Dear Members

The EPS is pleased to support the inaugural Forensic Science in Defence and Security Symposium which is being held on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th September 2015, at 10:00 at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, Wiltshire, SN6 8LA

Overview 

The event is organized and run by Symposia at Shrivenham on behalf of the Cranfield Forensics Institute in partnership with the Chartered Society of Forensic Science, and in collaboration with the UK's Knowledge Transfer Network special interest groups on Defence, and on Forensic Science.

The event is being held in a relaxed atmosphere within secure surroundings with lunches and refreshments included. The symposium will draw on some of the unique facilities of the site, from explosive research and firing ranges, ballistics and impact labs, chemical and radiological labs and the new forensics research lab. An all-inclusive formal Symposium Dinner will be held in the award-winning STEAM, the Museum of the Great Western Railway.

Theme

The theme will be the application of forensic science to defence and security challenges, either evidential or intelligence. Three particular areas will be explored; the application of standard forensic science techniques in support of defence or security operations, specific defence/security forensic challenges such as CBRN, Explosives and other illicit substances, and finally forensic intelligence and exploitation of evidence as intelligence.

The intent is to both capture the current state of knowledge after Iraq, Afghanistan and the counter terrorism challenge of Al Qaeda, and to set it in context with wider forensic research and application and examine how capabilities can not only be maintained but developed to the benefit of intelligence and evidential requirements in civil and military domains.

Format and Contribution

Through presentations, discussion groups and plenary sessions, the purpose is to encourage cross-fertilization of ideas, to develop new perspectives and to challenge current thinking. Time is planned into the programme to allow formal and informal discussions both in the main lecture theatre and during the breaks.

EPS members are invited to contribute by presenting a paper and/or poster to complement those provided by invited speakers. If you wish to submit an abstract on a topic that you consider is relevant to the overall theme, please email your abstract of around 200 words by Friday 31st July 2015 to lynncade@symposiaatshrivenham.com. Papers should be planned to take 20 minutes to present, followed by 10 minutes for questions.

Papers should indicate which of the three sub-themes they are addressing. A review panel drawn from academia, government and industry will assess and award either a speaking position, a poster presentation, or decline. Awards will be made for the best posters in a number of categories.  Acceptance of papers will be notified at the beginning of August and authors will be eligible for a reduction in Registration Fees.

Papers from academia and industry are particularly welcome.

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Steve Johnson at Shrivenham. Steve is also an EPS member, and his email address is s.johnson@cranfield.ac.uk

Website:  www.cranfield.ac.uk/forensics

Information about the event is also available on the EPS website in the Resources section, listed under 'Cranfield University'.

Best wishes

Tony Thompson LLB MSc FInstLM

Chair, Emergency Planning Society

www.the-eps.org