Are students actually prepared for their dream careers after graduation? This is a question that I am sure all students ask themselves. As someone who hopes to enter the field of Environmental Forensic Sciences, I often wonder how well my degree at Trent University will prepare me for my future.

Over the last ten years, environmental awareness has increased significantly. Our society is more conscious of our environmental footprint—from the amount of pollution that our cars emit into the atmosphere, to the material of the reusable straws that we carry. In addition, stronger laws limiting the amount of pollution that can be dumped into the environment are being created. We are also more aware that water conservation and wildlife protection should be prioritized to protect these valuable resources. As with any law, no matter how they are enforced, there will always be those who do not follow them. This is where Environmental Forensic Science comes into play.

Environmental Forensic Science is known as the application of science to environmental law. These laws are put in place to protect the atmosphere, wildlife, water, and other natural resources. The enforcement of these laws requires trained professionals, especially with the prioritization of environmental protection.

Two of Trent University’s largest faculties are Environmental Science and Forensic Science. These departments are quite divided, with little to no overlap or cross-listed courses that students can take. Knowledge of both Forensic and Environmental Science is necessary for students who plan to start a career under the Environmental Forensic Science umbrella. This separation in science departments at Trent leads me to wonder if students, like me, are being adequately prepared for this type of career at the undergraduate level. 

For my ongoing research project with Arthur and the Trent Community Research Centre, I will be researching if Trent University effectively prepares its students for careers in Environmental Forensic Science. I plan to teach students more about Environmental Forensic careers that are available to them. I will then assess the current degree options and courses offered at Trent to determine which classes are best-preparing students for this type of career. Finally, I will provide insight to how prepared students feel for a career near the end of their undergraduate degree through a student survey. 

In my research, two main questions will be researched and answered:  

1. What are the skill and knowledge requirements of a student who hopes to be successful in their careers? I will address this question by reading job postings and interviewing individuals who work in Environmental Forensic careers. 
2. Does Trent University prepare its students for potential careers in Environmental Forensic Science? This question will be answered by interviewing professors and surveying Environmental and Forensic Science students. 

To start this research, I analyzed job postings for a pollution enforcement agent, conservation officer, and water (laboratory) analyst. For each listing, I noted key skills such as communication, leadership, understanding of criminal law, and knowledge about environmental policies. Ideally, these are skills that students should have when they apply for jobs under the Environmental Forensic Science umbrella. All three of these postings require a Bachelor's degree. 

Environmental pollution officers measure the amount of pollution that is dumped by an organization in order to determine if they are within the legal limits. The Government of Canada had posted a job advertisement for an environmental enforcement officer with their Environment and Climate Change Canada department. This job requires “knowledge of inspection and investigation techniques and procedures, understanding of collecting and/or interpreting evidence, and analyzing environmental evidence.” Other required skills include effective communication and computer skills. 

In Ontario, specialized officers also perform wildlife investigations. Conservation officers are the people who examine cases involving poaching, animal trade, and wildlife trapping crimes. In a job posting for a conservation officer, a successful candidate will need to have “knowledge of legislation, experience in law enforcement and legislative compliance applicable to natural resources, management skills in high-stress situations and have effective communication skills.” Some other job requirements include problem-solving, independent working, and leadership.

The third career of interest for my research is water investigations. These are done by lab biologists who need to be able to collect water samples and run tests in order to determine if pollution or other contaminants are present in the water. EMSL Analytical Incorporated, a company that specializes in environmental testing, including water microbiology analysis, has posted a job for a microbiologist. Applicants need to exhibit “a variety of laboratory equipment proficiencies, the ability to record data and complete reports to send to clients, and environmental biology knowledge.” These candidates also need to demonstrate multitasking, communication, and computer skills, as well as a strong attention to detail. 

It can be concluded that there is significant overlap between these three Environmental Forensic Science careers. This includes forensic knowledge of investigations and interviews, as well as environmental law, and environmental data collection methods. On top of this, strong candidates must exhibit communication, leadership, and computer skills. Based on my research thus far, I do not believe that Trent University prepares its students for these careers. From what I have experienced, this lack of preparedness occurs because of a disconnect and lack of freedom within the Environmental Science and Forensic Science Programs themselves. The Trent University Environmental Science/Studies webpage states that the program prepares students for environmental protection officer and environmental policy advisor careers. The Forensic Science webpage states that it can prepare students for careers with the Ministry of Natural Resources. As a student who is finishing their Forensics’ degree myself, there is very little room for  environmental electives in order to receive any type of environmental education. 

This is a year-long project in which I will continue to follow my research questions and determine if Trent prepares students for potential careers in environmental forensic sciences. As this is my first article in my three-part series, further publications will focus on interviews with professionals from pollution enforcement, wildlife conservation, and water testing professions, as well as professor interviews and student survey results.