Western Australia Branch

I have worked in the field of forensic biology for over twenty years, and am currently the Manager of Quality, Safety, Training and Risk for the Forensic Biology Department of PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA. I commenced my PhD in 2020 investigating understandings and communication of quality issues in forensic science.

I am an early-mid-career academic teaching forensic science, chemistry and scientific research. My own research specialises in exploring data-driven approaches for trace evidence analysis and document examination. I also have professional experience in private and public analytical laboratories, plus a strong interest in promoting science engagement.

I am the Team Leader in Physical Evidence of ChemCentre’s Forensic Science Laboratory. Working at ChemCentre for over 15 years, my expertise is transfer evidence like paint, glass, fibres and soils. I have reported over 300 cases and testified in criminal trials in Australia and New Zealand.

I have been involved in forensic science education, community engagement and research for over 20 years. I currently lead the Forensic and Analytical Chemistry Research Group at Curtin University, where my research is focussed on chemical techniques applied to forensic analysis, particularly in relation to latent fingermarks and trace evidence.

I am the co-ordinator of the Forensic Science Major at Edith Cowan University and lecture in Forensic Genetics and various Forensic skill development units. I am a member of the Simulation & Immersive Digital Technologies Group at ECU, actively pursuing novel and equitable methods to enhance student learning.

I am Chair of postgraduate forensics at Murdoch University and co-director of Cold Case Review @ Murdoch, a not-for-profit initiative tackling unsolved homicide and missing persons cases. I come from a practitioner background of over 10 years. My research is in the areas of cold cases and defence forensics.

I am a Chemist in Coronial Toxicology at ChemCentre. I conduct qualitative and quantitative testing and data analysis on complex biological matrices for drugs and poisons using various analytical instrumentation including LCMS-QQQ, LC-QTOF-MS, HPLC-DAD, GC-MS and GC-FID. The work I do contributes to the provision of expert evidence for casework related to Coronial, Traffic and WA Police matters.

I graduated as medical doctor in 1998, specialising in forensic pathology and legal medicine. I amassed an extensive forensic casework. I’ve been lecturing since 2018 and joined the Faculty of Health Sciences at Curtin University in 2024. I completed my PhD in 2023 and my areas of interest include forensic imaging, pathology, toxicology and veterinary forensics.

 Dr Zuzana Obertová is currently a Lecturer in forensic anthropology at the University of Western Australia. She is the Vice-President of the Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe (FASE), Assistant Editor at Forensic Science International, certified technical assessor for facial image comparison, and co-editor of the book ‘Statistics and Probability in Forensic Anthropology’. Her current research interests encompass morphological assessment of skeletal remains, trauma analysis, stable isotope analysis, and facial image comparison. 

Named in honour of Western Australian forensic odontologist Dr Frank Digwood, this award is open to a General, Life, or Student member demonstrating excellence in the forensic sciences to present at the ANZFSS International Symposium. Nominees will be assessed based on their submitted application for an ANZFSS Symposium Award, with the Scholarship consisting of a top-up award to a successful application.

The WA Branch reserves the right not to award the Frank Digwood Scholarship if no suitable candidates meeting the criteria for excellence are nominated.

To support the involvement of a General, Life, or Professional Member of the WA Branch at an event, placement or other activity benefitting the members professional development and the forensic community.

Please contact the WA Branch or executive@anzfss.org for more information.