ANZFSS

ANZFSS Symposium Gala Dinner
2025-10-16 19:00 - 23:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Melbourne Showgrounds
End ANZFSS Melbourne 2025 on a high note at the Gala Dinner, hosted at the iconic Melbourne Showgrounds. Dress to impress for an evening filled with drinks, a sit-down dinner and dance into the night. The Gala Dinner is the perfect was to end the Symposium and celebrate what is sure to be a great event.
Registered delegate ticket price: Free with Symposium Registration.
Additional tickets are $180.00 and available for purchase through the registration form
Non-registered delegate ticket price: $200, purchase through the social function form

Event Transport
Buses – to and from the Pullman Albert Park
Bus schedule to be provided shortly here
Bus Cost: Free
Non-registered ticket: $20
Please RSVP through the registration form.
Car
Free parking available at the Showgrounds for those who wish to drive.
Enter via Gate 1.
Please allow time for traffic as you will be travelling in peak hour.
Train (Public Transport)
If arriving by train, you will need to take the Craigieburn line to Newmarket Station and then catch Tram No.57 from the city to Showgrounds Village Shopping Centre (stop 32) on Epsom Road. It is approximately a 13 minute walk from the tram stop to Gate 1 of Melbourne Showgrounds.
Tram (Public Transport)
If arriving by tram, you will need to take the Route 57 tram (West Maribyrnong to Elizabeth Street City) and disembark at stop 32 (Showgrounds Village Shopping Centre on Epsom Rd). Please note that stop 33 is no longer in use. It is approximately a 13 minute walk from the tram stop to Gate 1 of Melbourne Showgrounds.
The tram departs every 8 minutes.

ANZFSS Qld branch Christmas Party
2025-11-21 18:30 - 20:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | Lord Alfred Hotel, 68 Petrie Tce, Brisbane, 68 Petrie Tce, Brisbane, Australia
🎉 You’re Invited! End of Year Celebration 🎉
Join us for a fantastic night at the Lord Alfred Hotel from 6:30 pm!
For just $25 per person, enjoy delicious food and two drinks (beer, wine, or soft drink) included.
Please RSVP by 19 November and let us know any dietary requirements.
Reserve your spot using the booking link—don’t miss out on the fun!
We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Booking link: https://members.anzfss.org/booking.php?id=102

ANZFSS SA Branch November 2025 Meeting
2025-11-28 18:30 - 21:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Unley Community Centre, 18 Arthur Street, Unley, South Australia, 5061, Australia
Dear SA Branch Members,

The next member meeting will be on the topic ‘Underwater Search and Recovery Techniques and Aquatic Forensics’. Come learn about the techniques and challenges of underwater rescues and forensic casework.

The meeting will be held at the Unley Community Centre, 18 Arthur Street, Unley, on Friday 28 November 2025 at 6:30 pm (for a 7:00 pm start).

As always members are free! Non-members are $10 and student non-members are $5 (with student ID). Bookings can be made here: https://members.anzfss.org/booking.php?id=103

More details will follow soon. We hope to see you there!

ANZFSS NSW End of Year Event
2025-12-04 18:00 - 22:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Club Parramatta, 2 Macquarie Street, Parramatta, NSW
The ANZFSS End of Year Event is here! Come along to Club Parramatta on the 4th December to celebrate the year, network, and hear some speed talks from our Scholarship Winners.
Our scholarship winners will present a 5 minute version of their ANZFSS Symposium presentation, allowing you to hear a range of discipline talks that you may have missed at the conference.
The night will be a sit down Roast dinner with Christmas Pudding and of course, a generous bar tab.
Hope to see you there!

Location: Club Parramatta
Date: 4th December
Time: 6pm-10pm
Cost: $60 student members; $70 members; $80 non-members

ANZFSS WA Branch Event: Insights into Multimedia Forensics
2026-02-25 17:30 - 19:00 (Australia/Perth) | Exhibition Space, Curtin University Building 500, Level 1, Building 500, Curtin University, Kent St, Western Australia, Australia
With the use of smart phones, vehicle dashcam, body-worn cameras, and the ever-growing CCTV network, media-based forensics becomes critical evidence for courts. It can offer a record of the actual video and audio of a crime, with multimedia forensics involving diverse requests from analysing events, identifying individuals, recognising objects, and synchronising device data to create a true timeline for evidence. In this presentation, Dr Todd Hutchison will share insights to how media-based evidence is being used to analyse, sequence, explain, and solve crimes, as well as the complexities it presents.
Dr Todd Hutchison is international bestselling business author, listed in the Who’s Who of Business in Australia, and a world champion in music when he was a WA Police musician. He resides as an adjunct Associate Professor in the law discipline at Edith Cowan University, consultant at law firm Balfour Meagher, a licensed investigator and security officer, and a Digital Forensic practitioner specialising in multimedia at Digital Forensics Australia. With a background in behavioural analysis and law enforcement, Todd provides multimedia-based expert witness services on Supreme Court cases across Australia, mainly for homicide and major crime matters.

