Forensics Unfiltered with Gap Science

JOIN THE MENTAL HEALTH IN FORENSICS SUMMIT VIP WAIT LIST We’re closing out our Mental Health Awareness Series with a reflection on everything this month has brought into focus. Over the past several episodes, we’ve revisited conversations around burnout, trauma exposure, leadership pressure, recovery, and the emotional weight of long-term work in forensic science. And while each story is different...

What happens when the job you built your identity around is no longer sustainable to stay in? As part of our Mental Health Awareness Series, we’re revisiting a deeply honest conversation with forensic supervisor Alice White about one of the hardest decisions in the profession: walking away from a forensic career. In this episode, Alice reflects on years in forensic leadership marked by high respon...

In forensic science, changing agencies or leaving a position can feel strangely personal… almost like admitting failure. As part of our Mental Health Awareness Series, we’re revisiting an honest conversation about career changes in forensics and why so many professionals feel pressured to stay quiet about wanting something different. In this episode, Ashley opens up about the emotional reality of...

What does it actually look like to come out the other side of burnout in forensic science? In this episode of our Mental Health Awareness Series, Kat Pope shares her deeply personal journey through burnout, PTSD, and the long process of rebuilding herself while still working in the forensic field. Her story isn’t about a single breaking point. It’s about what happens after the system you’ve been o...

As part of our Mental Health Awareness Series, we’re revisiting a conversation we had about burnout in forensic science (and the workplace culture that quietly normalizes it). In many forensic units, burnout doesn’t happen all at once. It slowly builds through constant overwhelm, understaffing, lack of recognition, limited growth opportunities, toxic environments, and the pressure to always “push...

What really happens when the demands of your forensic career begin to extend beyond the job itself? As part of our Mental Health Awareness Series, we’re revisiting our unfiltered conversation about work/life balance in forensics (and what it actually looks like behind the scenes!). From on-call culture and holiday callouts to court appearances on days off, missed family events, disrupted sleep, an...

How many warning signs do we miss before our bodies force us to pay attention? As part of our Mental Health Awareness Series, we’re revisiting Part 2 of our powerful conversation with Jason Cole. In Part 1, Jason shared the culture many forensic professionals know all too well: long hours, constant pressure, and the unspoken expectation to push through no matter what. In this episode, we get to th...

“I haven’t been to the doctor in 18 years.” As part of our Mental Health Awareness Series, we’re revisiting this powerful two-part conversation with Jason Cole. In this episode, Jason walks through the early stages of his career, from law enforcement to crime scene investigations to latent print work and beyond. Like many in this field, he built his career on hard work, long hours, and a deep pass...

What happens when you’re standing at a “routine” crime scene… and don’t realize you’re in the middle of an active shooter encounter? In this powerful Mental Health Awareness series episode, we're taking you back to when CSI Supervisor Letty Ramirez shared the moment her career as well as her understanding of safety, trauma, and survival changed forever. While processing what appeared to be a s...

At some point, coping stops being enough. In Part 2 of our Mental Health Awareness Month kickoff, Matt Davis continues his story. This time focusing on what happens after years of exposure to trauma in forensic work begin to accumulate. He opens up about burnout, the limits of informal coping strategies, and the realization that processing trauma requires more than just pushing through it. Matt al...

Some scenes don’t stay locked away in the case folder. They follow you. In the kickoff episode of our Mental Health Awareness Month series, we sit down with Matt Davis, a forensic professional whose career includes crime scene investigation, latent print examination, and supervision. Matt walks us through the early moments in his career that shaped everything that came after... mass casualty event...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and in this episode, we’re kicking off a series of conversations that have been part of our mission since the very beginning. Mental health in forensics isn’t something we started talking about recently. It’s been a core part of our Forensic Supervision training since 2019, long before it became a more visible topic at conferences or in professional development...

