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Master
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Forensic Science

Stijn van Lierop (Bsc: AI)

After doing a bachelor’s in artificial intelligence (AI), I wanted to broaden my perspective and use my AI knowledge in a practical and societally relevant way. When I heard about the master Forensic Science, this seemed like the perfect place to do this! I was very interested in all classical forensic techniques, but also how AI could be used to develop new methods. During my research project I got to apply all that I learned and combine my digital and forensic expertise as I developed an iPad app that crime scene investigators can use to estimate time since death on the crime scene.

I did my literature thesis at the forensic big data analysis team of the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI). Just before I graduated, a job position opened up and soon after I landed my current job there as a forensic data scientist. In our team we develop all sorts of AI and data science applications to aid in criminal investigations. We work with many different disciplines which makes the broad and interdisciplinary background provided by the master very useful.  

This broad perspective is also what makes the master unique in my opinion. My advice would therefore be to use the opportunities given by the master to network and gather knowledge beyond your own area of expertise. In addition, I would advise to also remember to have fun during your studies. I have many good memories from my time at the master’s, but next to the knowledge I gained, it is the lifelong friends I made that I am grateful for the most! 

Stijn van Lierop

For the future, I hope to continue develop new methods that we can apply in casework. The incredible pace with which AI technologies such as deepfakes and generative AI are evolving also bring up new forensic questions. How cool is it then to get to develop new methods that can answer the forensic questions of tomorrow!