Miss Mary Makinde

Mary joined Canterbury Christ Church University in 2018 and is a Principal Lecturer on the Forensic Investigation programme and the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the School of Law, Policing and Social Sciences. Prior to joining Canterbury Christ Church University Mary worked as a Forensic Scientist at two of the United Kingdom’s leading Forensic Science Providers, specialising in the recovery and analysis of biological material such as hairs, fibres, body fluids and other trace evidence including gunshot residue from exhibits recovered from crime scenes.

Mary continues to work closely with a number of Forensic Science Providers, police forces and key members of the Criminal Justice System where she provides training on Quality Standards in Forensic Science, DNA and Blood Pattern Analysis. Mary’s practitioner background has been integral in the development of her approaches to curriculum design and research.

Mary is passionate about empowering students and adopts an innovative and real-world approaches to learning and teaching that provides students the opportunity to co-create knowledge and acquire key employability skills that will prepare them to make a positive contribution to the forensic science industry and society. As Director of Undergraduate Studies Mary is responsible for leading the development of a range of courses relating to Applied Criminology, Criminal Investigation, Counter Terrorism, Forensic Investigation, Law, Policing, Politics and Sociology. Mary is also the University’s Strategic Lead for Closing the ethnicity awarding gap.

As Closing our Gap Strategic Lead, Mary works collaboratively with colleagues and students across the university to provide a whole institutional holistic approach to addressing the outcomes and experiences of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Mixed heritage students for sustainable transformational change. Mary is involved in the training and development of staff and has implemented strategies and workshops to tackle racial inequalities in higher education, improve retention and progression and enhance the lived experiences of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Mixed Heritage Students. Mary delivers training to enhance our understanding of unconscious bias, race, identity and difference, allyship, growth mindset, develop relationships and to make transformational changes.

Her work goes beyond the university walls and, as such, works with external stakeholders to promote inclusive practices that help to enhance the placement experience of students. Mary has worked on several projects with health care, social care, education and criminal justice professionals to help promote inclusivity and a sense of belonging. Mary is one of the Co-leads and Principal Investigator on the Bridging the Gap to Leadership project that focuses on enhancing student experience within the practice learning environment.

Mary is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and has won a number of awards:

• Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion, Canterbury Christ Church University, 2022
• University Alliance Award (Bridging the Gap to Leadership): Alliance Award Winner, University Alliance, 2022 
• University Teaching Excellence Award ‘Bridging the Gap to Leadership’ Canterbury Christ Church University, 2022
• Most Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion, Canterbury Christ Church University, 2021
• University Teaching Excellence Award, ‘Embedding a work-based learning approach to enhance engagement, academic attainment, inclusivity and employability in Forensic Investigation’ Canterbury Christ Church University, 2020

Module Leader for the following modules:

• Biology for Forensic Investigation (Level 4, 2020-Present) • Biological Trace and Transfer Evidence (Level 5, 2020- Present)
• Forensic Biology (Level 5, 2018-2020) 
• Forensic Criminalistics (Level 5, 2018-2019)
• Forensic Imaging (Level 5, 2019-2020)
• Introduction to Forensic Biology (Level 4, 2019-2020)
• Modelling Crime Events (2018-2019)
• Reconstructing Crime Events (Level 5, 2018-2022)
• Strategic Applications to Major Crime (2022-Present) 

Contribution to the delivery of other courses at Canterbury Christ Church University:

• Adult Nursing BSc (Level 4, Transition, Orientation and Induction, 2020)
• Contemporary Accounting Issues (BSc Accounting, Level 6, 2021-2022)
• Intercultural Professional Communication (BA English Language and Communication, Level 6, 2022-present) 
• University Certificate in Academic Practice- UCAP (Level 7, 2020- present) 
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice -PGCAP (Level 7, 2020- present)
• Race and the Law module (LLB Law, Canterbury Christ Church University, Level 5, 2020-present) 
• Student Selected Component module (Kent and Medway Medical School, Year 2, 2021-present)
• Teaching in Practice: Facilitating teaching, learning and assessment in Practice (MSc Healthcare Practice, 2021-2022)

Mary’s research interests are centred around her professional expertise in forensic science and the criminal justice system, higher education and equity and inclusion.

Forensic Science and Criminal Justice Research Interests:

•  Enhancing quality standards in forensic science and crime scene examinations
• The detection, analysis and interpretation of body fluids and biological material within forensic science
• Understanding and addressing the impact of cognitive bias within forensic science
• The use of forensic science in the investigation and prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls 
• The effectiveness of perpetrator intervention programmes in tackling violence against women and girls
• Tackling VAWG within Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Minoritised Ethnic communities and supporting victims/survivors in these communities (including SARCs, wellbeing support and barriers to reporting) 
• Understanding and addressing sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and sexual violence in higher education and embedding early interventions 

Higher Education and Equity and Inclusion Research Interests: 

• Enhancing the student experience, outcomes and employability skills through experiential and problem-based learning
• Addressing differential outcomes between White students and Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Minoritised Ethnic students within Higher Education
• Enhancing the experiences of Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Minoritised students within the practice learning environment for equitable outcomes 

Current and past research projects include:

• The effectiveness of multi-agency approaches to domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator intervention programmes (Home Office funded, 2023-Present)-Principal investigator 
• The experiences of students and staff in Higher Education in Kent in relation to Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence in public spaces (Home Office funded, 2022-present)-Principal Investigator
• The experiences of professionals in the night-time economy in relation sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and sexual violence (Home Office funded, 2022-present)- Principal investigator
• Forensic Science and the career pathways of ethnically diverse populations in the United Kingdom (Collaboration with NPCC Forensic Capability network, Anglia Ruskin University and De Montfort University 2022-Present)- Co-investigator
• The evaluation of the multi-agency approach to domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator intervention programmes in Kent (Home Office funded, 2021-2024)-Principal investigator
• Understanding the experiences of Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Other Minoritised Ethnic students within health and social care practice learning environments (HEE funded, 2022)- Principal Investigator
• Understanding the experiences of practice educators in supporting ethnically diverse students within the practice learning environment (HEE, funded, 2022)-Principal Investigator
• Closing our Gap: Understanding the experiences of our students whilst studying at CCCU (2020-2022)-Principal Investigator 

Successful Funding Bids:

•  A collaborative approach to domestic abuse and stalking perpetrators aligned to improving the safety of victims and children, Funder: Home Office (£1,638,597)
• Safer Streets Round 4: Tackling neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls, improving the safety of public spaces, Funder: Home Office, 2022 (£589, 042)
• Domestic Abuse Prevention Fund, Funder: Home Office & Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, 2020 (36,000) 
• Bridging the Gap to Leadership: Enhancing the Experiences of Black, Asian, Mixed Heritage and Other Minoritised Ethnic Student, Funder: Health Education England, 2022(£21,000)

Key External Networks and Collaborations

• DNA & Body Fluids Research group: National Police Chiefs’ Council Forensic Capability Network-(2022-present): contribute to identifying the need for new and emerging research within forensic science, support validations and the sharing of best practice Forensic Workforce Strategy: Recruitment and Retention working group National Police Chiefs’ Council Forensic Capability Network
• Member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences • Kent Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Network 
• Kent Police Race Advisory Group Member
• Kent Police Violence Against Women and Girls Working Group Member
• Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG Research group), National Network within Middlesex University 
• NEON Working Group Addressing Differential Outcomes for BME Learners- a cross sector working group to address differential outcomes and share best practice