This blog is part of our on-going Women in Technology series.
Sophie Beattie is the Director of Forensics and Expert Witness Services for Europe/Asia Pacific at Consilio and she is based in London. Sophie holds a degree in Computer Forensics and holds an EnCE certification as a certified computer forensic examiner. Although she joined Consilio over four years ago, Sophie has more than a decade of experience in the field. During her time within the digital forensics industry, she has worked on a variety of high-profile civil and criminal matters, assisting the courts with hundreds of cases in the United Kingdom as an expert witness. Past cases covered investigations into fraud, theft, harassment, murder, and child pornography.
To Sophie, the most exciting part of working at Consilio is working with her team and collaborating with clients and other experts across various cases.
How did you get into this industry?
In the final weeks of college I found out that I had achieved one of the highest grades in the whole department. Having dyslexia and often feeling overwhelmed, this gave me a huge confidence boost and encouraged me to continue my pursuit of a career in computing. I noticed that the course was male dominated, and I had often questioned whether this was the right path for me.
Whilst looking for computer courses at universities, I discovered that there was a new computer forensics course running at Northumbria University which caught my attention. At the time, there were few universities offering this.
Between the second and third year of the course, Northumbria University encouraged students to actively seek out a 12-month placement prior to finishing their degree to obtain some real-world experience in the field. I luckily found a small company in London which contracted police work. I was offered a placement and this gave me a head start to help me succeed in the digital forensic industry. The owner of the company threw me into the deep end, and although I was often overwhelmed with workload, I had to learn on the job and was treated and given the same responsibilities as the other workers. I would later realise that this was the best training and preparation I could have asked for.
Upon my return to university in order to complete my final year, I realised I was significantly ahead of my peers in numerous ways due to my time in the industry. I had been exposed to many areas of the digital forensics world and could independently work with many digital devices and artifacts that my peers weren’t familiar with. This confidence allowed me to really excel in my final year and obtain my degree and get back into the industry.
What were some pivotal moments in your career that helped to get you to where you are today?
During my time in the industry I have worked for companies specialising in different areas of eDiscovery and digital forensics.
After graduation, my first role was with a company who mainly dealt with criminal investigations. This allowed me to work closely with different police forces around the UK and the Isle of Man. The work was independent, gratifying and extremely interesting. No two days were the same and I obtained a lot of technical knowledge in this role.
I have also worked for the National Health Service (NHS) within their anti-fraud team. This gave me a new perspective within the industry. I was required to obtain an anti-fraud specialist qualification and branch out my skill set within the realms of investigations. This role required cross departmental teamwork to build often very large cases. I was working with surveillance teams, financial accountants, lawyers, and specialist raid teams. This allowed me to see that I was often the smaller piece of a much larger puzzle and how the work that I was conducting really could impact a large investigation.
Before moving to Consilio, I worked at a large corporate eDiscovery firm. This was a big contrast in comparison to the small and specialist teams I had been involved with in the past.
The experience gained from my previous roles covering many different aspects of the digital forensic world has been pivotal for me. I have seen and been exposed to many different case types and workflows and have witnessed how the workflows succeed and fail and learned valuable lessons. This has provided me with knowledge that has enabled me to educate businesses, internal staff and clients. I have been able to improve/create workflows and make a positive impact. Ultimately, all of my prior experience has assisted me in becoming a strong female leader within the digital forensics industry.
Have you ever noticed a time in your career where your gender proved to differentiate you?
I was one of two girls who attended the digital forensics course at Northumbria University. I often felt that I stuck out in the classroom due to my gender and had to work hard to prove myself.
The companies I have worked at over the past decade were male dominated. At my previous roles, I was the only female member in the digital forensics team.
What is your advice for someone working in a predominately male workplace?
I am a firm believer that gender should not matter in the workplace! Instead of worrying and concentrating on the ratios or potential bias, you should focus your energy on doing a good job and highlighting the strengths you have.
I believe that anyone can have a successful career in the digital forensics industry regardless of your gender.
What do you think companies could do to motivate more women to pursue careers in technology?
The industry has changed a lot since I first started. We see a lot more women working and thriving in the industry. However, it is still a male dominated environment.
In the past, I have been part of structured mentor programs that reach out to university students, which was perceived as hugely beneficial and encouraged women to enter this field. I would encourage other females in the industry to do this.
Companies can help by highlighting female digital forensic experts. If women who are looking to get into this industry can already see female leaders it will inspire them to work hard and be successful.
As a female leader, I would like to see more women break into the field.