Project Information

 INTREPID Forensics PhD Projects

The Marie Curie Initial Training Network “Interdisciplinary Training and Research Programme for Innovative Doctorates in Forensic Science” (INTREPID Forensics) consists of 10 fully funded PhD (Early Stage Researcher) Fellows working on various Forensic Science research projects.

These 10 posts include an employment contract at the University of Leicester for the duration of 3 years with a very competitive annual salary. In addition to completing a PhD research degree, each researcher will also complete a core training programme designed to prepare them for a research career in the forensic sciences.  Each researcher will also complete a research secondment at one of our European partner organisations.

The INTREPID Forensics project is providing an opportunity for early stage researchers to pursue innovative PhD research degrees focusing on areas relevant to the forensic sciences. The projects are supervised by leading academic researchers from a variety of disciplines, and are designed to overcome traditional boundaries between the physical and social sciences.  The United Kingdom, and the University of Leicester in particular, has a strong history of world class forensic research and innovation and this innovative doctoral programme has attracted high quality early stage researchers to investigate forensic technologies with the potential to impact crime across Europe and globally. In collaboration with European universities, forensic industry partners, and police agencies, the INTREPID Forensics programme provides the researchers with a unique opportunity to experience forensic science research and innovation through exciting research projects in a variety of disciplines. The researchers will complete the INTREPID Forensics research training programme, complete a research secondment at one of the associate partner institutions, and attend local research training activities. In addition, they will engage in dissemination and outreach activities including regular contributions to researcher blogs, conference attendance, and attending a postgraduate forensic science summer school programme.

The University is actively working toward achieving an Athena Swan award in recognition of excellence in employment and better representation of women in science.

Below is the list of projects that the researchers will start working on in October 2014 (for more details of each project follow the links to the project pages).

Project 1 (Physics/Chemistry) – Electrowetting of fingerprint sweat deposits as an aid to conventional enhancement techniques

Project 2 (Chemistry/Physics) – Electrowetting of fingerprint sweat deposits as an aid to conventional enhancement techniques

Project 3 (Genetics/Chemistry) – Producing innovative methods of recovering DNA material from metal subjected to environmental extremes

Project 4 (Mathematics/Criminology) – Constructing innovative methods of pattern recognition of fingerprint ridge lines and characteristics

Project 5 (Psychology/Criminology) – Modelling the visual search strategies used by fingerprint experts during examinations using Signal Detection Theory

Project 6 (Criminology/Psychology) – Testing of fingerprint examination using eye tracking, and the impact of verification procedures and contextual information

Project 7 (Criminology/Chemistry) – Survey of availability and users of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and examine reports of NPS related deaths

Project 8 (Chemistry/Criminology) – Quantitative analysis of Novel Psychoactive Substances, and design of presumptive tests

Project 9 (Engineering/Pathology) – The use of Micro-Computed Tomography for the examination of conventional and contaminated victims of Improvised Explosive Devices

Project 10 (Chemistry/Immunity, Infection & Inflammation) – Development of dried blood spot analysis for the detection and quantification of drugs of abuse in forensic toxicology.