who are interested in maybe doing podcasts or (or) investigative journalism. And then we have our core courses in in the social sciences and Anthropology and Psychology.
DN:
It (it) sounds like it's going to be presenting and offering a lot of opportunities to many students. Kyle Scherr from Psychology and, from the area of Biological Anthropology and the Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Anthropology and Religion, Cathy Willermet, thanks very much to both of you. Good luck as it moves forward. We'll be anxious to hear more!
KS:
Thank you.
CW:
Thank you.
