The paradigm shift for UK forensic science - further discussion

Professor Sue Black is Director of the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of Dundee and Deputy Principal.  She is a forensic anthropologist and an anatomist, founder and past President of the British Association for Human Identification, and advisor to the Home Office and Interpol on issues pertaining to forensic anthropology in disaster victim identification (DVI). 

She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh), a Fellow of the Society of Biology and a certified forensic anthropologist.  She was awarded an OBE in 2001 for her services to forensic anthropology in Kosovo, the Lucy Mair medal for humanitarian services and a police commendation for DVI training in 2008. She was awarded both the Brian Cox and the Stephen Fry awards for public engagement with research and in 2013 her Centre was awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.

Niamh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Mathematics from the Dublin Institute of Technology and Trinity College Dublin and received her doctorate in bio inorganic chemistry from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.  She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the Open University.

Niamh has been involved in the development of policy and practice in forensic science, particularly in fire investigation and leads teams developing protocols for professional practice in fire investigation for both the UK and Europe. She was on council of the Chartered Society for Forensic Science (the UK professional body) for 9 years.  She is the current chair of the European fire and explosion investigation working group of ENFSI (the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) and chairs the coordinating committee for the INTERPOL forensic science managers symposium.  She also serves as vice chair of the scientific advisory board of the International Criminal Court. She was also editor in chief of Science and Justice for 6 years.  

She has published over 100 peer reviewed research papers in the forensic sciences, delivered over 150 conference presentations at National and International conferences and holds a grant portfolio in excess of 1.5 million pounds.  Her research team are International and multi disciplinary.  They undertake operationally relevant research work related to fire investigation, drug chemistry, fingerprint enhancement, ballistics, tool marks and ink analysis and has received awards for her research and public engagement

She undertakes independent casework in fire scene investigation, terrorist cases and the investigation of clandestine drugs.