Alumni
Linda Alewijnse, Handwriting examiner at the NFI
From 2006 until 2008 I studied Forensic Science. Before that, I studied Biology at Leiden University. Biology was fun to study, but during those years I became more interested in doing something more relevant for society. This master’s programme was the perfect combination of theory and research. I liked the diversity of topics and the fact that lectures were given by forensic examiners themselves.
Susanne van Beest, Forensic Scientist at Politie Midden-Nederland
In 2006 I graduated with a master’s degree in Forensic Science. Before that I earned a bachelor and master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences. During that period I learned a lot about DNA and its application in science. The combination of science and the social aspect of forensic science really appealed to me, and that’s why I wanted to do this master. It turned out to be a good choice: the topics are diverse (from ballistics to writing tests to, of course, DNA) and it has a distinct multidisciplinary character.
Claartje ten Broek, Forensic Scientist and PhD student
Before starting the master’s programme I studied Biology. During the different courses of botany, entomology, and physical anthropology it occurred to me that I was highly fascinated by the forensic aspects of the courses. Therefore I started the master’s programme Forensic Science in 2007.
Gerda Edelman, Forensic Scientist and PhD student at the AMC
In the academic year of 2005-2006 I graduated from the master’s programme Forensic Science. Before that, I completed a bachelor and master’s programme in physics. After studying Theoretical Physics I was looking to see in what way I could apply this science with a clear social relevance. That’s how I became interested in forensic science. The applied nature of this field and the broad range of topics within the masters of Forensic Science (e.g. law, statistics, DNA) made this programme attractive to me.
Marcia Fissette, Junior Advisor Forensic Technology at KPMG and PhD student at the University of Twente
Before starting the master’s programme in September 2010, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication & Multimedia Design and Artificial Intelligence. I wanted to apply the techniques I learned to forensic problems, because of the social relevance. That is how I started this master’s. The varied programme was appealing because it allowed me to learn about all types of data that are relevant in the forensic field, and to which I potentially could apply the artificial intelligence techniques.
Nick Laan, Forensic Scientist and PhD student at the University of Amsterdam
Before starting the Forensic Science programme, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics. When I saw that there was a master in Forensic Science, I just knew I wanted to do that. It is an appealing field of work and not so abstract. For me the master’s programme became really challenging when I started the research project.
Anna Mapes, Forensic Scientist and PhD student at Amsterdam University for Applied Sciences
As a child I always wanted to be a detective one day, solving mysteries. During high school this grew into a great interest in biology and the human body so I decided to try and pursue a career as a forensic pathologist. For this career you need to study medicine, but unfortunately I didn’t want to be a doctor. So first I finished a bachelor in Biopsychology. Then I discovered Forensic Science, where all the different aspects, biology, science and solving puzzles in a forensic context, were integrated in one study.
Johanna Nedele, Forensic Scientist and PhD student at the University Hospital in Münster
In 2009 I started the master’s programme Forensic Science. Before that I finished my bachelor’s in Molecular Life Science at Maastricht University. At the end of my bachelor, I decided to follow a more multidisciplinary master’s programme. The master Forensic Science combines the possibility to follow biomedical courses, to gain knowledge in forensic research and to obtain insights in fields such as policy, ethics, media and criminal justice.