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Bringing together leading forensic practitioners, investigators, researchers and technology experts for two days of expert-led sessions exploring the latest developments in forensic science and criminal investigation.
Harvesting, Preserving and Presenting the Scene : Using the forensic digital twin to reduce conscious bias.
Date: 1 July 2026
Time: 12:00 - 12:40
Location: Theatre 1
Discover how the “forensic digital twin” is transforming crime scene work. Explore how advanced 3D capture and spatial data technologies allow investigators to preserve scenes with total accuracy, reduce conscious bias, and revisit evidence long after the scene has gone.
This session demonstrates how forensic digital twins improve objectivity, strengthen court presentation, and safeguard the integrity of evidence from scene to courtroom.
Speaker:
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Marcus Rowe, Business Director - Public Safety & Forensics, Leica Geosystems
Regulating the Future of Forensics
Date: 1 July 2026
Time: 14:10 - 14:55
Location: Theatre 1
With the statutory powers introduced through the Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021 and the implementation of Version 2 of the Code of Practice in October 2025, the regulatory environment for forensic science in the UK is undergoing significant change.
This panel discussion will explore what these changes mean for forensic service providers, police forces and suppliers. The discussion will focus on compliance, accreditation, operational impact and how regulation is helping to strengthen confidence in forensic evidence across the criminal justice system.
Speakers:
- Amanda-Jane Balfour, Director of Forensic Sciences, UK Home Office
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Darrell Matthews, Chief Executive Officer, The Chartered Society of Forensic Science
The Art and Science of Victim Identification
Date: 2 July 2026
Time: 11:00 - 11:45
Location: Theatre 1
In this session we examine best practice in Disaster Victim Identification, in particular from the lens of forensic expertise. From mass-casualty incidents to complex international deployments, this session explores coordination, technology, ethics, innovation and resilience. Drawing on frontline experience, we will discuss how agencies prepare, respond, and recover - ensuring dignity for victims and clarity for families under the most challenging circumstances.
Chairperson:
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Jon Marsden, National DVI Coordinator, National Disaster Victim Identification Unit
Speakers:
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Dr Julie Roberts, Associate Professor in Forensic Anthropology at Liverpool John Moores University and Scientific Advisor at Forensic Access
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Professor Caroline Wilkinson, Professor of Craniofacial Identification and Director of the Forensic Research Institute, Liverpool, John Moores University
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Melanie Clarkson, Group Captain Principal Dental Officer East Region , RAF Cranwell
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Darren Salter, HM Senior Coroner, Oxfordshire
Silent Witnesses: The Power of Plants in Criminal Investigation
Date: 2 July 2026
Time: 12:15 - 12:45
Location: Theatre 1
An eye-opening look at how plant science can provide powerful intelligence in criminal investigations. Using anonymised real-world casework, this session reveals how pollen, seeds, soil flora and vegetation patterns can link suspects to locations, establish timelines, and provide significant evidence in court.
Crucially, this session shows how the presence of a forensic botanist, alongside other experts like forensic archaeologists, at the scene of crime can actively guide detectives and crime scene managers in real time. By reading the botanical history of an area - growth cycles, disturbance patterns, root structures, and the age of foliage - a botanist can identify where ground has been recently disturbed, where a body may have been concealed, or where evidence is most likely to be located. The result is a more focused, scientifically directed investigation: reducing unnecessary excavation, cutting search time, lowering costs, and improving evidential yield.
Speaker:
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Mark Spencer, Consultant/Forensic Botanist, The Botany Consultancy
Nature’s Data: Harnessing Biological and Environmental Intelligence for Modern Forensics
Date: 2 July 2026
Time: 14:20 - 15:05
Location: Theatre 1
Biological, ecological, soil and landscape data represent an emerging form of “big data” with significant potential to transform criminal investigations and strengthen humanitarian recovery, investigation of war crimes as well as national and global security. Advances in environmental DNA (eDNA), biodiversity databases, geospatial mapping and ecological monitoring are enabling investigators to extract, analyse and evaluate valuable intelligence from natural environments. This seminar explores how biological and environmental datasets can be analysed alongside traditional forensic intelligence and evidence to identify locations, track movements, detect environmental traces and support investigative decision-making and the prioritisation of collection of trace evidence. Experts will discuss current and developing capabilities, real-world applications and the future role of ecological intelligence in policing, border protection and security operations.
Chairperson:
Speaker:
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Professor Dame Lorna Dawson, Head of the Centre for Forensic Soil Science , James Hutton Institute