The Forensic Geology Working Group has now been promoted as a separate IUGS Initiative outside GEM. This entry is retained here at present for information.  

The Forensic Geology Website can be accessed through

http://forensicgeologyinternational.org/ or http://forensicgeologyinternational.com/  

Aims and objectives of the IUGS-GEM Working Group on Forensic Geology

The aim of this working group is to develop forensic geology internationally and promote its applications

 

The objectives are to: 

1. Collate and disseminate data and information on forensic geology applied to policing and law enforcement, criminal and civil investigations. 
2. Promote international meetings, seminars and conferences. 
3. Develop an international ‘Working Group’ whereby each ‘Member’ will act as a principal contact in their respective country for the collation and dissemination of information on forensic geology. 
4. Develop a ‘Steering Group Committee’ to act as principal advisers and collaborators. 
5. Collate and review any existing documentation and publications in forensic geology. 
6. Produce a document endorsed by the Steering Group Committee and Members to be called ‘A Guide to Forensic Geology’. 

Proposed work plan

Formative discussions were held at the IUGS-GEM meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay, in October 2009. Following this meeting IUGS-GEM agreed for the setting up of an international Working Group on Forensic Geology.

 

The 3-4 years plan for the Forensic Geology Working Group is as follows:

• Task 1: Contact other organisations and key personnel to establish a Geoforensic International Network (GIN) consisting of ‘Members’ and a ‘Steering Group Committee’. 
• Task 2: Establish a web site, as part of IUGS-GEM, for the management of the Forensic Geology Workings Group. This web site will be populated with relevant data, information, contacts and key events. 
• Task 3: Establish contacts with other international organisations in the field of forensic geology. 
• Task 4: Make arrangements for at least one meeting per year in 2010, 2011 & 2012 to discuss key issues such as the planning and production of a document on ‘A Guide to Forensic Geology’. 
• Task 5: First draft of ‘A Guide to Forensic Geology’ by December 2011. 
• Task 6: Final draft of ‘A Guide to Forensic Geology’ by June 2012. 
• Task 7: Peer review of ‘A Guide to Forensic Geology’ after June 2012 (to be confirmed). 
• Task 8: Translation of ‘the guide’ into other languages (to be confirmed) of by December 2012
• Task 9: Global distribution of ‘A Guide to Forensic Geology’ by March 2013.

Finances

 

The Working Group should be self supporting. The Committee members should be supported by their own organisations or personally.  Funds will be sought from other sources, particularly to support Committee members from developing countries and for the organisation and conduct of meetings, but, at this formative stage, it is not yet possible to give a detailed account of any funding sources. It is intended that  finances should be discussed at the Committee meetings so that approaches can be made to potential funding organisations.

 

Governance

 

An objective is to set up a Geoforensic International Network (GIN) from major geographical regions. Each representative will be formally referred to as a ‘Member’.

 

A ‘Steering Group Committee’ will be established. It will consist of representatives from major geographical regions of the world to give global coverage. This will include representatives of academia, consultancy and the police.

 

Members and/or the Steering Group Committee should aim to meet at least once per annum and maintain e-mail dialogues between meetings. 

 

The Chairman will be L J Donnelly (UK, a GEM Officer). The Secretary and other committee members have yet to be appointed. The Steering Group will consist of the following:

1. Laurance Donnelly: United Kingdom (FGG & search)
2. Duncan Pirrie: United Kingdom (Regulation & accreditation in forensic geology & geological evidence)
3. Mark Harrison: United Kingdom (Police & search)
4. Alastair Ruffell: Northern Ireland (Geological evidence & search)
5. Rosa Maria Di Maggio: Italy (Geological evidence)
6. Ray Murray, Bill Schneck and Marianne Stam: USA (Geological evidence)
7. Carlos Martin Molina Gallego: Colombia (Forensic geology)
8. Risuko Sugita: Japan (Forensics geology)
9. James Robertson and Rob Fitzpatrick: Australia (Geological evidence)
10. Olg Gradusva and Ekaterina Nesterina: Russia (Forensic geology)

Steering Group members may be subject to change in response to personal or professional commitments or changes in any individual’s person circumstances.

 

Communication plan 

• Reporting via the Chairman to each IUGS-GEM annual meeting 
• An article in ‘Episodes’ at least once per year to reach the international scientific community 
• Articles submitted to peer reviewed journals, magazines and publications of international conference proceedings to promote IUGS-GEM, GIN. 
• Attendance at international conferences, seminars and technical meetings 
• Publication of a document on ‘A Guide to Forensic Geology’