Ashley Stein ’23

When Ashley Stein graduated from Pitt-Bradford in 2023 with a degree in Forensic Science and a concentration in chemistry, she knew she wanted a career that blended her love of science with her passion for justice. Today, Stein’s doing exactly that as a forensic scientist in the criminal forensics department at RJ Lee Group, where she plays a direct role in the criminal justice system.

In her role, Stein’s day-to-day work is highly technical and deeply meaningful. Most days begin at the scanning electron microscope, the instrument central to her specialty: gunshot residue analysis. “My typical day usually has me working with the scanning electron microscope,” she explains. “Since my work is in gunshot residue analysis, my day-to-day involves working with different pieces of evidence that I am analyzing for gunshot residue.”

In the lab, Stein’s responsibilities span the full lifecycle of forensic evidence. “I receive, process, analyze, and report on evidence,” she says. “And I testify in court when needed.” Testifying has become one of her favorite parts of the job. “It feels a little nerve-inducing at first,” she admits, “but after the first testimony it felt more like I was just educating others about gunshot residue analysis. It’s also cool to visit new places when I testify.”

Above all, a strong sense of purpose keeps Stein motivated. “My work makes me feel like I am making a difference in the world,” she says. “I feel like I play a role in the criminal justice system.” Through her career, she’s learned something important about herself: “I learned what I need to feel fulfilled in my career. By getting to do the work that I do, I feel like I make a difference. It gives me a greater purpose.”

Long before entering the field, Stein’s path to forensic science began in middle school. “I got interested in forensics around middle school after taking a career evaluation test,” she recalls. “I had a love for justice as well as the sciences.” That combination of curiosity, compassion, and scientific drive, eventually led her to Pitt-Bradford.

While at Pitt-Bradford, Stein strengthened that passion and prepared for the technical demands of her field. “Pitt-Bradford helped me keep and enhance my passion for forensics,” she says. “I got opportunities to work with different instrumentations, which helped me develop skills to not only learn new instrumentation but become proficient on new instruments.”

Along the way, Stein’s professors also played a major role, especially Dr. Choo. “She is a professor that any forensics student is lucky to meet,” she says. “Not only do you learn so much from her, but you know she cares about her students and the education they receive.”

Looking back, Stein sees a clear connection between her education and her career. “My experiences at Pitt-Bradford fueled my passion for forensics,” she says, “and that passion has continued on into my work today.”