Drug Checking/Analysis at NSW Music Festivals
2026-03-12 18:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Sydney) | NSW State Coroner’s Court, 1A Main Ave, Lidcombe, NSW, 2141, Australia
The Illicit Drugs Analysis Unit’s role in Harm Minimisation
Join us for our first NSW Branch meeting of 2026 as we explore the critical work of the Illicit Drugs Analysis Unit (IDAU) and its role in the NSW Government’s 12-month drug checking trial at music festivals.
Following the recent NSW Drug Summit, strong support emerged for the implementation of drug checking services across the state. In response, NSW has commenced a time-limited trial delivering on-site drug analysis and harm-reduction advice directly to festival attendees.
Over recent years, IDAU analysis of drug seizures has revealed increasing complexity in active ingredients, emerging novel psychoactive substances, and higher dosages than historically observed. This presentation will examine how drug checking services have been established in the festival environment and how forensic science is supporting public health outcomes in this evolving landscape.
IDAU analysts — specialists in the examination of illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals — conduct on-site drug checking using:

Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy
Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy
Chemical class (colour) tests
Drug-specific test strips

The purpose of the service is to identify the primary active ingredient(s) present in submitted substances. Results are communicated directly to clients, alongside tailored harm-reduction advice delivered by experienced peer workers, supported by clinical leads and IDAU forensic analysts.
The trial forms part of a broader collaborative operation at music festivals, working alongside rapid drug surveillance and early warning systems to maximise public health benefits and reduce drug-related harm.
This session offers valuable insight into the intersection of forensic science, public health policy, and frontline service delivery.
Important Notice for ANZFSS Members

A brief Special General Meeting (SGM) for all ANZFSS members will be held immediately prior to the NSW Branch meeting.
The purpose of the SGM is to formally adopt the proposed Rules of Association amendments, which were supported by members through last year’s online voting process.
The SGM will take no more than five minutes. We require member attendance to reach quorum, so your participation is essential.
Members may attend:

In person at the NSW Branch meeting, or
Online via the Teams link below

Members attending online may remain connected for the full NSW Branch presentation.

Event Details
Location: Forensic Medicine and Coroners Court Complex
Date: Thursday 12 March 2026
Arrival: 6:00 pm
SGM (Members only): 6:45 pm
Presentation: 7:00 pm
Cost: Free for members | $10 for non-members
Online access (Microsoft Teams):
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/42212945745878?p=fXFtnn6kA7Dq3OPWsR
Meeting ID: 422 129 457 458 78
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ANZFSS WA Branch Event: Breaking Data Silos - The Power of Graph Analytics in Law Enforcement
2026-03-31 17:30 - 19:00 (Australia/Perth) | Exhibition Space, Curtin University Building 500, Level 1, Building 500, Curtin University, Kent St, Western Australia, Australia
In 2023, Western Australia Police Force launched IRIS, a graph‑powered intelligence platform that has transformed how officers access, connect, and interpret information. Built on Neo4j and unifying more than a billion data points, IRIS enables rapid exploration of relationships between people, entities, locations, and events; revealing patterns traditional systems simply cannot. This presentation – originally delivered at ANZFSS 2025 and awarded “Best Presentation in Forensic Intelligence & Data Analytics” – will showcase how IRIS is positioning WA Police as a national leader in intelligence capability. This includes critical use cases such as monitoring high‑risk offenders, identifying and locating priority persons of interest, and accelerating a wide range of policing investigations.
Lauren Atwood began her career as an andrologist, with a degree in biomedical science (forensic biology). She spent six years working for IVF Australia before returning to the forensic fold, conducting research with NSW Police. After six years driving forensic innovation, Lauren shifted into data analytics with WA Police, where she now leads the Data Capability and Insights (DCI) Unit. The DCI Unit designs, builds and manages IRIS, the graph‑analytics intelligence platform powering investigations across Western Australia. Lauren has been an ANZFSS member for nine years, serving five as Secretary of the NSW Branch committee.
Date & Time: Tuesday 31 March 2026. Refreshments and networking from 5.30pm, seminar commencing 6.00pm
Venue: Exhibition Space, Ground Floor Building 500, Curtin University Bentley Campus

Unmasking the Bicycle Bandit — SA Branch Member Night
2026-03-31 18:30 - 21:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Unley Community Centre, 18 Arthur Street, Unley, South Australia, 5061, Australia
Join us for an engaging evening as Detective Senior Sergeant Danny Gillan and Detective Brevet Sergeant Adrian Moulds from South Australia Police take us inside the investigation known as Unmasking the Bicycle Bandit.
Between 2004 and 2014, a lone offender committed a series of armed bank robberies across the Adelaide Hills, earning the media monikers “The Hills Bandit” and “The Bicycle Bandit”. After years of investigative effort, the offender was finally identified in 2023 through the successful application of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG).
This presentation will walk through the investigative strategy, forensic breakthroughs, and the long game that ultimately led to the offender’s arrest and conviction.
Location:
Unley Community Centre
18 Arthur Street, Unley SA

