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Dr Peter Bull

• Academic Profile
• Current Research
• Current Teaching
• Publications

Academic Profile

Dr Peter Bull is a University Lecturer in physical geography, Fellow and Tutor at Hertford College. He was originally trained as a karst sedimentologist and has special interest in China. For over thirty years he has been studying sediments using a scanning electron microscope as a tool for reconstructing ancient environments (particularly the Quaternary). Dr Bull is presently concerned with forensic sedimentology relating to murders, rapes, smuggling, arson etc.

Current Research

Dr Bull's research focuses on the development of the philosophy, nature and practice of forensic geoscience by means of both experimental and theoretical work together with real life forensic casework. He is also working with scientists from NASA's SETI Institute, on the development of palaeoenergy aeolian indicators from mineral surface textures.

Selected Research Projects (since 2001)

• Forensic geoscience applications to Swiss soils
  In collaboration with Dr Jeanne Freudiger-Bonzon (Oxford and Lausanne); Financial support from Swiss National Science Foundation; (2007)

Teaching

Undergraduate teaching

Dr Bull teaches the Final Honour School Special Subject course Forensic Geography, as well as the Introduction to Earth Surface Processes course, and the compulsory field trip to Crete, for the Preliminary Examination. Dr Bull also offers scanning electron microscopy laboratory classes as part of the Final Honour School.

Postgraduate teaching

Dr Bull teaches postgraduate (master and doctoral) scanning electron microscopy laboratory classes.

Selected Publications

• Bull, P.A. with French, J.C., Morgan. R.M., Baxendell, P. (in press, 2011) Multiple transfers of trace particulates and their discrimination within contact networks. Science and Justice.
• Bull, P.A. with Newell, A.J., Morgan, R.M., Griffin, L.D. and Graham, G. (in submission, 2011) Automated texture recognition of quartz sand grains for forensic analysis for forensic applications. Journal of Forensic Sciences.
• Bull, P.A. with Marshall, J.R. and Morgan, R.M. (in submission, 2011) Energy regimes for aeolian sand grain surface textures. Sedimentary Geology.
• Morgan, R.M. and Bull, P.A. (in press, 2011) The Scanning Electron Microscope in Geomorphology. In, Switzer, A.D. and D. Kennedy (eds.) Methods Volume, Treatise on Geomorphology. Elsevier.
• Bull, P.A. (in press, 2011) The sedimentary sequence Pontnewydd Cave: A scanning electron microscope study of the sediments from the main cave sequence and new entrance. Chapter 4 in, Aldhouse-Green, S. (ed.) Pontnewydd Cave. University of Wales Press.
• Newell, A.J., Griffin, L.D., Morgan, R.M. and Bull, P.A. (2010) Texture-based estimation of physical characteristics of sand grains. International Conference on Digital Image Computing: Techniques and Applications, pp. 504-509.
• Morgan, R.M., Robertson, J., Lennard, C., Hubbard, K. and Bull, P.A. (2010) Quartz grain surface texture analysis of sediments and soils from Canberra, Australia; a forensic reconstruction tool. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 42(3): 169-179.
• Morgan, R.M., French, J., O'Donnell, L. and Bull, P.A. (2010) The reincorporation and redistribution of trace geoforensic particulates on clothing: an introductory study. Science and Justice, 50: 195-199.
• Bull, P.A. (2010) The sedimentary sequence of Pontnewydd Cave: a scanning electron microscope study of the sediments from the main cave sequence and new entrance. Chapter 4 in, Aldhouse-Green, S. (ed.) Pontnewydd Cave. University of Wales Press.
• Morgan, R.M., Cohen, J., McGookin, I., Murly-Gotto, J., O'Connor, R., Muress, S., Freudiger-Bonzon, J. and Bull, P.A. (2009) The relevance of the evolution of experimental studies for the interpretation and evaluation of some trace physical evidence. Science and Justice, 49(4): 277-285.
• Morgan, R.M., Freudiger-Bonzon, J., Nichols, K.H., Jellis, T., Dunkerley, S., Zelazowski, P. and Bull, P.A. (2009) The geoforensic analysis of soils from footwear. In, Ritz, K., Dawson, L. and Miller, D. (eds.) Criminal and Environmental Soil Forensics. Springer.
• Morgan, R.M., Allen, E., Lightowler, Z.L., Freudiger-Bonzon, J. and Bull, P.A. (2008) A forensic geoscience framework and practice. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 2: 185-195.
• Bull, P.A., Morgan, R.M., Freudiger-Bonzon, J. (2008) A critique of the present use of some geochemical techniques in geoforensic analysis. Forensic Science International, 178(2-3): 35-40.
• Bull, P.A. with Morgan, R.M. (2007) Sediment Fingerprints: A forensic technique using quartz sand grains. A Response. Science and Justice, 47(3): 141-144.
• Bull, P.A. with Morgan, R.M. (2007) Forensic Geoscience and Crime detection. Identification, interpretation and presentation in forensic geoscience. Minerva Medicolegal, 127(2): 73-89. PDF published by permission of Edizioni Minerva Medica.
• Morgan, R.M. and Bull, P.A. (2007) The use of grain size distribution analysis of sediments and soils in forensic enquiry.. Science and Justice, 47(3): 125-135.
• Morgan, R.M. and Bull, P. (2007) The philosophy, nature and practice of forensic sediment analysis. Progress in Physical Geography, 31(1): 1-16.
• Bull, P. with Morgan, R.M. (2006) Sediment Fingerprints: A forensic technique using quartz sand grains. Science and Justice, 46(2): 107-124. Winner of the Forensic Science Society's P.W. Allen Award for the best paper published in Science and Justice 2006.
• Morgan, R.M., Wiltshire, P., Parker, A.G. and P. Bull (2006) The role of forensic geoscience in wildlife crime detection. Forensic Science International, 162: 152-162.
• Bull, P., Parker, A.G. and R.M. Morgan (2006) The forensic analysis of soils and sediment taken from the cast of a footprint. Forensic Science International, 162: 6-12.
• Bull, P. with Morgan, R.M., Sagovsky, A. and Hughes, G.J.A. (2006) The Transfer and Persistence of Trace Particulates: Experimental studies using clothing fabrics. Science and Justice, 46(3): 182-192.
• Morgan, R.M. and P. Bull (2006) Data interpretation in forensic sediment geochemistry. Environmental Forensics, 7(4): 325-334.
• Morgan, R.M., Bull, P., and Paskoff, R. (2005) Origin of the Cerro El Dragón coastal dune, Iquique, Atacama desert, Chile. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, 49(2): 167-182.
• Bull, P., Morgan, R.M., Dunkerley, S. and Wilson, H.E. (2005) 'SEM-EDS analysis and discrimination of forensic soil' by Cengiz et al. A comment. Forensic Science International, 155(2-3): 222-224.