If you’re looking to study at one of the top forensic science universities, it’s important to look at the course offerings as well as the options at each of the colleges.

Forensic science universities train students to become professional analysts of crime scene data by working with the latest technology. In order to gain the expertise needed, various top schools provide the latest lab equipment for DNA analysis, as well as more standard technologies such as biological and weapons identification.

When selecting the best forensic school for your career, you should look at the forensic science focus as well as the quality of the college’s general science offerings. Students in forensic science will need a solid background in chemistry, physics and biology, in addition to specialized lab courses. Many school offer course work in forensic science within their general science offering, but if you’re seeking an immediate career in forensic science, then you should seek out a university with a dedicated degree.

Three of the best forensic science universities are the University of Mississippi, the University of Central Florida and Loyola University in New Orleans. Read the rest of this entry »

As part of my postgraduate research I did a lot of work on Social Network Theory and Social Capital — two academic theories from the social sciences field. This was before the rise of online social networking sites. I recently revisited some of the work I did, and I became interested in mapping the concept of Social Capital to online social networks as they exist today. In order to to that, here is first a definition and explanation (pulled from my dissertation):

Closely related to social network theory is the theory of ‘social capital’ which deals with the intrinsic value of network structures. In general terms, social capital “consists of resources embedded in social relations and social structure, which can be mobilized when an actor wished to increase the likelihood of success in a purposive action” (Lin, 2001b). Lin (2001a) points out two important components concerning this definition:

• First, resources are embedded in social relations rather than in the individual. The properties of the network and an actor’s position in that network are more important than the actor himself.
• Second, access and use of these resources are dependent on an actor being aware of their presence. If an actor is not aware of ties or relationships between him and other actors, he cannot use the resources available to him. Social capital then seems not to exist, and will only come into existence for that actor once he becomes aware of it. The ability to identify networks and key role-players in these networks will therefore make it possible to identify social capital where the relevant actors may be completely unaware of them. The goal of finding the key actors in a network can therefore be likened to gauging the social capital of a network and finding value in networks where it was not previously observed. Read the rest of this entry »