Hosts

The 23rd Triennial Meeting of IAFS, is hosted by the Australian & New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS) and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). The hosts promote collaborative research across disciplines and organisations in order to enhance the quality of forensic science and equip members of the community with the latest discipline specific skills and practices. For more information, please refer to the below summaries. 

Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society

The Australian Forensic Science Society was formed in 1971 with the aim of bringing together scientists, police, criminalists, pathologists, and members of the legal profession actively involved with the forensic sciences. The Society’s objectives are to enhance the quality of forensic science by providing symposia, lectures, discussions and demonstrations encompassing the various disciplines within the science.
It was decided in 1988 that the Australian Forensic Society should recognise its New Zealand members and changed its name to The Australian And New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS).

Currently the Society boasts members from all states and territories in Australia, and both islands of New Zealand. There is a branch of the Society in each state and territory of Australia.  The New Zealand Forensic Science Society (NZFSS) comprises the New Zealand Branch of the ANZFSS.  The NZFSS also has local branches in Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington. Each jurisdiction in Australia, and the NZFSS appoints a delegate (usually the local President) to the Council of the ANZFSS.  The President of the NZFSS is also a Vice-President of the ANZFSS.

The ANZFSS is managed by the Executive.  Its membership is decided at a Special General Meeting, or more usually, at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, which is held in conjunction with the Symposium every two years.  The Executive is elected for a period of two years and may stand

for re-election at the next Symposium.  The Executive forms part of the Council of the Society, along with a representative from each jurisdiction (usually the Branch President).  The Council, which is the Society’s decision-making body, meets in person at each Symposium, as well as at least quarterly by teleconference.

The ANZFSS accepts membership from all persons with bona fide interests in forensic science, and it has drawn up a Code of Professional Practice for its members. Individual branches produce regular newsletters that summarise recent activities and promote meetings and other events of interest. The Symposium is the major biannual event for the ANZFSS and each Branch is responsible in turn for organising this. In order to encourage members to participate in the Symposium, the Executive and individual Branches of the ANZFSS award scholarships to attend this meeting. The Executive also award scholarships to enable members to travel overseas to advance their education and experience in forensic science internationally. A further role of the Society is to organise and fund visits by forensic specialists from interstate and overseas.

Local Branches hold regular meetings and visits to places of forensic interest. These meetings usually involve lectures by experts in their field and provide opportunities for members and also guests (where appropriate) to meet in an informal atmosphere.

Branch meetings are organised by a local committee. This committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Branch and comprises the Branch President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and other general members.

For more information, please visit anzfss.org

University of Technology Sydney


University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a dynamic and innovative university located in the heart of Sydney’s creative precinct and alongside Sydney’s central business district.

Currently, UTS is Australia’s number 1 young university and ranked number 15th globally in the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2017  global rankings, a comprehensive system designed for universities under 50 years old with indicators linked to industry innovation as well as academic excellence.

UTS has a distinct model of learning, strong research performance and a leading reputation for engagement with industry and the professions. It has a culturally diverse campus life and vibrant international exchange study and research programs that prepare graduates for the workplaces of today and the future.

With a total enrolment of over 40,000 students, UTS is one of the largest universities in Australia. Offering over 130 undergraduate and 210 postgraduate courses across traditional and emerging disciplines such as architecture, built environment, business, communication, design, education, engineering, information technology, international studies, law, midwifery, nursing, pharmacy and science.

In line with the UTS model of global practice-oriented learning, many of our students undertake professional practice during their degree. As part of their degree program, students also have the opportunity to study at one of more than 185 universities in about 40 countries with which UTS has exchange agreements.

Our world leading research centres span a range of disciplines, including physical, biological and engineering sciences, forensic science and contemporary fields such as design, nanotechnology and sustainability. Our researchers provide practical and relevant solutions to issues of national and international importance and equip graduates with the latest discipline specific skills and practices.

The UTS Centre for Forensic Science (CFS) is a research strength in the Faculty of Science, where it gathers academics, industry partners and expertise who share the vision of crime reduction, crime solutions and national security. It demonstrated track record of collaborative research with international organisations and industries, ranging from law enforcement agencies and public services in analytical and forensics organisations.

The Faculty of Science (UTS Science) is one of eight faculties at UTS and contributes significantly to UTS’s vision to be a world-leading university of technology. UTS Science contributes over 25 percent of the University’s total research income and activities. It has a world-class research intensive reputation and achieved excellent results in the Australian government’s Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) report, where UTS Science was ranked ‘above world standard’ and ‘at world standard’ for all of its other research programs.

For more information, please visit www.science.uts.edu.au

Also visit www.forensics.uts.edu.au and https://twitter.com/CFS_UTS