The FSC481 Research Internship Class of 2015, with Director and Instructor Dr. Tracy Rogers (far left) and her teaching assistant, Patrick Bozek (far right).

The FSC481 Research Internship Class of 2013 with Dr. Tracy Rogers (Program Director and Class Instructor) and Joel Cahn (Teaching Assistant).

FSC481 is the fourth year internship course required for all graduates of the Forensic Science Specialist Program at the University of Toronto Mississauga. In addition to spending at least 200 hours at a forensic agency participating in on-the-job training or job shadowing, assisting with routine tasks, and collaborating with a professional forensic specialist on an original project, students also attend classes on professional practice and research skills. Experiential learning combined with a first class science degree is the keystone of the UTM Forensic Science program. Successful internships benefit the student, the mentor, and the agency through an exchange of ideas, learning opportunities, and resources dedicated to addressing a research problem or question of interest to the forensic agency and its employees. Forensic Science Day is the culmination of these partnerships.

In addition to class assignments designed to develop professional skills - for example, mock job interview, writing a cover letter and resumé, practice presentations, critical assessment of colleagues' research, and a mock trial - students also learn research skills such as obtaining ethics permission and writing a detailed research proposal. The results of the research are submitted in the form of a manuscript suitable for publication, written to the specifications of the Journal of Forensic Science. After final grading and editing by the course instructor, we anticipate that, with the mentors' approval (and given co-authorship), at least half of the research projects will be accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

	Veronika Peycheva's research contributes to the Annual Review from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario Forensic Science student Veronika Peycheva completed an analysis of child deaths for the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario and her research on Paediatric  Drug Toxicity was profiled in the 2013 Paediatric Death Review Committee and Deaths Under Five Committee Annual Report. Coroner’s files were examined to conduct a trend analysis of drug toxicity deaths of children and youth during the years 2008-2010. Her findings and recommendations support the need for enhanced education on the risks of prescription drug use, especially among adolescents. The report has received a lot of publicity and interest, and Veronika’s research is currently being considered for publication in a forensic journal. Read the Paediatric Death Review Committee and Deaths Under Five Committee Annual Report 2013 here
	Fingerprints and Ferrotrace: Students showcase forensic research This year, 16 UTM students presented their findings. The audience included scene of crime officers, scientists, forensic identification officers, and even Robert Ramotowski, Chief Research Scientist of the United States Secret Service. Knaap says Ramotowski was impressed at the high quality of the students’ work. Read more at UTM News
	Watch out: Halton police have an eye in the sky The program began as a research project in partnership with the University of Toronto’s forensic sciences program. Banks said a student [Yunhao (Lucy) Wu], through the mentorship program, donated 200 hours of service and did a paper and presentation on the viability of the mini helicopter. Read more at TheSpec.com
	Forensics students dig into real-world research Whoever said university life can be boring did not make it to U of T Mississauga's Annual Forensic Science Day (FSD), which was celebrated April 6 in the Matthews Auditorium of the Kaneff Building. Read more at UTM News
	Horsing around with forensics When people think forensics they usually think of CSI: Miami, not horses. But Hannah Pryce, a student in the forensics program at University of Toronto Mississauga, spent her internship experience within the office of the Toronto Police Service Mounted Unit (TPSMU). Internship courses like this are a unique experiential learning opportunity available at U of T Mississauga. Read more at UTM News