Research Front Essay: Forensic Chemistry

James Robertson has been in charge of the Australian Federal Police’s (AFP) Forensic group (now including Data Centres) since moving to the AFP in 1989. Originally from Glasgow he obtained his B.Sc. (atoms) and Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow in 1972 and 1976. An Agricultural Scientist, his doctoral work was on Plant Hormonal Control of Seed Dormancy. After a short post doctoral spell in London he moved to the University of Strathdyde, Glasgow, as a lecturer in Forensic Science, immigrating to South Australia in 1985 where he then worked as a Forensic Scientist in the state Forensic Laboratory. He has a broad range of Forensic interests including hairs, fibres, botanical trace, and illicit drugs. He has published extensively, edited a book series, co-edited four books, and established an active research culture within the Forensic and Data Centres (FDC) group of the AFP. He holds adjunct professional appointments at several Australian and overseas universities. The University of Canberra awarded him an Honorary Doctor of the University in 2007 and he was awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) in 2004 for services to Forensic Science and law enforcement. James will retire from the AFP in 2010 and take up an appointment at the University of Canberra as a Professorial fellow. James was recently also appointed as the chair of the National Institute of Forensic Science (NIFS) advisory forum.