Forensic Institute News and Events
Secrets of Everything
Dr Anna Williams and the Forensic Fieldwork Facility will be appearing in the current BBC 3 programme "Secrets of Everything". Further Information: Secrets of Everything
New PhD Student
The Centre for Forensic Anthropology Research would like to welcome a new part-time PhD student, Lindsay Cooper. Lindsay's research is focussed on determining how the material and mechanical properties of bone change with age of the individual, and if they have an effect on the bone's response to trauma. Lindsay started her research in January 2012, and is being supervised by Dr Anna Williams and Dr Peter Zioupos
Why So Many Women in Forensic Anthropology?
As a result of a very successful presentation given by Dr Anna Williams entitled "Femmes Fatales: Why Women Dominate the Discipline of Forensic Anthropology" at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in Chicago last year, Anna has been collaborating with colleagues in the USA to determine why the discipline of Forensic Anthropology seems to be more appealing to women than to men, and why women outnumber men enrolled on Forensic Anthropology courses. Further Information: Why So Many Women.........
Dr Andrew Shortland Invited to Lecture at Harvard and Oxford
Dr Andrew Shortland, Reader in Forensic Archaeomaterials at Cranfield Forensic Institute (CFI) was recently invited to give seminars in two of the most prestigious universities in the world. Further Information: Dr Andrew Shortland
Ask a Stupid Question
Dr Anna Williams has just finished filming with the BBC for a new science adventure programme called 'Ask A Stupid Question'. Further Information: Ask a Stupid Question
What's the Point of......
Dr Peter Zioupos featured in “What’s the point of” in the September issue of Eureka, the monthly science supplement included with The Times.
Peter answers were concerned with the subject of Biomechanics under the headings of: What is it? What is it used for? And the benefits? Further Information: What's the Point of.........
Channel 4 Documentary - Nelson's Navy: Back from the Dead
"Nelson's Navy: Back from the Dead" was broadcast on Sunday the 4th of September at 8.00pm on Channel 4. This documentary once again highlighted the work of Cranfield Forensic Institute at Haslar Royal Naval Hospital. The programme focussed on the work of a joint project between Cranfield Forensic Institute and Oxford University which examines the skeletal remains recovered from the burial grounds at Haslar, Plymouth and Greenwich Naval Hospitals.
What is this Bone?
The Centre for Forensic Anthropological Research would like to announce the launch of its 'What is this bone?' service, which is open to police officers, crime scene investigators, archaeologists and interested lay people. It offers a fast turn-around bone identification service, which can help to reduce the money and time wasted arranging for experts to attend crime scenes to identify objects that may or may not be bones. Information regarding whether the bone is indeed a bone, whether it is animal or human, and whether a full investigation is necessary can be given quickly, as long as a good quality photograph of the bone is taken.
CFI Open Day - 2011
On the 17th May Cranfield Forensic Institute held its Open Day for the Forensic Programme. Further Information: Open Day
I'm a Scientist, Get Me Out of here!
Dr Anna Williams will be taking part in the online competition "I'm a Scientist, Get Me Out Of Here!"
Funded by the Wellcome Trust it is an award-winning science enrichment and engagement activity. Further Information: I'm a Scientist!
Forensic Science Society Accreditation for Forensic MSc's
We are delighted to announce that all five themes of the Forensic Programme have been formally accredited by the Forensic Science Society. Further Information: Accreditation
CFI Members Attend Forensic Conference in Chicago
A group of CFI members attended the 63rd American Academy of Forensic Sciences Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Further Information: Chicago Conference
CFI Research Fellow Conducts Study of Rock-cut tombs in Crete.
Research Fellow Peter Masters has been utilising geophysics to identify the location of ancient rock-cut tombs on the island of Crete. Further Information: Rock-cut Tombs
Success for CFI in Denver
Cranfield Forensic Institute was well represented at a recent international X-ray conference held in Denver. Members of CFI attended along with their collaborators at Nottingham Trent University. There were several oral seminars and posters presented by CFI. Two of the CFI posters won awards for Best Poster Presentation. Further Information: Success for CFI in Denver
CFI Plays Host to Overseas Students
Cranfield Forensic Institute has recently had the pleasure of hosting visiting research students from Universities in France and Portugal. Further Information: Overseas Students
Plugstreet Reburial
In 2008 the body of a missing World War 1 soldier was uncovered during archaeological excavation at the site of Plugstreet (Plogsteert) in Belgium. Cranfield University has since been involved in the process of identifying the missing soldier. Further Information: Plugstreet Reburial
Time Team Special - Nelson's Hospital
Members of the Cranfield Forensic Institute including Dr Andrew Shortland and Dr Anna Williams appeared in a Time Team Special on Channel 4 which was broadcast on the 17th May. Further Information: Nelson's Hospital
St Neots' Hidden History
Cranfield University’s archaeology expertise has uncovered hidden history as part of a wider Heritage Lottery Funded initiative aimed at enhancing the knowledge of St Neots’ past.The preliminary results indicate the former remains of 19th century buildings including a factory. Some traces of walls may denote the remains of the Priory. Further Information: St Neots'
More News from Haslar
The continuing excavations at the Royal Hospital at Haslar have unearthed the skeleton of one of the first sailors to join the movement to abolish slavery. Further Information: Haslar
Studying Site of Rwandan Massacre
The University has teamed up with Inforce, an independent charity specialising in the forensic investigation of genocide, to study the site of a notorious Rwandan massacre.
