Events

Australasian Mortality Data Interest Group (AMDIG) Conference

When: November 18-19 2010.
Location: Melbourne, Australia.

Hosted by the NCIS and Monash University's Department of Forensic Medicine, this year's AMDIG conference focuses on improving, investigating and using mortality data. Workshop themes include: Suicide; Drugs and Alcohol; Methods, Data Sources & International Perspectives; Death Investigation Processes. To register interest or for further information, please email catherined@vifm.org
or call +61(3) 9684 4442.

Regional Australasian Forensic Toxicology Meeting

When: October 12-14 2009.
Location: Melbourne, Australia.
Website: http://www.vifm.org/afta

Colleagues from around the region are encouraged to attend this meeting.
Expressions of interest are welcome and should be emailed to afta@vifm.org

Book Launch - Older Road Users: Myths and Realities, A Guide for Medical and Legal Professionals

This book was commissioned by VicRoads in response to the 2003 Inquiry into Road Safety for Older Road Users by the Victorian Parliamentary Road Safety Committee. The Committee recommended that VicRoads:

• undertake research to better understand the crash risks for older road users associated with various types and levels of visual impairment.
• undertake research to better understand the effects on pedestrian and driving performance and crash risk of older people who have various types and levels of cognitive impairment.
• undertake research to better understand the effects of various types and levels of:
  • specific medical conditions
  • multiple conditions
  • medications
  • multiple medications and medications (together with low levels of alcohol) on an older person's walking and driving abilities.

The result was a project to bring together state-of-the-art scientific knowledge of the role of ageing as a perceived cause of road trauma in the immediate future. As with all good scientific projects this book has answered many questions. It has also raised others which can only be answered in the light of further scientific research and experience.

Book Launch - Handbook of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology

Over the last 10 years, interest in the disciplines of forensic anthropology and archaeology has exploded. In order to provide anthropologists and archaeologists and their students with a reliable understanding of these disciplines, this authoratitive volume draws contributions from 50 experienced practitioners from around the world to offer a solid foundation in both the practical and ethical components of forensic work.

Over 40 chapters weave together historical development, current field methods used in analysing criminal cases, natural disasters and human atrocities, an array of laboratory techniques, key case studies, legal, professional, ethical issues, and promising future directions, all from a global perspective. This volume will be the benchmark for the understanding of anthropological and archaeological forensics for years to come.