STRmix™ Co-Developer John Buckleton Honored

Top honors have been given to ESR Scientist Dr. John Buckleton for work that’s making a significant contribution on the world stage.

 
Buckleton is being awarded the Adelaide Medal by the International Association of Forensic Sciences. The Medal acknowledges scientific work that internationally has resulted in a change of direction, new thinking, or significant improvement in existing forensic methodologies.

 
Dr. Buckleton is considered a world leader in the interpretation and analysis of forensic evidence. He is also one of the developers of STRmix™.

 
As part of the STRmix™ team, Buckleton, along with follow ESR scientist Dr Jo-Anne Bright and Duncan Taylor from Forensic Science South Australia, revolutionized DNA interpretation by creating software that analyzes complex DNA samples faster and more accurately.

 
Over his career, Dr. Buckleton has examined more than 2,000 cases, given evidence about 200 times, and co-authored more than 200 significant publications in forensic science, including shoeprints, firearms, DNA, blood grouping, fire debris analysis, glass, and paint.

 
For Dr. Buckleton, forensics is everything. He notes, “It’s my whole life. I wake up and do it, and I dream about it at night. It’s just fantastic – the problem-solving aspects, the camaraderie of working on important issues. And if I go to my grave thinking, I’ve made some contribution to justice that would be good.”

 
Dr. Buckleton will be formally presented with the medal at the IAFS meeting being held in Sydney, Australia in September.

ESR is New Zealand’s Crown Research Institute specializing in science for communities. ESR uses world-leading science to safeguard our health, keep our communities safer, protect our food-based economy, and improve the health of our water and natural environment.