tl20080501-01 "Nick DiMarco Senior Editor The worst part of Jennifer Bresett�s job is the smell. It�s almost indescribable, she said. And she does not work in sanitation or with livestock. Instead, Bresett is a Towson graduate student majoring in forensic science. And the smell she can�t stand comes from evidence collected from Baltimore City crime scenes. As a serologist working at the Baltimore City Police Department, Bresett looks for blood, semen, saliva and skin cells on various items to identify suspects in crimes ranging from robber-ies and assaults to rapes and homicides. Little air fresheners hang from her co-work-ers� desks to combat the odor. Despite the sensory challenge of her profes-sion, Bresett takes pride in her work and is the exemplary end product of Towson�s young forensic science program. �I needed something that I knew would keep me busy, keep me excited and doing something that felt like I was contributing,� Bresett said. As an undergraduate student, Bresett gave up her pre-law major for chemistry and eventually enrolled in the forensic science program as a graduate student, following an internship at the crime lab in Baltimore during her senior year. �If somebody would�ve told me that when I graduated I was going to teach and work in a lab and earn my masters within two years, I would�ve been like �no way�... I think that is my biggest accomplishment,� Bresett said. Aside from her personal accomplishments, the 24-year-old said her biggest thrill on the job is being able to help solve cases that come across her desk. Over the last year, since com-pleting her training at the Baltimore crime lab, Bresett has worked on more than 200 cases. She credits her success, in part, to Towson�s tutelage. �All the professors in the forensic program and chemistry program are great. Classes are pretty small, which is a lot better for science when you need to meet with the professor,� Bresett said. A typical day for Bresett begins before she enters the 10th floor lab. She has to brave the stench of her co-workers� workstations. �It�s one of those very different smells,� she said unable to find a word to describe it. �There are days when I come in, and I�m not even in the lab and you can already tell someone has something out.� After snapping on a pair of rubber gloves and her white lab coat, Bresett is prepared for the day�s offerings. Detectives come in with lists of items found close to crimes scenes. From there, Bresett�s job is to use a number of tests to find biological matter on the evidence, to establish a link to a possible suspect. She uses tests like a HemaTrace to identify blood stains, an acid phosphatase light test for seminal fluid, and starch and iodine tests for saliva. �I don�t think people realize how much sci-ence you need to do this. People think, oh �CSI,� it�s just cool, but you really need a lot of science and it�s hard work,� Bresett said. She concedes that she has never seen an entire episode of the crime drama but has seen commercials and heard about it. According to Bresett, her work is nothing like what is seen on television. �In real life you can�t solve a case in an hour,� she said. May 1, 2008 www.thetowerlight.com Published by and for the students of Towson and Baltimore -- twice-weekly Thursday Now on TheTowerlight.com: Check out video Word on the Street and read about a student�s travels to Italy... A crime scene education Jennifer Bresett has worked in Balto. City crime labs for two years Patrick Smith/The Towerlight Towson graduate student Jennifer Bresett examines a piece of evidence from a cold case by performing an acid phosphatase light test in the crime lab at the Baltimore City Police Department Administration Building Wednesday morning. Trial averted after petition to impeach completed The Towerlight �Iron Man� is an almost perfect comic book adaptation Arts, page 17 Amanda Gutin wins �The Associate� competition News, page 7 See BRESETT, page 8 Kiel McLaughlin Editor in Chief Lauren Kaplowitz walked into the Student Government Association meeting Tuesday to make a statement. With 500 student signatures in hand and the looming threat of a potential impeachment trial against SGA president Jenny Haley, she questioned Haley and the SGA as a whole for their use of power. Following an emotional half-hour discus-sion between Haley, Kaplowitz, the SGA senate and directors, the former SGA election commis-sioner rolled up her petition and walked out. Choosing not to submit the petition and seek a trial against Haley, Kaplowitz said she was satisfied with the impression she left on the SGA. �It�s more important for people to just recognize what�s going on. The whole point wasn�t to deface Jenny Haley or degrade her in any way or to attack the SGA,� she said. �It was a statement to make people recognize the power that SGA has sitting at that table. This is was for all of [the SGA]. As the president of the SGA, [Haley] has to be held account-able.� Among Kaplowitz�s accusations against Haley, whose tenure runs through May 8 when the new SGA executive board will be inaugu-rated, are an abuse of power and unwillingness to speak with students about the issues. Haley refuted Kaplowitz�s assessment of her tenure saying that she advocated strongly for students when meeting with administrators and representatives from the community. �I�ve done what I believe in and it has hurt me personally and professionally,� Haley said during the discussion. �We try to advocate for the students. Everything I�ve done is for the students.� In her 10 years at the University, associate vice president for campus life Teri Hall said an impeachment petition had never been complet-ed prior to Kaplowitz�s attempt. According to Hall, past SGA members have been removed See IMPEACH, page 10 Despite 500 signatures, former commissioner only makes statement "
