I have been involved in forensic science as a forensic chemist in one capacity or another since 1985. My first placement was at Forensic Science SA where I worked as a toxicologist, illicit drugs analyst, clandestine drug lab investigator and a trace evidence examiner. I then moved into management and became, over time, the supervisor of the chemistry group, the quality manager and finally the Assistant Director-Science, a position where I was responsible for management of quality, information systems and research.

In 2006 I took up a position with the National Institute of Forensic Science in Melbourne as the Manager of Business Programs. In that role my responsibilities were to initiate and manage forensic science research projects on a national basis.

In 2008 I commenced as Chief Scientist with the Forensic and Data Centres portfolio of the Australian Federal Police, a position where I was again responsible for research management and quality management.

In general terms, my overall aim in research is to develop new techniques, new knowledge and new technologies that can be directly applied in the improvement of forensic science practice.

In particular my current interests include the following:

• Environmental impacts of clandestine drug laboratories
• Measurement of community illicit drug consumption via wastewater analysis
• By-products in the synthesis of illicit drugs and their criminal intelligence value
• By-products in the synthesis of explosives and their criminal intelligence value
• Applications of microanalytical techniques to the analysis of trace evidence (including time of flight secondary ionization mass spectrometry, desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, infrared microspectroscopy, UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, Raman and enhanced Raman techniques, stable isotope measurements)
• Chemical characterization of organic and inorganic gunshot residues
• Evidence assessment and presentation

• Dec 2017 Jared Castle - National Institute of Forensic Science Best Chapter ina Book" award, 2017.Have a look at this link:https://research.flinders.edu.au/RP/Blog/4417/research-engagement-and-impact-flinders-forensic-science-cleans-up-at-awards
• Dec 2017 Jared Castle - Forensic & Clinical Toxicology Association (FACTA) "Best Oral Presentation" runner-up
• Jun 2017 Sathisha Kamanna - American Society of Mass Spectrometry,IJMS-Agilent Best Student Paper Awards 2016. Have a look at https://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-mass-spectrometry/news/ijms-agilent-best-student-paper-awards-2016
• Mar 2013 James Waters - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper"
• Nick Lucas - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2016
• Sathisha Kamanna - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2016
• Marie Morelato (UTS) - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2015
• Marie Morelato (UTS) - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2013
• John Coumbaros (UniSA) - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2010
• Silvana Tridico (Murdoch) - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2011
• John Coumbaros (UniSA) - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2002
• Hayley Brown - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2004 (second award!)
• Hayley Brown - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2004 (first award)
• Agnieska Jaunsz - National Institute of Forensic Science "Best Paper" 2004

• Gunshot Residues (3)
• Analysis of Drugs in Hairs (1)
• Forensic Applications of Proteomics (1)
• Forensic Paint Examination (1)
• Lab on a Chip Analysis of Drugs in Body Fluids (1)