Rate My Professor Renee Jelly

Dr Renee Jelly is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science at Murdoch University’s School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences. She completed her PhD at Curtin University, where her research centered on advanced techniques for latent fingerprint detection, including exploring henna dyes for revealing fingermarks on skin surfaces post-washing. This expertise is reflected in her highly influential 2009 review paper, “The detection of latent fingermarks on porous surfaces using amino acid sensitive reagents: a review,” published in Analytica Chimica Acta and cited over 230 times. Previously, Dr Jelly served as a Forensic Investigator with the Western Australia Police Force starting from around 2011, gaining practical experience in real-world forensic applications. She continues to engage with policing through presentations, such as her 2024 talk at the ANZFSS Western Australia Branch Seminar on Operation Trink, focusing on forensic evidence in complex cases.

At Murdoch, Dr Jelly supervises postgraduate students on cutting-edge forensic topics, including the Masters by Research thesis “Latent Fingerprint Enhancement on Recycled Plastic and Polymer Bank Notes” by B.E. Hynes (2023) and the PhD thesis “The Development of Outsole Impressions in Blood on Dark Fabrics” by S.A. Mathews (2025, co-supervised with Dr John Coumbaros). As a key member of the ChemCrimLab research group, she contributes to multidisciplinary efforts, notably as a co-investigator on a $70,000 Criminal Justice Research Grant awarded by the Western Australian Office of Crime Statistics and Research. The funded project, “Blurred Lines: Exploring the Tenuous Relationship Between Sexual Consent and Substance Use,” under PhD candidate Marie Lynam, develops pharmacological models to translate toxicology data from prescription drugs like diazepam and escitalopram into assessments of cognitive impairment for drug-facilitated sexual assault investigations. This work integrates forensic toxicology, behavioral science, pharmacology, and case analysis to support better legal outcomes. Through teaching, supervision, and research, Dr Jelly bridges academic theory with criminal justice practice.