Forensic Geologist

I. JOB SUMMARY

Main Topic: Physical Geography
Secondary Topic: Environment and Society

Overview: Forensic geologist are a type of forensic science technician who aid in criminal investigations through gathering and analyzing evidence. Forensic science technicians work on crime scenes and in laboratories to record observations, collect evidence, reconstruct crime scenes, and run analysis on collected samples. Forensic geologist specifically analyzes minerals, oil petroleum and other soil evidence found in or around the crime scene. This evidence can be used to answer questions related to the time and environment of the crime. Questions about criminal activities in an outdoor environment may need a forensic geologist to trace mineral evidence. Forensic geologist will need to be able to testify in a court of law on criminal and civic legal matters. While the majority of forensic technicians work for local governments, forensic geologists are more likely to work with organizations or specific laboratories. The field of forensics is set to grow in the next decade.

Geographers at work: Physical geographers, Environmental geographers, GIS and Remote Sensing Specialists, Geologists

Recommended College Courses: Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, Advanced GIS, Remote Sensing, Introduction to Physical Geography, Environmental Management, Introduction in Environmental Geography, Climatology, Geomorphology, Regional Field Studies, Remote Sensing and Earth Observation, Location Analysis, GPS and GIS

Skills: GIS and remote sensing, Geospatial technology, LIDAR, Climate and weather forecasting, Quantitative methods, Environmental Mapping and modeling, Computer Programming, Field Methods, Location and landscape analysis

Occupation Group: Life, Physical, and Social Sciences

Learn more about Forensic Geologists from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/forensic-science-technicians.htm#tab-2