PIEA Speakers
Glenn Porter – University of Western Sydney
Glenn Porter is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science and Head of Program for the Bachelor of Science (Forensic Science) degree at the University of Western Sydney (UWS). Glenn teaches specialised forensic science units such as Forensic Photography, Crime Scene Investigation and Complex Forensic Case Studies. He is currently the Secretary-General of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences and a member of the Editorial Board of the Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences. Glenn has 20 years experience as a forensic practitioner and before becoming an academic at UWS, he was a forensic photographer with the Australian Federal Police. Glenn’s PhD thesis is titled “The Reliability of CCTV Images as Forensic Evidence” and his research focus is the reliability of photographic evidence including; photographic comparison and interpretation, CCTV identification, intelligence and standards, and the application of visual evidence in forensic science. He has published several papers in International journals and written chapters in books.
Associate Professor Gale Spring – RMIT University
Gale Spring has had a professional career in photography since 1976.
His scope of photography experience ranges from fine art and alternative photographic processes to medical, scientific and forensic photography. He has received many awards and recognitions both for his photographic work as well as his contribution to teaching.
Originally from the United States, he became interested in photography as a hobby in high school. After completing his undergraduate and post- graduate qualifications, he was appointed as Director of Photographic Services for the Department of Pathology at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas. After 11 years in that position, he moved to Melbourne to lead the scientific photography program. He was the Program Leader of the scientific photography program at RMIT University for 20 years.
He is currently an associate professor in the School of Applied Sciences and the program leader for the applied science multi-major degree at RMIT University. He also conducts post-graduate courses in scientific photography as well as alternative photographic processes.
Jodie Green – University of Western Sydney
Jodie Green undertook research into the reliability of CCTV photoanthropometric indices as a student at the University of Western Sydney. Since finishing her studies Jodie has taken a position working with the Australian Federal Police.
Charles Crumlish
Pursuing a long held interest in photography, around the mid 1990’s I participated in several photographic courses in traditional Black and White and alternate processes conducted by Gordon Undy at his Point Light Studio in Glebe, Sydney. I found Gordon’s passion and dedication to photography and its significance as a medium of communication to be contagious, and I felt compelled to pursue a deeper understanding and engagement with both the technical and social/cultural aspect of the photographic image. As a consequence I completed a Bachelor of Visual Communication in 2001 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in 2002. Since 2005 I have taught the Forensic Photography unit of the Bachelor of Science (Forensic Science) at University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury.
Belinda Bastide
Belinda has a Bachelor of Science (Forensic Science), Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Class I) and a Cert IV in Crime Scene Examination.
She has previously worked at the University of Western Sydney Teaching Chemistry and Forensic Photography. Currently Belinda is attached to the NSW Police Force SOCO (Scene of Crime Officer) Command in Sydney Metro area.
The paper she is presenting was part of research investigating a new forensic technique to recover forensic evidence from arson scene, previously thought to be destroyed, using a non destructive, non invasive photographic technique.
Robert Ebeyan
Robert graduated with the degree Bachelor of Science (Forensic Science) from the University of Western Sydney in 2010. Currently Robert is undertaking an honours degree, which involves conducting a research project and is presenting some of the findings from his study.
Ellie Young - Gold Street Studios
After achieving Bachelor of Business (Monash University) and Bachelor of Applied Science in Scientific Photography (RMIT University), Ellie Young continued to research and explore the salt printing process though an Applied Science photography Masters research program at RMIT University.
Gold Street Studios, Trentham East, Victoria, Australia is where Ellie's studio provides a resource centre for photographic image makers, attracting local and international participants to experience and learn the art, craft and science of traditional, alternative and historic photographic processes from professional instructors.
Ellie’s book on Salt Printing will be published in late 2011
Gene Bagdonas – National Film and Sound Archive
For the past 40 years Gene’s profession has been Information Technology, working in IT Management and Technical positions with companies such as IBM, Univac, BHP, Alcoa, Westpac, and the National Australia Bank.
In a parallel universe Gene’s hobby has been photography, beginning in High School, and for a short time as a profession as a Photographer in the US Air Force. Recently his interests have focused on the history of photography and especially its technology.
In 2007 he was accepted into the first RMIT Applied Science Honours program for Alternative Photographic processes, and in 2008 graduated Honours First Class, with his academic achievements recognised on the Vice--Chancellor’s List of Academic Excellence for 2008.
He has exhibited his photographic work, specifically Ziatype, a reinvention of a 19th Century Palladium Printing Out Process developed by Richard Sullivan, in group shows at the Alpha Gallery in Melbourne 2008, at the 2009 Trentham Fringe of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, and a solo show at PhotoAccess in Canberra in November 2009.
Earle Bridger – Griffith University
Earle began his photojournalism/teaching career as a cadet news photographer with the Brisbane daily, The Courier Mail newspaper (1972-1982).
For 15 years he then freelanced for dozens of Australian newspapers and magazines, was contracted to complete two books, ‘Brisbane 82’ and ‘The Twelfth Commonwealth Games, The Official Pictorial History’.
In 1988 he worked in England as a photojournalist and lecturer with Sandwell College of Further and Higher Education, West Midlands. From 1995 to 1996 while completing a Master of Arts –Photography at Ohio University in the United States he worked for the Athens News as a photojournalist and the Columbus Dispatch as an assistant picture editor.
Earle also worked as an assistant photo editor for Reuters during the Sydney Olympic Games and as a Photo Manager for the Brisbane Goodwill Games. Most recently he spent 18 months as the Pictorial Editor of The Sunday Mail, Australia’s second largest circulation newspaper (650,000)
Earle has held Griffith University appointments as Convenor of Photography programs, Queensland College of Art (QCA) Deputy Director Development and currently as QCA Deputy Director Gold Coast.
Danielle Edwards - Austin Health
Danielle Edwards is the Manager of Clinical Photography at Austin Health. She has worked as a clinical photographer for 21 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in photography and a Bachelor of Applied Science (honors) in scientific photography and a Diploma in Management. She is a Registered Biological Illustrator and an active member of professional associations. Her professional contribution has been recognised with a Fellowship of the Institute of Photographic Technology, Inc. and a Fellowship and Associate of the Australian Institute of Medical and Biological Illustration.
Greg Humphries – RMIT University
Greg has been a lecturer in electronic imaging at RMIT University for seventeen years – most of that within scientific photography. He has consulted with several law enforcement agencies - both in Australia and the United States on digital imaging issues. In a past life, a long time ago, Greg was a photojournalist for several years with various newspapers and wire services, mostly in the U.S.
Jair Garcia – RMIT University
Completed a Bachelor degree in Biology at Bogota Colombia. Currently cursing a PhD by research in Applied Physics at RMIT University. His current project seeks to reconstruct colour signals from RGB values including ultraviolet reflection in order to produce an automated animal identification system employing digital photography. Other research interests include visual ecology, animal visual communication and vision.
Peta Philp – Austin Health
Peta completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Photography) at RMIT University graduating in 1993. She was awarded the AIMBI Student award for her third year Biomedical Folio. Peta has worked as a Clinical Photographer for 15 years, starting her career at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. She was awarded the Uncle Bob’s Club Travelling Scholarship, visiting hospitals in the UK and USA to investigate Clinical Image Databases. Currently Peta works as a Clinical Photographer at Austin Health and last year completed an industry based Honours program. Peta is presenting some of the findings from her Honours study.