An estimated 1,000,000 people were killed in 100 days during the massacres which followed the death of the Rwandan President in 1994, with the Murambi site seeing the slaughter of 40,000 people in just three days.: Further Information: Studying Site of Rwandan Massacre
Skillsmark Quality Award
As part of its continuing programme of development in forensics Cranfield University has be awarded the Skillsmark quality mark and is a Skillsmark Recognised Provider of education and training programmes for the Justice sector. Further Information: Skillsmark
CFI Member of Staff at Unique Excavation of WWI Mass Graves
Roland Wessling, Research Fellow in Forensic Archaeology & Anthropology, is participating in a groundbreaking and unique excavation, in which around 250 British and Australian soldiers from WWI are being exhumed. Those soldiers had fought at the 1916 battle of Fromelles in Northern France and were buried by German troops in six similar mass graves. Further Information: Fromelles Excavations
Wooden Ships and Iron Men: Continuing Excavations at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, Gosport
The Centre for Archaeological and Forensic Analysis (CAFA), DASSR, Cranfield University, continues its series of excavations on the site of the burial grounds of the Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport, on the Hampshire coast of southern England. The work is part of a wider Land Quality Assessment in partnership with Defence Estates, an arm of the Ministry of Defence, who are forming plans for the future of the Hospital site when it ceases to be operational in late 2009 or 2010. The nature and extent of the Haslar burial grounds is significant as they will fundamentally affect any future plans for the property.
Further Information: the Haslar excavations
Forensic Institute Awards
Dr Peter Zioupos and Enda Minnock attended the SimBio-M conference which was held from 1st -3rd July 2009 in Juan les Pins, France
Enda won the student prize award with his presentation on: ‘Simulating the Passage of Ultrasound Through the Phalanx’ and Peter was voted the best keynote speaker.
Honoured For His Biomechanics Work
Dr Peter Zioupos of Cranfield Defence and Security has recently been awarded the Degree of Doctor of Science from Strathclyde University, following recommendation by the University's Higher Doctorates Committee, for his work on the very specialised topic of "composite aspects of basic bone biomechanics: structure/function relationships and applications".
Further information: the award to Peter Zioupos
CFI Staff Contribute to New Forensics Book
Dr Anna Williams and Tracy Temple have contributed to a newly published book titled "Criminal and Environmental Soil Forensics".
Soils have important roles to play in criminal and environmental forensic science. Since the initial concept of using soil in forensic investigations was mooted by Conan Doyle in his Sherlock Holmes stories prior to real-world applications, this branch of forensic science has become increasingly sophisticated and broad.
Award Winning Bladder Stone
The analysis of a urinary stone from an Anglo-Saxon juvenile burial has produced award winning results for Sophie Beckett from the Cranfield Forensic Institute..
A presentation of the results won the prize for best presentation, in the Under-30 category, at the Awards for the Presentation for Heritage Research in September 2008. The event, part of the British Association Festival of Science, enables researchers to present their work to a wide public audience.
Further information: the award presented to Sophie Beckett
Blog site for the archaeological investigation at Ploegsteert (Plugstreet), Belgium.
The investigation on First World War trenches using geophysics took place next to Factory Farm, Ploegsteert (Plugstreet) near Messines between 27th July to 5th August 2007.
Recent discoveries (2008) include the uncovering of the body of a missing World War 1 soldier.
Forensics MSc Project Featured in Police Professional Magazine
The police are well aware of the link between alcohol and violent crime. The British Crime Survey 2006/7 reveals there were 1,087,000 violent incidents where the victim believed the offender/s to be under the influence of alcohol. This accounts for 46% of all violent incidents and furthermore, 5% of violent incidents involved the use of a bottle or glass as a weapon. In the majority of incidents where a glass has been thrown or thrust at the victim fracture occurs on impact and in most cases leads to facial injuries.
