FIRN MANAGEMENT BOARD

The Forensic Institute Research Network is managed by a Board drawn from the members of FIRN. The Board’s role is to provide strategic direction to FIRN, coordinate its numerous projects, and occassionally to act on behalf of the membership.

• Dr John P Cassella, Staffordshire University (Meetings & Conferences)
• Dr Paul Chin, Higher Education Academy (FORREST)
• Professor Mike Cole, Anglia Polytechnic University (Research/Journal)
• Dr Andrew Jackson, Staffordshire University (Research/Databases)
• Professor Allan Jamieson, The Forensic Institute (Chair)

• Professor Allan Jamieson, BSc, PhD, CBiol, FIBiol, AIBMS, MIHM Professor Allan Jamieson BSc PhD CBiol FIBiol AIBMS MIHM First Class (double) Honours BSc in Biology & Genetics PhD from the Forensic Science Unit at Strathclyde University. Fellow of the Institute of Biology Chartered Biologist Visiting Professor of Forensic Biology at Napier University Member of the Board of the Centre for Forensic Statistics and Legal Reasoning, Edinburgh Member of The Forensic Science Society Member of the editorial board of Clarke’s Analysis of Drugs & Poisons Vice Chairman of the Scottish Council of the Institute of Biology Provided written evidence and advice in over 150 cases in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and one case in the USA Given oral evidence in Scottish, English and Northern Irish courts, including 4 days of evidence on DNA in the Omagh Bomb trial of Sean Hoey. External examiner for forensic sciences at Dundee University, and Herriot-Watt University Co-Editor in Chief of Wiley’s Encyclopaedia of Forensic Sciences; and Published in peer-reviewed journals and others (e.g. Journal of the Law Society of Scotland, Barrister) Lectured to various groups on forensic science issues, (inter alia; the use and application of DNA, evidence evaluation), including; The Forensic Science Society (invited speaker, various) Mid Atlantic Forensic Science Association (invited speaker on DNA, May 2007) Scottish Judicial Studies Committee (invited speaker, evaluation of evidence, DNA) The Law Society of Scotland (various) The Law Society (various) Faculty of Advocates (Provide training days on a wide range of forensic scientific evidence) Glasgow Bar Association Bristol Law Society Royal Society of Edinburgh Open University International Association of Forensic Sciences (invited keynote speaker on Forensic Education, Hong Kong, 2005) Institute of Physics (invited speaker, DNA and forensic evidence) Expert Witness Institute Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association London Criminal Solicitors Association Many public lectures, radio and TV interviews Trained and practised in the design and analysis of experimental protocols statistical techniques chemical and biological laboratory procedures and equipment laboratory management assessment standards development scientific method Formerly Chair of the Institute of Biology in Scotland Business Manager for Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Physics at West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust Research Fellow and Associate at various universities performing post-doctoral scientific research Head of Lothian & Borders Police Forensic Science laboratory member of the United Kingdom Forensic Liaison Group Director of Forensic Alliance Honorary Fellow in Pathology, Edinburgh University Chair of the United Kingdom Forensic Toxicology Forum Chair of the Standards Committee and the Academic and Education Committee of the Forensic Science Society External examiner for forensic science at Kings College, London, and Hendon Police College, London. Member, UK Science Strategy Group (Science, Engineering, and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance - SEMTA) Chair, Biotechnology Steering Group (SEMTA) Chair, Professional Affairs Committee, Scottish Council of the Institute of Biology Initiated and chaired; Workshop on Random Sampling of Drugs Inter-laboratory Benchmarking Group on the Analysis of Drugs of Abuse Regional Toxicology Working Group (with PF and Pathologist) Chairman of conferences on; Drug analysis Identification and evaluation of trace evidence Forensic toxicology Sexual Offences DNA (e-symposium) Forensic Education (e-symposium) He was the keynote speaker on forensic education at the Internatioanl Association of Forensic Sciences Conference in Hong Kong, and, along with Lord Justices Clark, Auld and Mustill, and Professor Sir Alan Craft, on the subject of assessing the authority of expert witnesses at the Expert Witness Institute’s Annual Conference. He has appeared in numerous live and recorded TV and radio documentaries and news items and recently received an award from the Royal Society of Edinburgh for his outstanding contribution to Young People in recognition of his contribution to public science education. Formerly Head of Forensic Science for Lothian & Borders Police and was a Director of Forensic Alliance He has a Private Pilot’s Licence and is learning to play the piano, cycles, and plays 5-a-side weekly.

• Mr Kevin Lawton-Barrett, Canterbury Christ Church University College (Information/Education)
• Dr Andrew Morrisson, Robert Gordon University (Research/Conferences)
• Dr Paula Smith, Napier University (Research/Journal)
• Dr Raul Sutton, Wolverhampton University (FIRN Networks and communication)

The Board minutes are published on this website. You are welcome to send comments and ideas to the Board. If you would like to serve for a period on the Board, then please let us know.

To become a member of FIRN you must be an academic, practitioner, or postgraduate student with a legitimate interest in forensic science research or teaching.