"There were modules such as crime scene processing, for example,” explained Lucie Pepper who studied BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigation with a foundation year.
“We used the simulation suites a lot where we would go in and literally process a crime scene from top to bottom – take photographs, collect evidence and then we would take that evidence into the lab to analyse it all and, basically, find the culprit. And along the way, we've been taught the techniques to do that.
“Going in there and it being a real life setting, it just gives you an idea of how that would be in the real world."
Her lecturer Professor Claire Gwinnett is a world renowned researcher in microplastic analysis and, during her degree, Lucie also applied her forensic skills to environmental science.
For her final year project, Lucie investigated microplastic pollution in Lake Windermere in the first study of this lake. During her fieldwork in the Lake District, Lucie used her forensic knowledge to prevent contamination, sample water robustly and analyse the samples using forensic protocols.
The 24-year-old from Fenton said: “Nobody else has ever done this before, which was obviously really exciting. I went to the Lake District and was collecting water samples from the shoreline of the lake and then brought them back and analysed them all in the lab, which was amazing.
“I did find the research side of it really enjoyable. And the enjoyment I felt from that has led me to want to continue with a PhD."
Lucie was also a key member of a Forensic Field School expedition and joined fellow students in Bilbao to study microplastic pollution in the river Nervión.
She was the expedition kit lead and used her field skills from her final year project to support other students with their sampling, extraction and filtering whilst leading her team to ensure all sampling locations were completed.
"The stand out thing for me would be the trip that we went on to Bilbao in Spain. It was really, really fun to have some first-hand experience of microplastic pollution and how it is studied in the field.”
Lucie has graduated with a first class degree, and even achieved 100% in one of her modules. Now, she plans to stay at University of Staffordshire to continue researching microplastics.
"It feels absolutely amazing to be graduating with a first class degree. When you put that much hard work in, all you really want back is to be proud of what you've done and those grades really do give me that feeling.
"In September, I'm coming back to Staffs to do a PhD. So that's going to be me tied up for the next four years, which is mega exciting. I can't wait to get started with that!”
She added: "100% if somebody is thinking about it, then I would say definitely come to University of Staffordshire. The course teaches you not just the academic side of things, but so many skills far beyond what you could learn elsewhere."
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