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Did you know UAA students step inside ��ɫӰ��’s state crime lab to see how forensic science really works?

Students in UAA’s Forensic Science and Criminal Justice course leave the classroom to visit the people and places where evidence is gathered, examined, and prepared for court.August 12, 2025

 

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UAA students enter the ��ɫӰ�� Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory in Anchorage, ��ɫӰ�� in May 2023. (Photo by James Evans/University of ��ɫӰ�� Anchorage)

The course is taught by Dr. Brad Myrstol, newly appointed Assistant Dean for UAA’s School of Justice and Human Services. He also serves as director of the ��ɫӰ�� Justice Information Center and previously led the Justice Center.

How it works

The course is open to criminology and criminal justice majors as well as students from other disciplines, a choice Myrstol says helps broaden awareness of the variety of career opportunities in the field. Students often come in with a limited view of what justice work entails, and the course aims to showcase the different paths available.

They split their time between lectures and guest presentations from professionals, including a former Anchorage Police Department homicide detective. The highlight is the crime lab visit, where students meet section heads, see specialized work areas, and watch demonstrations of evidence analysis. 

Myrstol calls the experience “fully translational” learning. “It takes the book learning and makes it tangible,” he said. “Students can connect what they’ve read about to what they see in front of them.”

Learning in action

For many, the visit reveals how different real forensic work is from what they’ve seen on TV. Lab analysis takes time. Standards for admissible evidence are exacting. And cases are rarely solved by a single piece of evidence.

Myrstol said the course isn’t well-suited to distance education, and that changing student expectations since the pandemic have made it harder to fill in-person classes. “In-person is essential,” he said. “The biggest challenge is getting students back to campus. We want to provide an online pathway where possible, but keep the value of meeting in person.”

What they’re saying

��ɫӰ�� Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory Director David Kanaris said in an interview that this is one of the reasons the visits matter. “The media has a tendency to misrepresent the work of a forensic scientist. In my opinion it’s way cooler in real life,” he said.

Kanaris also sees value for his staff. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for students, and it’s also a chance for our scientists to hone their communication skills,” he said.

Career connections

Graduates of UAA’s criminology and criminal justice program work in law enforcement, probation, crime scene investigation, and analytical roles. This course gives them a broader view of how specialized work connects within the justice system and builds relationships with professionals already in the field.

Looking ahead

A popular course, it has been on hold in recent years due to staffing constraints. Myrstol is planning to offer it again in spring 2026.

For students, the course delivers exactly what Kanaris describes, an experience that is “way cooler in real life,” and a reminder of the power of higher education to pull back the curtain and let them step into the roles they aspire to.

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