Date: Tuesday 31 March 2026
Time: 6:30 pm for a 7:00 pm start

Cost:
• Members — Free
• Student non-members (with valid ID) — $5
• Non-members — $10
Register here:
https://members.anzfss.org/booking.php?id=106

Dr. Kristen Clarke and SSgt Donna MacGregor ANZFSS QLD Branch 2025 Symposium Award Presentations
2026-04-23 18:30 - 20:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | QPS Headquarters, 200 Roma Street Brisbane, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia
Please join us in celebrating some of the Qld Branch Symposium Award winners who presented either their research from the recent ANZFSS Symposium. Presentations will begin at 6:30 pm, followed by nibbles and light refreshments. Please indicate in the booking form whether you intend to attend in person or online, and advise us of any dietary requirements.
Dr. Kristen Clarke: Water we waiting for? Evaluating a greener, safer, more cost-effective strategy for applying 1,2-indanedione to latent fingermarks on paper
Developing fingermarks on paper-based evidence with 1,2-indanedione and zinc chloride is a fundamental evidence gathering methodology; however the most widely-used carrier solvents to effect it, HFE-7100, will be phased out after 2025, necessitating new 1,2-indanedione formulations. While flammable hydrocarbon solvents have been suggested as suitable replacements for HFE-7100, the compromise to safety makes them unsuitable long-term alternatives. This work opted for a fundamentally different approach; a water-based, non-flammable xanthan gum gel medium to host 1,2-indanedione that allowed for detection of natural fingermarks.
The optimised xanthan gum hydrogel formulation develops highly fluorescent fingermarks with minimal blurring and demonstrated effectiveness for fingermarks in the tenth natural depletion of a series. From a holistic frugal forensics perspective, the gel delivery shows promise in terms of major benefits for cost, safety, accessibility, and availability, and provides further development in this area to deliver a safer, longer-term alternative to HFE-7100.
SSgt Donna MacGregor: From police to universities and everyone in between: a multiagency collaborative partnership for the reporting, management, and storage of medical (anatomical) teaching skeletons – a Queensland perspective.
In Queensland, when unidentified human remains (UHR) are discovered, they must be reported to the Police or Coroner. An investigation will then commence to first determine if the UHRs are ancestral Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander remains or a contemporary forensic case. If the remains are contemporary in nature, then a full investigation will ensue to determine the identification and circumstances of death for this individual. However, what if the UHRs are neither ancestral remains or a contemporary forensic case but instead a medical (anatomical) teaching skeleton?
The reporting of these type of human remains cases to police, comes about mostly by family members as they clean out the contents of the deceased’s’ office etc and locate a “box of bones”. These teaching skeletons, mostly sourced from India, were exported to medical and educational institutes around the globe including Australia. It is estimated that 2.4 million skeletons were exported between 1947 and 1985, when the practice ceased.
Teaching skeletons are being reported to police in increasing numbers in recent years, even though they are not “reportable deaths” by definition. Previously, lacking other viable options, teaching skeletons were lodged into local mortuaries thereby entering the Coronial process. This has significantly increased time pressures on forensic officers and investigators within the QPS and members of the Coronial system, whilst also contributing towards long-term storage issues; the situation was becoming unsustainable.
In 2023, members from the Forensic Services Group commenced working with academic and technical staff at all Queensland universities with accepting schools of anatomy (i.e. able to receive human cadavers). These universities include Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Queensland, and James Cook University. Working collaboratively, a universal donation form and new management workflow, supported by the State Coroner, has been established that negates the need for lodgement of teaching skeletons at local mortuaries.
This presentation will discuss the process for triaging all UHRs in Queensland and the new workflow for managing teaching skeletons.

ANZFSS WA Branch Event - Prehistorical Forensics
2026-05-06 17:30 - 19:00 (Australia/Perth) | Exhibition Space, Curtin University Building 500, Level 1, Building 500, Curtin University, Kent St, Western Australia, Australia
Ötzi the Iceman is an individual who lived, travelled, and was murdered in the Alps during the European Copper Age about 5300 years ago. The naturally mummified body was recovered in 1991, with forensic techniques subsequently applied to determine how Ötzi became deceased. In this presentation, Edda Guareschi will outline the life history, death and the environment of Ötzi revealed through forensic investigation, with considerations on the current related research and the ethics of public display of human bodies in museums.
Edda Guareschi is a MD and the curator of Ötzi the Iceman, housed at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, in the Italian Alps. Specialised in Forensic Pathology and Legal Medicine with a MSc in Forensic Anthropology and a PhD in Forensic Taphonomy, Edda has been holding a honorary position at Murdoch University (WA, Australia) since 2018. Before moving to Australia, Edda worked as a forensic pathologist and anthropologist for 19 years. Since 2022, Edda has been collaborating
with the Western Australian Museum as a Research Associate, studying skeletal collections.
Date & Time: Wedneday 6th May 2026. Refreshments and networking from 5.30pm, seminar commencing 6.00pm
Venue: Exhibition Space, Ground Floor Building 500, Curtin University Bentley Campus

