Imagine you’re a forensic scientist working in a crime lab. You work in one of the following units (choose one): Biology unit (DNA, pathology, blood analysis)
Physical sciences unit (chemistry, physics, geology)
Firearms unit (ballistics, bullet analysis, gun identification)
Document unit (questioned documents, document analysis, and imaging)
Digital unit (networks, databases, computer/smartphone data, internet activity)
Fingerprint unit (fingerprint analysis and identification)
Toxicology unit (drug testing and evidence analysis)
This year, you have a budget for new technology. Now’s your chance to make your lab stand out! But first, you’ll have to convince your lab manager that your idea is worth the cost.

Research
Do some research online to find an interesting new technology for your lab unit. It can be a technology that’s still in development or an existing technology that’s new and improved. It should relate to your specialty in some way.

Once you’ve found a new technology you like, answer the following questions.

What is the technology and how does it work? (one to two sentences)
How does your technology relate to your specialty? (one to two sentences)
What interests you about this technology? Why did you choose it? (two to three sentences)
Proposal
Now it’s time to convince the boss. Write a proposal to your manager about why your lab unit should have this great new technology. Your proposal should answer the following questions:

When was the technology developed? Give a brief history of the technology, including any important names and dates. Is it still being refined, or is it ready for use? (two to three sentences)
Why is this technology better than older technology? What are its benefits? (two to three sentences)
Has the technology been used in any criminal cases recently? If so, describe one. If not, give an example of how you think it could be used in a modern criminal case. (two to three sentences)
Give an example of a criminal case from the past that would have benefited from this technology, if it had existed back then. (two to three sentences)
Are there any drawbacks to the technology or challenges in using it? Can it be further improved? Explain. (two to three sentences)
Sum up your findings. Why should your lab get this technology? (two to three sentences)