At some point in your forensic career, the adrenaline fades. You start to ask yourself... Why doesn't this feel the same? Why am I not as energized? Do I need to leave the field? In this episode, we break down the warning signs, the psychology behind mid-career dissatisfaction, and practical steps to reignite growth without impulsively leaving the field. Whether you’re navigating this personally o...

AI is showing up in forensic science whether we feel ready for it or not. In this episode, we have an honest conversation about AI in forensic science and why it creates so much discomfort inside forensic units. Not because forensic professionals are resistant to change, but because we care deeply about credibility, ethics, and defending our work in court. We talk about where AI is already embedde...

In this episode, we share our personal experiences with burnout in forensic careers and how we learned the hard way that boundaries aren’t just optional—they’re essential. From missed lunches and sleepless nights to the way overworking can strain your relationships and your health, we talk honestly about the challenges we’ve faced and the lessons we’ve learned along the way. We also break down pra...

Our forensic careers ask a lot of us—emotionally, mentally, and personally. In this episode, we break down how burnout develops in forensic work, why so many of us don’t recognize it until it’s already impacting our lives, and what sustainable career boundaries actually look like. We share real-world insight and practical strategies to help prevent burnout while continuing to do work that matters....

This episode, we get personal. We reflect on our year in forensic business and professional life , sharing what we learned about sustainable goal setting, balancing personal health, and building a thriving career without burning out. From pivoting products to reaching new audiences, tackling overwhelming projects, and learning the value of automation, we walk you through our real-life experiences...

In this episode of the Forensic Supervisor Success Summit , we dive into the crucial topic of forensic team resiliency with expert Renee Souza. Learn why building resilience is essential for forensic professionals who face trauma and stress daily—and how supervisors can support their teams to bounce back stronger. From emotional regulation to mental health days and practical coping strategies, dis...

In this episode of the Forensic Supervisor Success Summit, Jennifer Meade—an experienced evidence unit supervisor and trailblazer—shares her top strategies for how to motivate a forensic team . From gaining genuine buy-in on major projects to boosting forensic team morale without extra budget, Jennifer reveals practical, proven tools that any forensic supervisor can use to inspire their unit. Whet...

Feeling like your team is constantly overwhelmed, but struggling to prove it to leadership? In this episode, Ashley sits down with Courtney Lozano, Interim Manager at the Dallas Police Department, to talk about how she built a simple, no-budget stats tracking system that transformed her forensic unit. You'll learn how to identify which stats actually matter, use data to support staffing reques...

What happens when a forensic professional shifts from “this is how we’ve always done it” to “how can we grow from this”? In this episode of Forensics Unfiltered , we sit down with Nakia Porter—Supervising Forensic Identification Specialist with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department—to explore the power of a growth mindset for forensic supervisors . Nakia shares real stories from her own lead...

What do you do when you’re suddenly in charge of a forensic unit you’ve never worked in? In this episode of Forensics Unfiltered , we sit down with Chris Decker, Forensic Laboratory Supervisor at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, to talk about the real challenges (and opportunities!) of supervising beyond your forensic specialty. From shadowing team members to identifying workflow roadblocks, Ch...

In this episode of Forensics Unfiltered , we sit down with Coach Lisa Gilbert from No-Nonsense Training Solutions to talk about one of the most powerful (and misunderstood) tools in your leadership toolbox: leverage . Coach Lisa shares what leverage really means, how forensic supervisors can build it ethically, and why relying on “fairness” alone won’t move your team forward. From navigating workp...

What happens when two professionals take completely different paths into forensics and end up helping shape cutting-edge technology at a global company? You get a refreshingly candid conversation about the future of forensic science , the challenges of innovation, and the people driving change behind the scenes. We sat down with Becca Nick and Walter Hiller from foster+freeman for a wide-ranging c...

Leadership in forensic science isn't just about knowing your technical stuff — it's about navigating human dynamics, handling tough conversations, and inspiring your team under pressure. In this powerful two-part series, we dive deep into the real skills forensic professionals need to lead with confidence and resilience. Coach Lisa from No-Nonsense Training Solutions joins us to break down the cri...