Mark Baker Memorial Scholarship

DIGITAL FORENSICS SCHOLARSHIP The Mark Baker Memorial Scholarship
bakerAbout the Scholarship

For more than sixteen years, Mark Baker faithfully served the men and women of IACIS as an instructor, mentor, and ultimately as Training Manager, overseeing the Basic Computer Forensic Examiner (BCFE) and specialized courses.  Mark led an extraordinary and accomplished life as a soldier, Philadelphia Police Officer, Northern York County Regional Police Department (NYCRPD) Officer and Detective and was a devoted father of four children and grandfather of two.  The International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists has established the Mark Baker Memorial Scholarship to honor him after his tragic line-of-duty death.  This scholarship will provide a NYCRPD employee with one seat annually to any USA-based training event.

In addition, an annual competitive scholarship will be offered that will cover all costs to attend the IACIS Basic Computer Forensic Examiner 2-week training event, one of the most highly regarded industry certification courses in the world of digital forensics, OR two weeks of IACIS training in any of the specialized courses.

Funding for the ‘Mark Baker Memorial Scholarship’ (MBMS) is provided by IACIS and donors who support Mark’s mission and enable the recipient to attend the training.  IACIS will cover the training fees and accommodation expenses in full for the first-place submission.  The scholarship is available worldwide to attend the training in their region.  IACIS reserves the right to reasonably choose the appropriate venue.

The scholarship is open to both sworn and non-sworn (civilian) members of an agency performing digital forensics for law enforcement.  The distinguishing characteristic of the Mark Baker Memorial Scholarship, like Mark Baker himself, is an applicant’s character and the impact they have made through volunteering.  As stated in Mark’s obituary:

Mark proudly served his country as Military Police in the United States Army, where he received the Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Overseas Service Ribbon. He was recognized as an expert marksman in rifle and pistol shooting.

Outside of his professional life, Mark was a lifelong Scout, having earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He continued to serve the scouting community as a Cubmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster, guiding young people with wisdom and integrity. He also was Scout Leader in Korea, Germany, and served as advisor to the Northern York County Regional Police Explorers program.

Mark had many passions. He loved anything related to trains, dog training, and was part of a certified pet therapy team. Some of his greatest joys were hiking, hunting, camping, barbequing, and smoking meat with his friends and family. He was an avid fan of Alabama Crimson Tide Football, the Philadelphia Eagles and Flyers, and enjoyed computer technology, rodeos, and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Click here for the IACIS In Memoriam page.

Scholarship Benefits

Thanks to the generosity of IACIS and additional donors who support this memorial, the recipient selected to attend the BCFE Orlando event will receive: 

  • Full registration for the IACIS Basic Computer Forensic Examiner (BCFE) training in Orlando, Florida, including all course materials and equipment
  • Hotel accommodations for the training event 
  • Flights to and from the training event
  • Per Diem for the length of the training event
  • Access to select digital forensics software and/or professional development opportunities, when available through donor support  

Expenses not specifically covered by the scholarship, including incidentals such as airport parking and extra/overweight bags, are the responsibility of the recipient and/or her agency. 

Eligibility
  • Applicants must be employed by a law enforcement agency and assigned to conduct digital forensic investigations.
Application Requirements

Applications must include the following documents, combined and submitted as a single PDF using the filename format: Surname_First Name.pdf 

  1. Completed Application Form
  2. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  3. Essay of no more than 500 words describing the applicant’s career goals and how the applicant and their agency will benefit from BCFE training
  4. Signed letter from a top official of their agency, on agency letterhead, verifying the information provided in the application
Timeline
  • Applications accepted: September 1 – November 30
  • The MBMS Committee will decide on the scholarship recipient
  • Scholarship recipient and agency will be informed via the email addresses provided in the application form
  • Public announcement: January via IACIS ListServ and IACIS social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram)

How to Apply

All documents should be combined and submitted as a single PDF document and named in the following manner: Surname_First Name.pdf. Applications will be accepted from September 1 through November 30.  No later than December 30, a selection will be made from eligible and vetted applications. All Applicants will be informed of their status via e-mail as soon as a selection is made. The name and agency of the scholarship recipient will be announced in IACIS’ ListServ and social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram) in January of the following year.

Download the application and follow the instructions to email it to MarkBakerMS@iacis.com.

Download Application
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