SA Branch May 2026 Meeting - Forensic Application of Apple Health Data
2026-05-12 18:30 - 21:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Flinders University, Festival Plaza, Adelaide, Station Road, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
The SA Branch of ANZFSS Welcomes Dr Luke Jennings, Lecturer in Digital Forensics at Flinders University to present a presentation on the Forensic Application of Health Data.
Health Data from phones and smart watches is becoming increasingly important in capturing actions, behaviours and biometric records in real world investigations. Drawing on extensive experience including from a fatal collision that happened in Daylesford (Victoria), Luke will show how step counts, expended energy, heart rate, and glucose levels inform investigators and medical examiners. We will also discuss how health data can inform sleep analysis and, how it can contain detailed information of locations, timezones and other associated devices – a treasure trove for forensic digital examiners.
Dr Luke Jennings holds a PhD on the Forensic Applications of Apple Health Data, from the University of Adelaide. Prior to being appointed at Flinders, Luke has worked as a senior digital forensic scientist at Digital Forensic Sciences Australia Pty Ltd, working on over 100 cases, many concerned with health data records.

Household dust, soil and leather - exploring new avenues for forensic science genetics research
2026-05-20 18:00 - 20:30 (Australia/Sydney) | Western Sydney University 1PSQ Parramatta City Campus (Peter Shergold Building) Room 1.5.39, Western Sydney University 1PSQ Parramatta City Campus (Peter Shergold Building) Room 1.5.39, Parramatta, Australia
Event Details📅 Date: 20th May 2026🕕 Doors Open: 6:00 PM🕖 Talk Starts: 7:00 PM📍 Location: 1PSQ, Western Sydney University, Room 1.5.39, Parramatta City Campus

SpeakerAssociate Professor Kelly MeiklejohnWestern Sydney University
Dr. Kelly Meiklejohn is an Associate Professor in Forensic Science at Western Sydney University. Prior to joining WSU, she was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research Unit at the FBI Laboratory and spent nearly eight years as an academic at North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on applying advanced genetics and genomics approaches to recover information from challenging forensic samples and previously overlooked biological evidence. She completed her PhD at the University of Wollongong, studying forensically important Australian flesh flies.

About the TalkBiological materials such as blood, saliva, bone, teeth, and hair are central to both human and wildlife forensic investigations. However, forensic scientists are often faced with limited and highly degraded DNA.
In this talk, Dr. Meiklejohn will explore innovative genomics approaches that allow scientists to extract meaningful information even from highly compromised samples. Topics will include:

Household dust as a source of human DNA
Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis from geological evidence
Revealing historical insights from medieval parchments using DNA

This presentation highlights how cutting-edge genomics is expanding the boundaries of forensic science and enabling new ways to interpret complex biological evidence.

Join us for an engaging evening exploring how modern genomics is transforming forensic investigations.
This will be a hybrid event.
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82741927541

New Identification Perspectives with Forensic Genetic Genealogy
2026-05-28 18:00 - 19:30 (Australia/Sydney) | 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Brisbane, 4108, Australia
The ANZFSS Queensland Branch is pleased to present our May seminar.

