Making forensic and policing based research openly accessible
KTN is looking at ways to link ForSci to the Innovation Database to help facilitate a ‘one-stop-shop’ for forensic professionals.
The UK has a wealth of forensic science research in its universities.  However, as with academic research in other sectors, there can be difficultly getting this research out to the wider community.  To help combat this problem a tool for practitioners, professionals and academics to disseminate research was launched in 2015.  The tool was a searchable online, open-access repository of undergraduate and postgraduate project theses.  Sadly funding for the platform was withdrawn in 2016, but after further negotiations the process of re-launching the repository has begun.
The hope is that in addition to providing a source of information and intelligence the project will:
- “Provide a platform of institutional collaborations and networks across academia and industry;
- Support research and development strategy in the criminal justice arena;
- Provide opportunity to facilitate the use of standard approaches to the research and in doing so make the data generated more robust for its use in the courts;
- Minimise research repetition and build larger statistically valid datasets for use and application to support casework;
- Provide an easy searchable database for a wide range of forensic and policing related topics as part of student projects.”
This project, ForSci, is being led by Rachel Bolton-King and John Cassella at Staffordshire University and Brian Rankin from the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences and current chair of the KTN Forensic Science Advisory Board.  KTN is looking at ways to link ForSci to the Innovation Database to help facilitate a ‘one-stop-shop’ for forensic professionals, practitioners and academics.
To aid the development of the tool there will be a workshop taking place on the 29th June (10am to 4:30pm) at The Studio in Manchester. This workshop is an opportunity to contribute directly to the new tool and the organisers are looking for a range of perspectives. In addition to help develop the content for the workshop there is a short survey so even if you are unable to attend the workshop you can still be part of the process.
To access the survey (closing date 31st May) click here 
If you would like to register to attend the workshop (deadline 25th June) click here
If you would like more information on ForSci contact Rachel Bolton-King (R.Bolton-King@staffs.ac.uk)
For more information on the Innovation Database and forensic science activities at KTN contact Felicity Carlysle-Davies