Adriana Oliva is an Insect taxonomist by training, but works mainly on forensic Entomology now. She took her Doctor's degree at Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) in 1988; her thesis reviewing a genus of Hydrophilidae (silver water beetles) in Argentina received the maximum qualification. In 1989 she became a Career Researcher of the CONICET (Consejo nacional de Investigaciones cientificas y tecnologicas = National Council for Scientific and Technological Research), working at the Museo argentino de Ciencias naturales (MACN) (= argentinian Museum of nat. Sci). In 1993 she began to perform experiments on insect samples from autopsies at the federal morgue. In 1994, the MACN created the Laboratorio de Entomologia forense and nominated Adriana Oliva as Chief (a purely honorary nomination). Interest in forensic entomology had been awakened by a notorious case (conscript Carrasco). Thereafter, the number of expert opinions requested per year soared from two (1993) to as much as 44 from the federal experts plus six from provincial courts (1999). Some work is being done on myiasis (maggots attacking tissues of living persons or animals). In 2003, collaboration with the Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias de Tandil (Universidad del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires) was initiated, to try forensic entomology as a tool against cattle rustling.

Adriana Oliva has published several papers on forensic entomology and allied subjects since 1997, contributed chapters in "Tanatologia e Entomologia forense" (J. Paulete Vanrell & J.A. Paulete Scaglia Eds; Editora Universidade de Pernambuco, 2002); also published a number of papers on taxonomy and bionomics of Hydrophiloidea (silver water beetles and their immediate relatives), and described 40 species new to science. Teaching has ranged from graduate courses for biologists, rated assistant professor (ad honorem) for the duration of each course, through forensic entomology classes for the graduate course in Legal Medicine at the UBA, as invited professor (since 1995), and for several other graduate courses on legal medicine, forensic entomology modules for graduate courses on applied entomology and veterinarian legal medicine, to a course for the Police of Misiones province (1999).

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Doug is a freelance forensic ecologist and that rare beast in science, an expert generalist. He is at home in a wide range of disciplines, and works as an environmental Team Leader and Expert Witness for Clients and Agencies around the world.

His work deals with the analysis of environmental evidence in trials, especially in actions involving the social and ecological effects of water pollution and the disturbance of river hydraulics. His Court appearances are rare, as most actions are withdrawn or settled out of court once his analyses are disclosed. He also prepares forensic audits of the compliance of sectoral developments with the complex legislative frameworks designed to protect people and the environment. Most of this work is in public health and the water, power, and oil industries This sometimes hazardous work has resulted in the fundamental restructuring of some of the world's largest development projects - his background as a martial arts Instructor has not always been of purely theoretical relevance!

In the UK, Doug lectures to University students, professional biologists and legal audiences on forensic ecology and environmental analysis. He is particularly concerned with the ethical, legal and human rights aspects of state-imposed environmental legislation. Hs legal analysis of water fluoridation now forms the foundation of vigorous challenges to the British Government's attempt to enforce nation-wide fluoridation without consent.

He is currently a member of the Department of Health's Committee on Toxicity, investigating the medical effects of Britain's worst ever water-poisoning incident, in 1988. His appointment is the result of his original pro bono work establishing community-based data salvage to preserve environmental evidence deliberately ignored by the Public Authorities.

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Dr. Swift is a Specialist Registrar in Forensic Pathology at the Forensic Pathology Unit, University of Leicester, U.K. He has published widely in peer-review journals and has authored several book chapters. His main areas of interest are forensic taphonomy and the use of radiological techniques in postmortem examinations.

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