Forensic Engineering: On the Trail of Truth

By Robin C. Peress
Posted June 4, 2009
Today's Engineer

"Forensic" is nearly a household word today, thanks to a nightly splatter of courtroom, crime lab and police shows on TV. Despite being synonymous with gruesome investigations, forensics — derived from the word forum— actually refers to any juncture where specialized professional knowledge is brought to bear in a legal setting to establish and shed light on the facts of a civil or criminal case, or sometimes regarding insurance claims, contract disputes and regulatory matters.

Forensic engineers—electrical and electronics, civil, structural, mechanical and so on— investigate and reconstruct failures in buildings, structures, facilities, vehicles and other engineered products and systems, according to the National Academy of Forensic Engineers (NAFE).

Forensic engineers refer to their fact–finding missions as "reverse engineering"—for example, unraveling a cable to see if it was inadequately insulated in an electrocution case, or backtracking minute by minute to determine how, when and where a wayward ship's electromechanical systems failed. Often it's not one culprit but a weak link in the man–machine interface.

According to Dr. Gabriel Robins, professor of computer science in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, "In some ways it's similar to doing pure research in that you are following leads and digging through reference materials, but in the forensic process you are not necessarily pushing the boundaries of knowledge forward. You are exhuming knowledge that is already there. It is very methodical, relentless work; the I thing you are looking for could be very basic, just a grain of truth, but it's very gratifying when you come upon it."

Forensic professionals usually bring to the table longstanding competence in their field, substantial peer recognition; an active role in professional organizations, a knack for translating esoteric concepts into layman's terms, and above all, unassailable professional integrity. And forensic engineering is a consulting niche that one gravitates to often after serving decades as a manager in industry or government, or in a high academic position. "Most NAFE members are about 30 years past their PE license and on their second, third or fourth career," said Marvin Specter, NAPE's executive director. To get started, he added, "one may seek out lawyers or insurance companies or corporations that may have a need for their expertise." Specter described the work as intellectually challenging and offering compensation in "multiples of the pay" an engineer might make working for someone else.

NAPE'S Guidelines for the PE. as a Forensic Engineer is a must-read for anyone considering this area of consulting. For more information, see National Academey of Forensic Engineers. The American Academy of Forensic Sciences has an Engineering Sciences Section for career guidance as well.

Robin Peress (www.robinperess.com) is a freelance writer in New York City.
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