For more than two decades forensic science took a targeted approach of typing relatively small panels of short tandem repeat (STR) markers coupled with capillary electrophoresis for human identification purposes. This approach generally has been highly effective and has been adopted worldwide. However, it has limitations such as sensitivity of detection, particularly with highly degraded DNA samples, resolution power only for direct comparisons and kinship analyses typically with first degree relationships. Additionally, many investigative leads cannot be developed if the source of forensic biological evidence or a first degree relative of unidentified human remains is not in current government-maintained DNA databases. The advent of massively parallel sequencing (MPS) and dense single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) analyses greatly extends human identification capabilities.
Indeed, MPS coupled with forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) overcomes many of the limitations of STR typing, such as generation of usable DNA profiles from highly degraded samples and kinship associations as distant as 7th to 9th degree relatives. To establish potential kinship relationships, dense SNP data are searched against a database(s) of reference samples from consented volunteers. Associations are made primarily on identity-by-descent (IBD) segment analysis in which homologous chromosomal regions are measured in centimorgans (cMs), with the amount and total size of shared segments serving as indicators of genetic relationships. Larger shared segments typically signify closer kinship, while smaller shared segments indicate more distant relationships. Thus, FGG by searching for near and distant relatives and the increased sensitivity of detection offered by MPS greatly expands the range of cases in which DNA evidence can generate investigative leads.
With these capabilities there is a need to go beyond predominantly human-centered workflows and limited hypothesis testing and instead embrace automation and capabilities to reason consistently, transparently, and at scale over increasingly complex genetic, genealogical, and contextual information. Artificial intelligence (AI) will be an enabling layer which is particularly suited for FGG as a computational decision-support system(s) that structures, prioritizes, and documents reasoning over genetic associations, genealogical structures, and investigative context during identity hypothesis development. Properly designed AI-enabled systems offer a path to sustainably scaling FGG while supporting scientific rigor. Lastly, the incorporation of FGG and AI into operational laboratories and investigative agencies requires governance mechanisms that ensure transparency, accountability, privacy protection, and human oversight.
Featured Speaker: Professor Bruce Budowle
Dr. Budowle worked at the FBI’s Laboratory Division for 26 years and at Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas Health Science Center for 13 years. He has published more than 750 articles and testified in well over 300 criminal cases in the areas of molecular biology, population genetics, statistics, quality assurance, and forensic biology. He continues research and work in the areas of forensic genomics (particularly in forensic genetic genealogy) and contributes to supporting humanitarian efforts via human identification. He currently is a visiting professor at the University of Helsinki and a consultant with Othram, Inc.

ANZFSS SA Dinner at the Zoo featuring Superintendent James Down
2026-06-17 18:45 - 21:30 (Australia/Adelaide) | Adelaide Zoo, Plane Tree Drive, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
The ANZFSS SA Branch cordially invites guests to a three course sit down dinner in the Fig Tree Function Centre at Adelaide Zoo on Wednesday 17 June (6:45 pm for a 7:00 pm start).
As well as enjoying dinner with friends, between courses Superintendent James Down from South Australia Police, currently in charge of the Forensic Services Branch will join us to deliver a presentation entitled ‘Leadership, Forensics and Wellbeing: A Personal and Professional Journey’.

Members will be treated to the 3 course dinner at a subsidised price of just $60! Non-members can also attend at a cost of $120. Drinks will be available at own expense. Between courses Superintendent Down will deliver his presentation.

So we know numbers bookings must be made by Sunday May 31 2026. Bookings can be made at the following link: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1581436

Dietary requirements can be advised to our treasurer Kerryn Mason – masonkerryn@gmail.com

We hope to see you at the Zoo!

Embedding Trauma-Informed Practice to Strengthen Wellbeing in Forensic Workplaces
2026-06-18 18:30 - 20:00 (Australia/Sydney) | QPS Headquarters, 200 Roma Street Brisbane, 200 Roma Street, Brisbane, Qld, 4000, Australia
The ANZFSS Queensland Branch is pleased to present our June seminar.
This presentation examines why trauma-informed practices are needed in forensic education and how it can better support learning, wellbeing and resilience in high-stress professional environments. In forensic settings, personnel are routinely exposed to traumatic material, yet training often remains content-driven, instructor-led and insufficiently responsive to the individual needs of learners.
Drawing on research into the integration of trauma-informed pedagogy in forensic training, the presentation highlights gaps in current practice and explores how psychologically safer, more inclusive teaching approaches can enhance engagement, retention and performance. It will outline key findings and practical recommendations for embedding trauma-informed practice in forensic organisations, offering a timely and relevant approach to strengthening both educational outcomes and workforce wellbeing.
Featured Speaker: Linda Harrod-Eagles
Linda Harrod-Eagles is a Senior Forensic Trainer with the Queensland Police Service and has more than 25 years of experience across policing, forensic investigation and education. Her expertise is underpinned by qualifications in justice, policing, forensic investigation, training and assessment, education, humanities, and guidance and counselling, together with registration with the Australian Counselling Association.
Her research focuses on trauma-informed pedagogy, mental health strategies and psychotherapy, particularly in supporting wellbeing in forensic organisations. In 2026, her work was published in the Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences and contributed to a wellbeing toolkit supporting approximately 4,000 forensic personnel across England and Wales.

WA Branch Seminar - The Parcel Post Puzzle: Prosecution to Prevention in Illicit Drug Importation
2026-06-24 17:30 - 19:00 (Australia/Perth) | Exhibition Space, Curtin University Building 500, Level 1, Building 500, Curtin University, Kent St, Western Australia, Australia
Australian law enforcement remains in a constant arms race with organised crime to detect and disrupt illicit drug imports. In this presentation, AFP Crime Scene Investigator Felicity Pagan shares a case study involving nine parcel post items sent from Europe to addresses across Australia, culminating in an operation that led to the arrest and prosecution of two foreign nationals in Perth. Australian Federal Police Forensics applied DNA, fingerprint and handwriting analysis to link parcels, identify multiple offenders and generate intelligence shared with international partners. The study highlights both the benefits and challenges of expanding forensic practice beyond local court proceedings to support the disruption of transnational organised crime networks domestically and offshore. Please note that this presentation will not be recorded due to sensitive content.
Felicity Pagan commenced her career in Canberra as a forensic biologist, gaining ten years of specialist experience before transitioning to National Crime Scenes and relocating to Melbourne in 2019. Felicity has contributed to a broad spectrum of state based and national forensic investigations, including criminal paternity, disaster victim identification, counter terrorism, and illicit drug importation. She has also undertaken several international deployments, conducting forensic examinations in Canada and Colombia. She is currently based at AFP’s Western Command / Perth.

