Source: The Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 18. Januar 2003
With his unique blend of great enertise plus considerable eccentricity, German forensic scientist extraordinary, Dr Mark Benecke is coming to inspire budding scientists in Huddersfield.
TONY POGSON reports
He’s been called "Germany's best bio detective" and "The Quincy of Cologne". Dr Mark Benecke, the eccentric 32-year-old celebrity forensic science prodigy with an international reputation will be at Huddersfield University on Monday morning to give a lecture.
That's great news for university science undergraduates and local schools who have been invited to attend. Sadly it won't be open to the general public. The talk, in St Paul's Flail will be about forensic entomology – or using insects to help solve the scientific problems of judicial investigations.
Dr Benecke, who is also an expert in DNA typing, criminalisation and invertebrate zoology, has solved crimes by researching corpses: he can tell how long a body has remained undiscovered by studying the insects on it.
His credentials are impeccable. He has worked for Cologne University and in the USA. He has been a guest scientific consultant at the FBI, a guest lecturer and trainer at police academies, he worked for the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in New York, he is a Fellow of London's Linnean Society.
But the range of his interests is wide enough to raise eyebrows and there is an element of showmanship about some of his work.
Last year he was scientific consultant for National Geographical TV's film Dracula Unearthed and he produced his book The Dream Of Eternal Life, two years ago he appeared on stage in Singapore playing himself in The Real Forensic, described by a critic as part horror, part TV game show.
He has also written about vampires and Hitler's skull (he has recently been in Russia examining remains claimed as Hitler's), his extensive website (www.benecke.com) has an off-the-wall section on electricity pylon number collecting and he's already practised his last words: "Hello, flies."
In short, the lucky ones can look forward to an entertaining and informative 13/4 hours on Monday. And while the interest is high, the university department of chemical and biological sciences is following up two days later with its own microsymposium, Forensic Science: Presenting The Evidence.
It is being held by the School of Applied Sciences and open to A-level students from local schools.
Science communicator Jo Lawton says: "We have around 100 pupils attending and it consists of presentation by our own lecturers who work in the field of forensic science.”
"The aim is to give students a real perspective of what a forensic scientist does and advise on careers prospects.
"It should help to make an informed career decision on an area that even though it is very popular is poorly understood."
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