Geoforensics and Information Management for crime Investigation (GIMI)

Project Staff - Antoinette Keaney

Antoinette Keaney
Postgraduate Research Student
School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology
Queen's University Belfast
BT7 1NN

Tel: +44 (0)28 90 273 929
Fax: +44 (0) 28 90 273212

Current research activities

My primary research interests are associated with the investigation of rapid, non destructive x-ray diffraction screening of adhered rock and crystalline material. The focus of my PhD is to test the combined scientific, cost- and time- effectiveness of using non-destructive x-ray diffraction analysis of soil, rock, dust and other crystalline materials adhered to fabric and other materials associated with crime suspects as a rapid screening method for further forensic-based scientific analysis.

There are two main problems faced by those attempting to link suspects to scenes.

1. The recovery of only trace evidence (such as a single mud speck on clothing, footwear or vehicle interior) which must be preserved for further analysis.
2. The seizure of many hundreds of items that require analysis

This project will develop and test a technique of non-destructively scanning in situ soil, rock dust or other crystalline material by x-ray diffraction that will allow rapid and cost effective prioritization of samples for further analysis.