Interview with Jana L. Champion of the Wisconsin Crime Lab
Key:
| # Number - Question |
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1. How much school is needed to excel in this profession?
- A minimum of a BS in either chemistry or biology is required.
2. What type of skills are required and useful to have?
- Good laboratory techniques, good public speaking and a good work ethic.
3. what kind of continuing education do you need to take, if any?
- Most analytical staff attend yearly conferences of meeting to stay current in their field of expertise.
4. What made you want to be in the field of forensic science?
- I have always liked science and I did an internship with the Drug Enforcement Administration while I was in college and knew that this is what I wanted to do.
5. How long have you been doing this?
- 26 years
6. What do you like most about your career?
- The variety of the work and being able to work in a lab setting.
7. Are there any disadvantages to your career choice?
- I cant think of any.
8. Is there a lot of stress involved?
- There are time constraints and court dates to meet but if you have good time management skills it works out OK.
9. Describe some of your most important career accomplishments.
- Working major homicide cases, moving up from the analytical bench to supervisor of the chemistry section to becoming director of the laboratory.
10. Now that you have pursued this profession would you ever go back and change it?
- No. I truly like my profession and my job. This is rare for most people so I feel blessed.
