Our Team
HTF4UK is led by experts in forensic anthropology, taphonomy, and forensic science, supported by advisors from academia, law, and policy.
WHO WE ARE
Team Members
The individuals driving this initiative forward
Academic Expertise
Led by researchers with extensive experience in forensic anthropology and taphonomy
Professional Standing
Recognised authorities in their fields with strong institutional affiliations
Multidisciplinary
Drawing on expertise from science, law, ethics, and policy
Professor Anna Williams
Professor of Forensic Science
University of Lancashire
Campaign Lead & Founder
Anna has been championing the case for a Human Taphonomy Facility in the UK for around 15 years. A forensic anthropologist and taphonomist with extensive casework experience, she's passionate about human-focused forensic science and giving people a meaningful way to contribute to justice. She lives in Lancashire with her husband and their Golden Mountain Dog, Toby.
Dr Mark Spencer
Forensic Botanist
Mark is a forensic botanist who's spent over a decade helping UK police forces read the stories that plants can tell - from missing person searches to deposition sites and trace evidence. He co-chairs the Forensic Science Regulator's Non-Human Biology specialist group, and first stumbled into the world of forensics during his twelve years at the Natural History Museum.
Dr Chris Rogers
Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science
University of Wolverhampton
Senior Lecturer
Chris is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science at the University of Wolverhampton, where his research digs into decomposition and skeletal trauma. With a background spanning museum collections, histopathology and real-world casework, he loves bridging theory with practice for his students. He lives in Shropshire with his black Labrador Oscar, and teaches self-defence on the side.
Dr Heather Angell
Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science
University of Wolverhampton
Forensic Microbiologist
Heather is a forensic microbiologist fascinated by what microbes can reveal in criminal investigations. She's a passionate advocate for widening participation and community engagement, and believes higher education should open doors and create real social value. Away from the lab, she can usually be found lost in a fantasy novel or rolling dice at a Dungeons & Dragons table.
Dr Carolyn Rando
Associate Professor in Bioarchaeology & Forensic Anthropology
University College London
Forensic Anthropologist
Specialises in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology, with expertise in juvenile osteology, palaeopathology, dental anthropology, and advanced forensic method development. Her current research focuses on disease development in neonates and perinates. Outside of work, Carolyn is an avid reader and has recently taken up painting miniatures.
Dawn Morgan
Forensic Entomologist
University of Wolverhampton
Forensic Entomologist
Dawn is a forensic entomologist captivated by the quiet but crucial role insects play in criminal investigations. She works in academia, where she loves sparking that same fascination in the next generation of forensic scientists. At home in Shropshire, she lives with her husband, two children, their Border Collie Cooper - and a small collection of cockroaches that keeps her curiosity buzzing.
Dr Xenia Kyriakou
Assistant Professor in Forensic Anthropology
University of Montana
Forensic Anthropologist
Xenia Paula is a forensic anthropologist and archaeologist specializing in forensic and biological anthropology, forensic archaeology, bioarchaeology, and palaeopathology, with extensive experience in the field. She regularly travels between the UK, Cyprus and the USA, and lives in Montana with her little dog Ziki.
Dr Caley Mein
Lecturer in Forensic Science
University of Lancashire
Forensic Taphonomist
Caley is a forensic taphonomist, with research interests in bone diagenesis and trauma analysis, as well as innovative pedagogical methods. She is experienced in and passionate about public engagement and science communication. She has a naughty black cat called Salem.
Dame Professor Lorna Dawson
Head of the Centre for Forensic Soil Forensic Science
James Hutton Institute
Soil Scientist
Dame Professor Lorna Dawson is Head of the Centre for Forensic Soil Forensic Science at the James Hutton Institute and has over 30 years’ experience in managing and conducting research in soil and plant interactions, in particular its application in the criminal justice system. She is an internationally recognised “Soil sleuth” who has pioneered forensic techniques that have helped solve more than 100 crimes, and put some of the UK’s most notorious killers behind bars.