ASTON, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A new quarter million dollar high-tech forensics lab at Neumann University is helping students get a more hands-on education and local law enforcement get tools they need to solve crimes.
It’s part of a partnership between the university, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, and the Aston Township Police Department.
“This is cutting-edge technology that we have for our students to use,” said Stephen Bell, Neumann’s director of media relations.
“Local police can analyze digital devices that are seized and monitor video surveillance tape, even watch live feeds from cameras.”
Aston police detective Joe Walsh says the lab comes with a custom-made “supercomputer,” as well as “forensics tools that allow us to look for hidden files or deleted files, special tools that help to extract data from cell phones. We can even crack passwords, in certain cases.”
Bell says students who complete an internship or two in the lab will have real case experience to put on their resumes.
Senior cyber security major Matthew Revelas spent his semester as a lab intern, and he says working side by side with police was invaluable.
“There was a lot of good hands-on experience,” Revelas said. “Being able to put what we learned in the classroom to use in a real role setting — I definitely enjoy digital forensics a lot more now.”
Senior cybersecurity major Robert Licciardello says the lab gives students a step up from just being in the classroom.
“Interning here was awesome. I learned so many new things. I learned new forensics tools. It was so cool to watch surveillance footage, got to go out on calls. Just learning hands on in the field was super cool,” Licciardello said.
Walsh says the partnership and the education do not end in the lab.
“There’s also going to be courses, as well. The university offers digital forensics courses and then we’ll also be hosting different training for local law enforcement as well as our state and federal partners,” said Walsh.
The university is currently in the process of developing a digital forensics major.