I aspire to join The Australian Sociological Association to engage with like-minded scholars, contribute to sociological discourse, and access a supportive network. This affiliation will empower me to advance my research and broaden perspectives.

PhD candidate

Higher education institution

Casual

Balancing roles as a sessional academic in law, social science, and criminology at the University of Newcastle, alongside pursuing a PhD, epitomizes my commitment to academia.

Yes

Yes

Full-time PhD student

Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy in the Australian context: Legal and Social Challenges

Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy

The project involves mixed method surveying key stakeholders, including legal professionals, health professionals, police, forensic professionals, and the public, to discern perspectives of FIGG. The project aims to increase the uptake of commercial ancestry databases and propose recommendations that can foster public support of FIGG as an investigative tool available to policing agencies. There is currently no Australian legislation for FIGG, nor is there clear guidelines for redress when commercial ancestry databases are breached, and genetic information is misused. The factors that impact public willingness to upload DNA to commercial ancestry databases will be explored, including but not limited to quantifying family closeness and public trust of policing agencies.