Kate Unwin
Principal Lecturer in Forensic and Applied Biology
Biological Sciences
email: kate.unwin@worc.ac.uk
tel: 01905 54 2211
Kate has been a Forensic Biologist since February 2002 and has worked in this area and role since that time, first with the Forensic Science Service as a Reporting Officer and then with Cellmark Forensic Services (to date). She has worked on hundreds of criminal cases, including offences such as sexual offences, serious assaults, murder, burglary, fraud and hit and run. Throughout Kate's time as a Forensic Scientist she has examined evidence, both within a laboratory environment and at scenes of crimes. Kate has been classified as an expert witness and her areas of expertise include body fluid evidence, damage assessment and DNA profiling. Kate has given evidence in both Crown and Magistrates courts (her first court appearance being at the Old Bailey!).
Kate has worked alongside the Police, the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service), Defence Scientists, CSI (Crime Scene Investigators) and a wide range of specialists and world leaders in the field of Forensic Science. She is currently involved in training and awareness sessions for three local police forces and has used her extensive case work experience to develop a course which gives students a true insight into the world of Forensic Science. Furthermore, the course is enhanced by the use of real case examples and Kate has a passion for enabling students to carry out as much practical work as possible to enhance the theory delivered on the course and maximize their employability opportunities.
Teaching & Research
Kate's areas of expertise include:
- Blood pattern analysis
- Forensic DNA profiling and interpretation
- Expert testimony
- Body fluid examination and interpretation
- Interpretation of evidence including Bayesian statistics and probabilities
- Crime scene interpretation
In addition to those areas detailed above Kate also teaches:
- Disaster victim identification
- Forensic anthropology and archaeology
- Forensic dentistry
- Methods of post-mortem interval estimation
Kate's research interests include:
- Methods of evidence detection
- Interpretation of evidence
Professional Bodies
Professional member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences
Member of the Higher Education Academy
Accreditor for the accrediting body – the Chartered society of Forensic Science
External Examiner for two external universities
Qualifications
Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (University of Worcester)
Diploma in Professional Studies (University of Loughborough and Birmingham Women's Hospital Genetics Diagnostics Unit)
BSc (Hons) Human Biology (University of Loughborough)
Additional Responsibilities
External responsibilities:
- Forensic scientist with Cellmark Forensic Services since February 2015
- Forensic Scientist with the Forensic Science Service February 2002 July 2010
- Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences PEAC (Pre-employment assessment centre) delivery manager
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) ambassador
- A member of the consultancy register for the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences
Internal responsibilities:
- Admissions tutor for Forensic and Applied Biology and Biology awards
- Academic Integrity Tutor for Biology and Environmental courses
- Independent study tutor for forensic disciplines