Date & Time: Wednesday 24th June 2026. Refreshments and networking from 5.30pm, seminar commencing 6.00pm
Venue: Exhibition Space, Ground Floor Building 500, Curtin University Bentley Campus

ANZFSS SA - Forensic Handwriting Examination - Art and Science
2026-07-14 18:30 - 20:30 (Australia/Adelaide) | Box Factory, Adelaide, 59 Regent Street South​, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
July’s Member meeting ‘Forensic Handwriting Examination – Art and Science’ will be held on Tuesday July 14, 2026 at the Box Factory, Adelaide. Please join us at 6:30 pm, for a 7:00 pm start.
A lot has changed in the 100+ years since the emergence of ‘modern’ forensic handwriting examination, for example:​

Ballpoint pens (and a plethora of other writing implements) are now widely accessible.​
Criticisms were raised about the reliability and validity of the field, and research undertaken.​
Digital technology has replaced handwriting in many areas.​

So where does that leave forensic handwriting examination now? Is handwriting dead? Are ‘computers’ taking over? What does your handwriting say about you?​
In this presentation, Dr Carolyne Bird (Forensic Science SA) will share insights and dispel myths about the art and science of forensic handwriting examination, drawing from over 20 years’ experience in the field.
​

WA Branch Seminar - Mass Graves at Fromelles: A Forensic Investigation
2026-07-22 17:30 - 19:00 (Australia/Perth) | The Circle, Reid Library, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
This presentation examines the multidisciplinary forensic investigation at Pheasant Wood, Fromelles, to recover, analyse, and identify soldiers buried in mass graves following the 1916 battle. Historical research, archival records, geophysical survey, and archaeological excavation were combined to locate and recover the remains. A fully integrated forensic approach incorporated archaeology, anthropology, radiography, conservation, and DNA analysis, supported by strict recovery and documentation protocols.
Please note: This presentation will not be recorded.
Ambika Flavel currently holds a Lecturer position at the Centre for Forensic Anthropology within the School of Social Sciences. Prior to her appointment at UWA, Ambika’s career was a diverse combination of consultancy and training on international forensic and humanitarian platforms. Since graduating Ambika has worked as an archaeologist, anthropologist and forensic consultant, primarily in locating and excavating clandestine graves and analysing human remains for identification and repatriation. She has undertaken this work in Australia, Latin America, the Middle East, the Balkans, and Europe.

Date & Time: Wednesday 22nd July 2026. Refreshments and networking from 5.30pm, seminar commencing 6.00pm
Venue: The Circle, Reid Library, University of Western Australia. Refreshments will be available in the adjacent Fini Family Terrace prior to the event.

Navigating Uncertainty in Digital Forensic Investigations
2026-07-22 18:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Sydney) | UTS RESHub, 1/15 Broadway, Tower Building, CB01.05.007,, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
Navigating uncertainty in one of the most extensive digital forensic investigations in modern sports history

📅 Date: 22nd July 2026
🕕 Doors Open: 6:00 PM
🕖 Talk Starts: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: UTS RESHub, Tower Building (CB01.05.007)
Online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88139480619
RSVP 17th July 2026

Our Speakers

Dr Julian Broséus
Dr Julian Broséus joined the UTS Centre for Forensic Science following eight years with the World Anti-Doping Agency, where he led global investigations into doping and corruption, uncovered systemic data manipulation, and provided expert testimony in high-stakes regulatory cases. His work focuses on forensic intelligence, data analytics, and digital forensic reconstruction.
Dr Elénore Ryser
Dr Elénore Ryser specialises in digital forensic science, with research focusing on the role of uncertainty across the forensic process. Her work explores how digital evidence is generated, evaluated, and communicated, including the interpretation of geolocation data from mobile devices.

About the Talk

Join Elénore Ryser and Julian Broséus as they revisit one of the largest anti-doping and digital forensic investigations in modern sport history, the so-called Operation LIMS. The investigation unfolded in an exceptional environment characterised by the scale, diversity, and systematic manipulation of digital traces, and required the integration of digital forensic science, laboratory science, investigative reconstruction, forensic intelligence, and complex legal assessments in a context involving thousands of athletes and high legal stakes.
This case provides a unique opportunity to confront a theoretical model of uncertainty with a real-world setting. The talk examines how uncertainty affects the authentication, interpretation, and communication of digital traces across the forensic process, highlighting how it emerges, propagates, and must be systematically managed.

