Morgan Korzik with a copy of his new book. Credit: UNH
Though Morgan Korzik never knew his great grandfather who served as a police officer in Chicago in the 1920s, Korzik was fascinated and inspired to learn about his career and dedication to service. While reading newspaper articles about his work as part of a school project, Korzik was amazed by how far his great grandfather would go to help others—including intervening in a bank robbery while off duty—an act of bravery that left him partially blind. Korzik says it was his great grandfather who inspired him to pursue a career in forensic science, a field that he, too, loves because it enables him to help others.
As a child, Korzik was also interested in drawing and painting, dreaming of becoming an artist before he discovered his passion for forensic science. He recently found a way to combine both interests—as well as his passion for education—while writing and illustrating his very first children’s book.
“Scene to Scientist” is an introduction to forensic science for kids of all ages—in particular, older elementary school kids to those early in their high school careers.
“With this book, I wanted to provide a foundation that gets young students thinking about their own futures as well as the future of science,” explains Korzik, a recent graduate of the University of New Haven's graduate program in forensic science. “Forensic science books for children are often very clear-cut in describing what the evidence can tell us, but I wanted to provide information that could spark young scientists to ask more questions rather than just telling them what they need to know.”
Passionate about education, Korzik has volunteered for years at a museum where he conducts science experiments with kids. He found the kids to be very curious and interested in science, asking questions and eager to learn as much as they could about topics such as forensic science and chemistry. While he had often heard that kids did not care about science— forensic science, in particular—he found that to not be true at all. It also inspired him to write the book to ignite kids’ interest in science.
“I wanted to create a book that could allow kids to learn about these concepts in an appropriate and engaging way,” he explains.
While creating this book, Korzik also drew on his artistic background. He’d mainly made art a hobby since discovering his passion for science, but now he had the opportunity to marry these interests. He also wanted kids to know they didn’t have to choose between art and science.
“When I was still pursuing my undergraduate degree, I noticed many of my peers fit all of the classic ‘left-brain’ criteria,” he said. “There was a period during which I questioned if I could even make it as a scientist because I felt that I was more classically ‘right-brained.’ It was important to me to both write and illustrate the book to show aspiring scientists, who might be having the same thought, that scientists are both analytical and creative. When scientists think in different ways, we can better collaborate and innovate.”
A forensic DNA technologist for Bode Technology, a forensic science company that provides forensic DNA testing, Korzik helps in the DNA analysis of reference and evidence samples, focusing on forensic biology and DNA analysis. He says he enjoyed creating the book, and he looks forward to eventually developing something even more advanced and in-depth in the field of forensic biology.
“The forensic science program at the University of New Haven made me feel confident in my ability to be a forensic scientist and provided me with the information, support, and guidance I needed to make that dream happen,” he said. “Much of the information in the book is inspired by the way faculty in the program explained concepts, as their word choices resonated and stuck with me. I had the privilege of working as a graduate teaching assistant while at the University, and I incorporated aspects of that into the book as well.”
Republished courtesy of University of New Haven.