Local Museums Invite Career Exploration

Does your child - or the child in you - dream of being a crime scene investigator? Look no further than Chicago's own Museum of Science and Industry. The multi-media exhibit, "CSI:The Experience," is based on the popular television show and provides hands-on opportunities to involve visitors in the science of solving a crime mystery. The exhibit is open until September 3.

Visitors observe a crime scene, identify and analyze evidence, formulate hypotheses about the crime and validate their results. DNA profiling, toxicology, print identification and yes, blood spatter pattern analysis are some of the forensic techniques visitors use. The museum also sponsors special Saturday programs in conjunction with the exhibit.

The exhibit has been open to the public since May, and supporting activities have included a chance to meet with representatives from the Forensic Science program at Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI) to discuss careers in forensic science.

This type of exhibit, with all of its accompanying events and resources, is an outstanding way to explore the practice of forensic science and its related careers. Check out additional links to a forensic web adventure and family forensics educational guide hosted by Rice University.

Whether you are an adult or student investigating potential jobs, scan the websites of your local museums for exhibits that can add to your knowledge of a possible career path. In the Chicago area, a few of these would include the Field Museum for those considering careers as biologists, anthropologists, paleontologists and geologists; the Shedd Aquarium for oceanologists and marine biologists, and the Adler Planetarium for astronomers and space scientists.

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