Join us for an engaging evening examining how digital forensic techniques are applied in complex, high-stakes investigations.

Spaces are limited – Get your tickets by Friday 17th July!
This is a free event for Students!
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88139480619

Social Media Fingerprints
2026-07-23 18:00 - 19:00 (Australia/Sydney) | https://anzfss.org.au/event/social-media-fingerprints/
The ANZFSS Queensland Branch is pleased to present our July seminar.
Many investigators and examiners are unaware or unsure of how to utilize possible identifying evidence contained in inadvertently photographed hands and other ridge detail areas. Billions of images are posted on social media and websites. Understanding this increasingly common type of evidence is critical for the modern-day fingerprint examiner. Being able to advise investigators of the value of this type of evidence is possible when examiners have the knowledge of what is achievable. This presentation includes an update on some more recent developments in this area, including validation studies and some new Photoshop techniques.
Featured Speaker: Tim Fayle
Tim Fayle is the Training Capability Lead for Idemia Australasia. Before this, he was the Fingerprint Identification Director with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, California; and was a Crime Scene Officer – Fingerprint Expert with the New South Wales Police Force in Australia. He has over 23 years of experience in forensics. Tim is an IAI Certified Latent Print Examiner, and is also certified as an Expert in the Science of Fingerprints by the Australasian Forensic Science Assessment Body. Tim is currently the Chair of the IAI Latent Print Certification Board, and has served on the LPCB since 2015.
Event Details
📅 Thursday, 23 July 2026
🕕 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (AEST)
💻 Online via Zoom

ANZFSS QLD Annual Fundraising Trivia Night
2026-08-06 18:30 - 21:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Darling & Co, Paddington, 157 Given Terrace, Paddington, Brisbane, Qld, 4064, Australia
Join us for an evening of trivia, networking, and friendly competition at the ANZFSS QLD Annual Fundraising Trivia Night!

This popular annual event brings together forensic science students and professionals from across Queensland for a relaxed and enjoyable night of fun, connection, and community-building. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner, early-career professional, or current student, this is a fantastic opportunity to catch up with colleagues, make new connections, and test your knowledge across a range of trivia topics.
Your ticket includes entry to the event, a welcome drink, dinner, and the chance to win a range of prizes throughout the evening.
All proceeds from the event will support ANZFSS QLD activities, helping us continue to deliver professional development opportunities and foster a collaborative and supportive forensic science community in Queensland.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our event sponsors for their generous support:
Gold Sponsor
🥇 Thermo Fisher Scientific
Silver Sponsors
🥈 Identilab
🥈 Bruker
Bronze Sponsors
🥉 Pathtech
🥉 Evolve Scientific
🥉 Tactical Gear
Their contributions help make this event possible and support the ongoing development of the Queensland forensic science community.
Gather your team, bring your competitive spirit, and join us at Darling & Co for a great night out!

ANZFSS WA Branch National Science Week Event: The Evolution of Forensic Science Careers
2026-08-18 17:00 - 19:30 (Australia/Perth) | Exhibition Space, Curtin University Building 500, Level 1, Building 500, Curtin University, Kent St, Western Australia, Australia
Are you interested in the field of forensic science?
The ANZFSS WA Branch’s Student Representative Group (SRG) present a forensic science careers night for high school or university level students who are interested in pursuing a future career in forensics. Learn from forensic science practitioners at all different career stages to learn about where a career in forensic science can lead.
Hear from professionals from a range of forensic science disciplines including:

Digital Forensics
Forensic Archaeology/Anthropology
Wildlife Forensics
Explosives
Physical Evidence
DNA
Entomology

This hybrid-style event will provide attendees the opportunity to engage with forensic experts in a speed-conversation style event and/or as a panel discussion, depending on the number of attendees.
Registration is free for all attendees but is required for catering purposes by Thursday 13th August.

Date: Tuesday 18 August 2026
Time: Light catering from 5:00 pm. Event to begin at 5:30 pm
Venue: Curtin University Building 500, Cnr Manning Road & Townsing Drive, Bentley WA 6102

"Should we be eating more insects?" and SA Branch AGM
2026-08-18 18:30 - 20:30 (Australia/Adelaide) | Adelaide University, Waite Campus, McLeod Lecture Theatre, Charles Hawker Building, Waite Road, Urrbrae, South Australia, 5064, Australia
As part of National Science Week the SA Branch will be hosting a FREE to attend meeting with Professor Kerry Wilkinson from Adelaide University entitled “Should we be eating more insects?” As well as the talk there will be a chance to try some delicious creepy crawlies! Please note the earlier start time of 6:45 PM, and the new location at Adelaide University’s Waite Campus – McLeod Lecture Theatre, Charles Hawker Building. Although the event is FREE, please book tickets so we can ensure enough seats are available.
After the meeting (approx 7:45 pm), the Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the South Australian Branch of the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society will be held. Members should have received a form allowing them to nominate to join the committee from August 2026-August 2027. The form to nominate is available here: Committee Nomination Form 2026-2027 SA Branch – ANZFSS.

