So, You Want to be a Forensic (Medical) Scientist?
Monday 14th November - 7pm
October 18, 2022 1:26 pm
Leave your thoughts
- In person Talk with Dr Geraldine Dowling and Professor Nikolas P. Lemos
- 7.00pm
- ATU Sligo room A0005
- Public Event (12+)
Interested in a field full of scientific and judicial challenges (and rewards)? Join ATU Sligo’s Dr Geraldine Dowling and Professor Nikolas P. Lemos, Director of Cameron Forensic Medical Sciences at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in London, describe how they got involved with Forensics, as well their own their personal involvement in some fascinating cases – and how they manage to stay sane in a world full of death, poisonings and misery!
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Dr Geraldine Dowling is appointed as a Lecturer in Forensic Science at the Atlantic Technological University since September and lectures and conducts research in forensic toxicology, metabolomics, nutrition science and various education pedagogies. Geraldine holds a position as Adjunct Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin and a position as Honorary Lecturer at the Cameron Forensic Medical Sciences Centre, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London.
In addition, Geraldine is a registered teacher of chemistry with the Teaching Council of Ireland. Furthermore, Geraldine is a forensic toxicologist educator and member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) and The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) professional bodies. In 2019 Geraldine was elected to the United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (UKIAFT) council which develops and sets professional standards of practice and education in forensic toxicology in Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and The Channel Islands.
Concurrently she has been a member of national government working groups and committees regarding drug testing in Ireland. Geraldine has held posts in various Irish government ISO17025 accredited laboratories for 12 years while working/studying in the field of analytical science in agencies such as The Marine Institute, Teagasc and The State Laboratory prior to entering academia. She has trained professionals, staff and students in method development, forensic case interpretation, method validation, casework reporting and accreditation within revenue, customs and toxicology fields as a forensic practitioner in these fields. She is a trained expert witness and supervises postgraduate students. She has authored/co-authored over 65 articles (peer-reviewed papers, abstracts and book chapters).
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Professor Lemos is a native of Greece currently serving as Director of Cameron Forensic Medical Sciences at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in London, England. He is board-certified as Fellow of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (F-ABFT) and started his career researching alcohol and drug detection analysis in alternative biological specimens including nails and bile. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminalistics/Forensic Chemistry from SUNY – College at Buffalo, a Master’s in Forensic Science (Toxicology) from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City and a Doctorate in Forensic Medicine and Science (Analytical and Forensic Toxicology) from the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
He worked as Senior Lecturer at London’s South Bank University and later moved to St George’s Hospital Medical School of the University of London to take the position of Head of the Forensic Toxicology Service of its Analytical Unit. In 2003, he took the position of Chief Forensic Toxicologist at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the City and County of San Francisco and in 2005 he also became Director of the Forensic Laboratory Division of the same Office where he spearheaded both the ABFT accreditation of that lab and the successful certification by ABFT of its staff forensic toxicologists. Professor Lemos consults in administrative, civil and criminal cases all over the world. In California he closely worked with the San Francisco Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the US Park Police and the San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris (now US Vice President) and the (late) San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adacchi and has testified in over 330 trials. Additionally, he successfully lobbied and helped raise over $60 million through various voters’ bond initiatives towards a new state-of-the-art medical examiner’s facility which was put in operation in November 2017.
Professor Lemos has hosted several scientific meetings in London and San Francisco and currently serves as Chair of the Ethics Committee of the California Association of Toxicologists. He is active in TIAFT (elected Board Member in February 2022), SOFT, IACFT (founding member) and the National Association of Medical Examiners. He is Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (UK) and Fellow of American Academy of Forensic Sciences (Toxicology Section) where he served as its first Chair of the Diversity and Outreach Committee and its elected Toxicology Section Chair from 2018 to 2019.
He holds academic appointments in London (Professor of Forensic Medical Sciences), Athens (Visiting Professor at the Laboratory of Forensic Pathology and Toxicology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens); and Saint Louis (Professor in the Department of Pathology and Toxicology at Saint Louis University). He has authored/co-authored over 85 peer-reviewed papers, abstracts, and book chapters including the first ever study of Cannabinoids in Fingernails (JAT, May 1999) and the first ever study of Cannabinoids in Post-mortem Toxicology (JAT, September 2011). He previously served as Science Editor of “Medicine, Science and the Law,” the Official Journal of the British Academy of Forensic Sciences and is currently the Forensic Toxicology Editor-in-Chief for “Forensic Sciences Research.” He is recipient of numerous scholarships, research and equipment grants and awards. In 2005, he was honoured by the 109th Congress of the United States of America with a Proclamation of Achievement “for dedicating his life and career to community safety and social awareness.”
To guarantee your place, you can pre-book via the button below or feel free to come along on the night
