Amoret Whitaker
Amoret Whitaker is a forensic entomologist in the UK.[1]
Amoret Whitaker | |
---|---|
Alma mater | Reading University |
Occupation | Forensic entomologist |
Employer | University of Winchester |
Website | www |
Education
She studied a Bachelors of Zoology at Reading University,[2] a Masters of Taxonomy and Biodiversity at Imperial College London and the Natural History Museum, London and a PhD in Forensic Entomology at King's College London.[1]
Career and research
Amoret's early research was into fleas, which are her favourite insects.[3] She wrote the Fleas (Siphonaptera) volume of the Handbooks for the identification of British Insects,[4] published in 2007 by the Royal Entomological Society[5] and is currently writing Flea for the Reaktion Books Animal series.[1]
She moved in Forensic Entomology and regularly carries out casework with Police Forces in the UK[6] using insect evidence to determine the Post Mortem Interval of a body. The first case she worked on was the Murder of Shafilea Ahmed.[7]
Her research looks at the development and behaviour of blowflies and beetles under different environmental conditions, she is based at the Natural History Museum in London where she is a Scientific Associate, at the body farm in Tennessee[8] and at the University of Winchester where she is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Studies.[1]
Media and public appearances
In 2013 she was interviewed by Jim Al-Khalili on the BBC's The Life Scientific programme,[9] in 2017 she appeared on The Infinite Monkey Cage's episode about insects.[10] She was the Verrall Lecturer for the Royal Entomological Society in 2018, speaking on Fabulous Fleas.[11]
References
- Whitaker, Amoret. "Academic Homepage". www.winchester.ac.uk. University of Winchester. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "The real-life CSI scientist". www.mirror.co.uk. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Twelve reasons why insects rule". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Amoret Whitaker, forensic entomologist". valentinaproject.com. The Valentina Project. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "RES Handbooks for the identification of British Insects. Volume 1 part 16 (2nd edition)". royensoc.co.uk. The Royal Entomological Society. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Six of the most extreme jobs in science". www.sciencefocus.com. BBC Science Focus Magazine. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "How a love of whodunit mysteries has paved the way for forensic entomology". www.wired.co.uk. Wired. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Meet the superheroes of science - science-in-society - 22 October 2009". www.newscientist.com. New Scientist. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- "The Life Scientific: Amoret Whitaker". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Series 16, Episode 6, Will insects inherit the earth?". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "2018 Verrall Lecture: Fabulous Fleas by Amoret Whitaker" (PDF). www.royensoc.co.uk. Royal Entomological Society. Retrieved 13 August 2019.