22 November 2013
CAHID Awarded Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education
The University of Dundee's Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification has been awarded a prestigious Queen's Anniversary
Prize for Higher Education.
Presented in recognition of 'world class excellence' the Queen's Anniversary Prizes are among the most highly-regarded
awards for the UK's universities and colleges.
CAHID, which is headed by Professor Sue Black, is one of the world's foremost institutions for the study and
application of human anatomy, forensic human identification, disaster victim identification and forensic and medical art.
'This is a tremendous honour and testament to the hard work of all the staff, and indeed the students, who have worked
in the Centre,' said Professor Black. 'Ours is a relatively short history, but in that time we have made great strides forward
and the work that comes out of this Centre has significant local, national and international impact.
'We have also been fortunate to enjoy great support both from within the University and from external partners and agencies.'
Professor Pete Downes, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, said, 'The range of CAHID's impact, from the face
of Richard III to the victims of the Asian tsunami and to the work to help gain convictions of sex offenders, is truly amazing.
The bold introduction of Thiel embalming of human bodies will revolutionise surgical training and pioneer new surgical
techniques. This award is deserved recognition for Sue Black and each and every member of CAHID's staff.'
CAHID is pre-eminent internationally through its work in forensic human identification, where staff have worked on high
profile cases both at home and abroad. It has developed new techniques, including identifying perpetrators from images
of their hands in photographs, that have led to successful prosecution in a significant number of cases of child sexual abuse.
The Centre has devised and implemented the world's first training programme for police officers and professional
experts in Disaster Victim Identification (DVI). This was established in response to major events such as the Asian
Tsunami, the London bombings and the Sharm-El-Sheikh bombings. The training programme has helped build a crucial
response capability to major disasters. CAHID is also a partner in the creation of the FASTid system that has been
adopted by Interpol.
CAHID is recognised as an international leader in craniofacial identification and forensic facial reconstruction for the
identification of the living and the dead, the latter more recently including King Richard III.
The Centre's work has also rejuvenated the study of human anatomy and its application in teaching, training and research.
For example, the introduction of the Thiel 'soft fix' method of embalming produces lifelike flexible cadavers that
facilitate the development of new surgical procedures and approaches, new devices and more realistic training.
This is the only centre to adopt this approach in the UK.
For more information on the Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education, see:
www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk.
The Royal Anniversary Trust is an independent charity - registered number 1,000,000 - concerned with the advancement of
education for public benefit. It was set up in 1990 with the object of carrying out a programme of events and activities
during 1992, funded and supported from private sources with official endorsement, to mark the 40th anniversary of The Queen's
accession and her years of service as Head of State. The Trust currently works to promote world class excellence in UK
universities and colleges through The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education.
For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902 |