Based on a proposal by forensics MSc students Tony Webb and Sara Awar Dr Lane (Reader in Analytical Physics and Advanced Materials), Gary Wright (Materials Scientist), and their colleagues set out to answer the question: “Can anything be learnt about a violent incident from the distribution of beer glass debris?”.
Police Professional Report, Smashing Evidence
Ecology, Maggots, Mandibles and Murder
Cranfield Forensic Institute hosted the Forensic Science Society's Young Forensic Scientists Seminar this September. The day long Seminar entitled 'Ecology, Maggots, Mandibles and Murder' included lectures and workshops and was aimed at aspiring forensic scientists.
Archaeological Excavations at Haslar
During 2007 the Centre for Archaeological and Forensic Analysis (CAFA) at Shrivenham started historical and archaeological research on the site of the burial grounds at the historic Royal Hospital Haslar (RHH), Gosport, Hampshire. The work forms part of a wider land quality assessment in joint partnership with the Defence Estates (MOD) who are informing future plans for the hospital site.The research work aims to shed light on burial remains and enable CAFA to carry out further analytical analysis of the remains such as determine the age, sex, health, diet, cause of death, as well as study the types of trauma the ordinary seamen suffered at the time of Nelson and in particular during the Battle of Trafalgar campaign.
Further information: the excavations at the Royal Hospital Haslar
Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology MSc Student Appears in The Independent
In an article entitled "CSI: Dog Squad", the use of dogs to detect the presence of decomposing human remains was discussed. Helena Rogers' MSc project examined and analysed the various gases given off by pigs at different stages of the decomposition process, with a view to determining which compounds are detected by cadaver dogs and at what stage this occurs.
Cranfield Inforce Staff Teaching Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology in Bogota, Colombia
For over a year, the Cranfield Forensic Institute (CFI), the Inforce Foundation and the Colombian organisation AFFIC have worked on the ‘Diplomado Internacional en Arqueologia y Antropologia Forense’. The aim of this project was to establish a long term forum for theoretical and practical education in forensic archaeology, anthropology and other forensic sciences to internationally acknowledged standards in Colombia. The first installation of the programme happened in April 2008, when Roland Wessling (CFI/Inforce) and Ambika Flavel (Inforce) went to Bogota for four weeks where they prepared and delivered a series of lectures, seminars and workshops.
Cranfield Forensic Institute Teaching in Bogota
Cranfield Inforce at California State University
In the United States, forensic archaeology is generally looked at as a sub-discipline of forensic anthropology with minor importance. While great efforts are made to analyse skeletal human remains in the laboratory, the recovery using proven archaeological methodologies is often neglected. To make a first step towards changing this attitude, California State University, Chico, the Inforce Foundation and the Cranfield Forensic Institute ran the first short course in ‘Forensic Archaeology: Field Recovery Methods’Cranfield and Inforce were represented by Roland Wessling, research officer in forensic archaeology and anthropology, whose main speciality is in atrocity crime investigations and the use of simulation exercises in forensic training and exercising. Within a few days of announcing the course, 25 students and professionals had already booked all the available places.
Further information regarding Cranfield Forensic Institute at California State University
Checking the Chalice
Dr Andrew Shortland and colleagues within the CFI have recently established the authenticity of an early 13th Century enamelled gilt chalice previously thought to be a Victorian copy.
Further information: Dr Andrew Shortland establishing the authenticity of the gilt chalice
Former Forensic Student Appears On TV
Nikki Woolmore, a former Forensic Engineering and Science MSc student, has appeared on national television on numerous occasions most recently on the National Geographic Channel
Read Nikki Woolmore's full case study here
Battlefield Search
Research Officer Peter Masters has been involved in an archaeological project surrounding one of Britain's most contentious battles. Fought on 22 August 1485, the Battle of Bosworth is one of the most influential British battles.Today Bosworth is also the most contentious battle, due both to the lack of surviving documentary evidence and the unknown location of the battlefield. While the location of Henry and Richard's camps are known, the battlefield is not.
Inforce Moves to the Cranfield Forensic Institute
Inforce is a UK based charity concerned with the location, recovery and identification of victims of mass fatality events, whether man-made, accidental or natural disasters.
Inforce moves to the Cranfield Forensic Institute
Return to the Cranfield Forensic Institute
Professor Keith Rogers
T: +44 (0)1793 785399
E: k.d.rogers@cranfield.ac.uk
Centre for Archaeological and Forensic Analysis
Centre for Forensic Anthropology Research
