Alumni Profile: Jack Hurd '93 B.S. Chemistry

"I'm just a nerdy chemist," says forensic scientist Jack Hurd.

Working in Alaska's Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory, UAA alum Jack gets to see a variety of cases. Some are gruesome; all are interesting. His first experience on the job involved a tragic accident with over a dozen dead. That's pretty heavy. Does the job ever get to him in an emotional way?

Jack says, "Yes, but when it's your job, you set aside the morbid sense of death to do what you were hired to do-help answer questions in an investigation via the collection and analysis of physical evidence."

Sometimes the work seems routine, but he says it is always intriguing. On a daily basis he interacts with gifted scientists, savvy attorneys and inquisitive investigators. At other times he is involved in teaching forensics to law enforcement academies, detectives, college students and prosecutors. To keep up on the latest in forensic science, he receives the highest caliber of training to include workshops put on by the FBI and the DEA.

Jack explains how the word forensic comes from the Latin adjective forensis, meaning "of or before the forum." In Roman times, a criminal charge meant presenting the case before a group of public individuals in the forum. Thus, as difficult as the job may be at times, he greatly enjoys his contribution to the debate with fair and impartial evidence he gleans from his scientific analysis.

About five years ago, an Alaska senator took the lead in trying to get Salvia divinorum, a drug with hallucinogenic effects, banned in Alaska. Salvia, a species of sage, isn't banned under the federal Controlled Substances Act, but more than a half dozen states have made it illegal through state law. Alaska is one of about a dozen more trying to do the same thing.

As a forensic scientist, Jack was tasked with becoming knowledgeable about Salvia so he could educate others about it. He began an extensive research project that involved the chemical analysis of the 900-1200 known species of Salvias. The goal was to determine if any other species besides Salvia divinorum contains the same psychoactive ingredient.

At the time he began his research, crime labs throughout the nation knew very little about the plant. It did not take long for forensic scientists in other states to begin calling him for answers to their Salvia divinorum questions. Rumor spread quickly that he was the Salvia expert.

Another part of his job is providing expert court testimony on lab results of tested evidence. Jack says the challenge is to take the scientific jargon he uses everyday and translate it into words that are understandable to a jury without talking down to them. To do this, he thinks about how he would describe the scientific procedures and results to his mother. As he explains it, 'he dare not talk down to her, or else face the consequences of an angry woman.'  But he also realizes, like many people, she is not familiar with high-tech instrumentation and scientific terminology. So he attempts to explain the science behind what he does without offending the intelligence of others.

He also describes the challenge of trials and working with the judicial system. In theory, it is about telling "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." However, in reality, the presentation of the scientific evidence is often watered down or distorted by creative attorneys. Crafty lawyers can twist the facts simply by the way they word their questions.

"I want the truth to be told; it's about integrity. If you lack integrity, you should get out of the business. A defendant is someone's son, sister, mother or friend-a person's life may rest in the balance of what I say. Their entire life can be destroyed if I am not careful. Therefore, I work hard to make sure what I present before a jury is not a distortion of the facts."

Always the one to challenge himself, Jack applied and was accepted at Harvard University and other schools, but decided to attend UAA because of its convenient location and affordability. He says, "Harvard may offer a title and some may argue a slightly better education, but I was able to graduate without any debt and my peers from those more prestigious schools are getting paid the same wage."

How did Jack get involved in forensic science? He lays out his pragmatic line of thought like this, "I thought about obtaining an English degree, but ultimately, going to school for me was about getting a job and putting food on the table. Biology was interesting, but somewhat limited. A degree in chemistry opens up doors to many opportunities."

Jack says he worked his guts out to obtain his degree. Chemistry did not come easy for him. He observed how classes started out with about 100 students but would dwindle down to the few who were naturally gifted or willing to make that concerted effort. He says, "I may not have been the brightest in class, but I sure worked for it."

One of the people at UAA who positively influenced Jack is chemistry professor Dr. Jerzy Maselko. Jack says, "Jerzy is a student advocate. He clearly loves the students and helping people. His door is always open and he helps students see the potential of a chemistry degree. Jerzy also encouraged us to go on tours to discover the diverse fields that chemists are employed in."

It was on one of those tours that Jack decided his future career. From the first time he walked into the state crime lab building he knew that was where he wanted to work. So he talked to then director of the crime lab, UAA alum George Taft. At the time, there wasn't a job available.  However, Jack asked the director if he could check in with him periodically to show he was serious about working at the crime lab. And go back he did; at least once a week!

When he graduated in 1993, Jack got a job in an environmental lab. But his determination and persistence through his college years paid off. One day he got a phone call at work: a crime scene processing position had opened up at the crime lab. He applied and got the job.

What does the future hold for this pragmatic scientist? Jack says, "This is as good as it gets for me. I get to do what I love, I get to travel throughout Alaska and I get to spend quality time with my family."