Dr Kate Hewins

Background

Dr Kate Hewins completed her degree in Biology at the University of Edinburgh. This was followed by a MSc in Forensic Engineering at Cranfield University. Kate completed her PhD in 'Behind Armour Blunt Trauma to the Abdomen'. A post-doc position at Wayne State University under the leadership of Professor Cynthia Bir enabled Kate to work with multiple US and UK government agencies. The primary objective of her research at WSU was to perform an epidemiological study of the injuries that result from gunshots to personal body armour worn by Law Enforcement Personnel. The ability to assess the performance of armour, through real-life cases, aimed to provide the US' National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the UK's Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) with the ability to assess whether or not the current certification standards are adequate.

Kate has project managed multiple large scale defence contracts primarily focussing on protective systems to include ballistic, explosive and CBRN threats. Kate is a member of AMPEG (Advanced Materials for Protective Engineering Group) at Cranfield Defence and Security:

https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/centres/cranfield-forensic-institute/research-areas/advanced-materials-for-protective-engineering-blast-and-ballistics

Kate has designed bespoke workshops and courses focussing impact protection for the UK police and prison services and is passionate about educating our frontline.

Kate lectures across several M-Level courses including the forensic and counterterrorism programmes.

Research opportunities

- Impact and Trauma

- BABT

- Protective Systems for blast, ballistics and CBRN

- Illicit movement of Firearms

- Serial Number restoratioan

- Terrorrist threats and mitigation

Current activities

Kate is the current Director of the Forensic Programme MSc, the Course Director for the Forensic Ballistics MSc, PgDip and the Course Director of the EngD in Defence and Security.

Kate teaches on M-Level courses across CDS on firearms, ballistics, protection systems as well we trauma caused by weapons.

Clients

CAST

NIJ

TSWG

CTTSO

IMSL

Biokineics

DSTL

Publications

• Articles in journals
• Conference papers