Microbial Forensics from Bioterrorism and Biocrime to Human Identification
2026-08-26 18:00 - 20:00 (Australia/Sydney) | 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Brisbane, 4108, Australia
The ANZFSS Queensland Branch is pleased to welcome back Professor Bruce Budowle to present our August seminar.
Bioterrorism and biocrime have been committed by humans for more than two millennia. The field of microbial forensics was developed in response to the anthrax letters attack in 2001 to analyze evidence associated with acts of bioterrorism and biological crimes in which microbes or their toxins are used as weapons with attribution as the ultimate goal. Attribution of microbial evidence is to determine an associated source and perpetrator or group of individuals to the highest degree possible. Microbial forensics combines the practices of epidemiology with the characterization of microbial and microbial-related evidence to assist in determining the specific source of the sample, as individualizing as possible, and/or the methods, means, processes and locations involved to determine the identity of the perpetrator(s) of an attack. There is a wide variety of microbial species or strains that could serve as possible biothreats (human, plant, and animal pathogens). Molecular biology techniques, such as massively parallel sequencing, are suited to meet the challenges of characterization and attribution. The field has progressed to include human identification and postmortem interval.
Featured Speaker: Professor Bruce Budowle
Dr. Budowle worked at the FBI’s Laboratory Division for 26 years and at Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas Health Science Center for 13 years. He has published more than 750 articles and testified in well over 300 criminal cases in the areas of molecular biology, population genetics, statistics, quality assurance, and forensic biology. He continues research and work in the areas of forensic genomics (particularly in forensic genetic genealogy) and contributes to supporting humanitarian efforts via human identification. He currently is a visiting professor at the University of Helsinki and a consultant with Othram, Inc.

NSW Branch AGM & Operational and Forensic Response to the Hunter Valley Bus Crash
2026-09-02 18:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Sydney) | ANZAC Memorial, Hyde Park, 126 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, Australia
AGM & Operational and Forensic Response to the Hunter Valley Bus Crash
Join ANZFSS NSW for our 2026 Annual General Meeting followed by a compelling presentation examining the operational and forensic response to one of Australia’s most significant recent mass casualty incidents.
On 11 June 2023, a bus carrying wedding guests crashed near Greta in the Hunter Valley, resulting in the deaths of ten passengers and injuries to many others. In the aftermath, the NSW Police Force Crime Scene Services Branch led complex Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) operations under challenging conditions.
The presentation will explore:

The forensic and operational response to the Hunter Valley bus crash
Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) processes and procedures
Scene safety, recovery operations, and operational constraints
Managing fragmented human remains and complex identification challenges
The impact of media attention on major incident responses
The importance of timely victim identification and repatriation
Key lessons learned to inform future forensic and disaster response operations

This is a unique opportunity for forensic practitioners, students, researchers, police personnel, and anyone interested in forensic science to gain insights into the realities of managing a large-scale forensic response.
Event Details
📅 Wednesday, 2 September
📍 Anzac Memorial Auditorium, Hyde Park, Sydney
Schedule

6:00 pm – Doors open
6:30 pm – ANZFSS NSW Branch AGM
6:45 pm – Guest presentation

Speakers
Detective Inspector Charles Agius APM, Kate McCann and Nate Cosstick

Registration

Free for ANZFSS members and students
$10 for non-members

Places are limited and advance registration is recommended.
RSVP by 28th August
Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89089215600

ANZFSS QLD Branch 2026 Early Career Researchers & Students Symposium
2026-09-16 18:00 - 20:00 (Australia/Sydney) | 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Brisbane, 4108, Australia
Join us for the ANZFSS QLD Branch 2026 Early Career Researchers & Students Symposium, a dedicated event showcasing the research and achievements of current students and early career researchers across the forensic sciences. Designed as a supportive and encouraging environment, the symposium provides an opportunity to present research, gain valuable presentation experience, and engage with members of the broader forensic science community.

The program will feature six presentations spanning a range of forensic disciplines, followed by a networking session with light refreshments, where attendees can connect with practitioners, researchers, and fellow students. A highlight of the evening will be the award of the ANZFSS QLD Science Innovation Award to one presenter.

Date: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Abstract submissions close: 17 August 2026
Abstract submission link: ANZFSS QLD Branch 2026 Early Career Researchers & Students Symposium Abstract Submission – Fill out form
Presenters are invited from current students and early career researchers (defined as individuals within two years of graduating from their most recent university qualification). Whether you are presenting or attending, this is an excellent opportunity to learn, share ideas, and build professional connections within the forensic science community.
