Interview with Mr. Neilson of the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab

How and Why did you become interested in chemistry?
I have had an interest in science of all kinds as long as I can remember. Always curious about the world around me, nature, that sort of thing. Chemistry simply turned out to be a wonderful way of understanding the world. I took Chemistry in High School from a wonderful old guy, Dr. Kennedy. What I learned in that class really intrigued me. Then when I took freshman chemistry in college my professor told me he thought I had an aptitude for this stuff - nobody had ever told me I had an aptitude for anything so this came as a surprise. But he asked me if I would like a summer job working in a laboratory. I said I would, he arranged an interview, I got hired, and I have been doing chemistry ever since.

What kind of education did you receive?
I earned a bachelors degree in chemistry from the University of Utah. I've taken graduate level classes from a number of different schools but I never formally earned an advanced degree.

Please describe your job:
Presently I am working as a forensic scientist with the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab. I am assigned the kind of cases that require a chemical analysis. Most of the work is drug analysis, but I also analyze fire debris in arson cases, trying to recover petroleum products like gasoline, paint thinner, charcoal lighter, etc. from the fire scene.

How long have you been at your job?
I've worked for the state about thirteen years now.

How much and what kinds of chemistry do you typically use in a day?
What I do is largely analytical chemistry: substance identification using a variety of analytical tools and instrumentation. I am now working in management, supervising several other scientists so I don't get to work at the bench as much as I used to (or would like to do), but I still manage to do several cases each month.

Any favorite kinds of chemistry? Least favorite?
Organic chemistry and synthesis has been my favorite subject since college. I work a lot with law enforcement addressing the problem of illegal drug synthesis in our state and my background in synthesis has been a real help. I also enjoy using the analytical instrumentation and keeping it up and running. My favorite technique is infrared spectrophotometry. My least favorite kind of chemistry? Electrochemistry never thrilled me much.

Why is what you do important for the world, and how does chemistry help you do it?
My work directly affects the criminal justice system and the solving of crimes. I have had the privilege of helping to solve some difficult and challenging cases. I have to say that my chemistry training has served me very well over the years. I've been able to support my family, do something I enjoy that is mentally challenging, and perhaps do a little good in the world, all at the same time.

Do you know of one particularly important or rewarding thing you've done as a professional with your knowledge of chemistry?
I have spent the last eleven years working with detectives throughout the state in safely dismantling illicit drug manufacturing labs and thankfully have been able to do it without anybody getting hurt. This is a growing problem in many areas of the world; chemistry can do so much good but it can be abused as well. I like to think that my work has perhaps kept some innocent people from becoming victims of the greed of some pretty unscrupulous criminals.

Were you interested in other sciences or subjects throughout your high school or college education?
All science holds my interest - I enjoy teaching and training other people in my field, which to me is one of the most fascinating applications of science.

What would be your recommendation to a young person interested in chemistry as a profession?
Get all the math you can. Be curious, ask a lot of questions. Apply yourself. It's important to keep balance in your life, though. Science is wonderful, but so is music, literature, and art.

50 points if you can tell us the dissociation constant for perchloric acid (HClO₄) in water right off the top of your head.
Gee, I can't do that, but I can tell you about the time I was digesting some plant material with nitric acid, followed by perchloric. There was enough organic stuff left that the hot perchloric detonated and sprayed me with hot acid. Hey, just another day in the life of a chemist!

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