Northumbria University

Research Centre, School of Life Sciences

About

COLLOQUIA
NUCFS organizes monthly colloquia to provide investigators, scientists and policy makers with analyses and insight into practice and ethics in the use of science in the Criminal Justice System. Scholars, scientists, professionals and students with an interest in the broad set of issues regarding forensic science are cordially invited to participate, see 'Talks'.

PUBLICATIONS
See ‘Books’ and ‘Paper’ for an overview/selection of publications by members of the Centre.

ABOUT
Northumbria University Centre for Forensic Science (NUCFS) was established on 1 January 2010 with a clear and ambitious mandate to provide investigators, scientists and policy makers with analysis and insight into practice and ethics in the use of science in the Criminal Justice System. Its interests encompass basic science, forensic science, and social studies of policy and practice in forensic science and the related domains of public health and safety, and human rights.

Members of the Centre – Prof Martin Evison (director), Dr Eleanor Graham, Dr Anika Ludwig, Dr Chris Maguire, Ray Palmer, Dr Victor Toom, and Prof Robin Williams – have a successful track record in research, research training and education in forensic science, and in initiating changes of policy and practice. They have worked with leading organisations in the sector, including the Association of Chief Police Officers, Home Office Forensic Science Regulator, Forensic Science Service, European Network of Forensic Institutes, Netherlands Forensic Institute, Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Australian Federal Police, Environmental Science and Research (New Zealand) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (United States), as well as with agencies in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Members of the Centre have participated in a number of human rights abuse and Disaster Victim Identification deployments. They have undertaken forensic case work in forensic archaeology and anthropology, forensic facial reconstruction, forensic facial comparison, DNA profiling, low-template DNA analysis, familial searching, and cases where the potential for innocent transfer of DNA evidence is at issue. They have assisted in police investigations into serious crime, and have been instructed by both Prosecution and Defence counsel.

Research has benefited from the support of the Royal Society, United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the European Union, Economic and Social Research Council (UK), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UK), Nuffield Foundation (UK), Wellcome Trust (UK), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Canada) and Technical Support Working Group (USA).

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