From September 18th to 30th, 2015, world-renowned forensic science experts: Professor Patrice MANGIN and Professor Pierre MARGOT visited the “2011-Plan” China Collaborative Innovation Center of Judicial Civilization on invitation , and carried out a lot of cultural exchange activities about Forensic Science.
Professor Patrice MANGIN is director of Department of Community medicine and health of Central Hospital of Universities of Vaud in Switzerland (CHUV), director of Forensic medicine Center of University of Lausanne and University of Geneva, and professor of forensic medicine. Professor Patrice MANGIN joined the standing committee of the International Medical Association in 1991, and has been serving as the vice chairman since 1997. In addition, Professor Patrice MANGIN holds many social positions like representative of European Forensic Medicine Commission (1996 -now), president of Switzerland Forensic Medicine Association (1999-2002). Since 1982, he has been engaged in practical work about forensic medicine and evaluation of forensic toxicology for more than 30 years, personally participated in the inspection of many significant cases such as "Arafat Poisoning" and "Princess Diana Car Accident", and makes the Forensic Center of University of Lausanne and Geneva a world-famous forensic science institution.
During his visit in China, Professor Patrice MANGIN delivered three excellent speeches entitled "Forensic Medicine in Switzerland: history", 'A multidisciplinary approach for a comprehensive forensic medicine' and "Forensic medicine at the onset of the third millennium: trends, challenges and perspectives of developments" , on the Autumn Forum of Institute of Forensic Science and Evidence Law, Fada Institute of Forensic Medicine & Science and the Evidence Identification Center of The Ministry of Public Security. Swiss Forensic Medicine's leading place is well acknowledged across the world, which is consolidated by the recent perfection of the technology of virtual anatomy and its popularization of the inspection and identification. In his lectures, Professor Patrice MANGIN introduced their valuable experience about how advanced forensic science institutes should live and develop closely connected to legal questions, from the perspectives of professional history, organization, function and current situation.
Professor Pierre MARGOT has been the deputy Dean of School of Criminal Justice and Public Administration of the University of Lausanne, and director of the Institute of Criminal Justice since 1986. In nearly 30 years, Professor Pierre MARGOT taught and trained a large number of forensic science specialized talents from all over the world, during which period University of Lausanne's Forensic science major also gained a flourishing development and won the first title across the world. Professor Pierre MARGOT is the deputy editor of Journal of Forensic Science International and life-member of International Association of Identification. Besides, he also serves as trace expert for the International Criminal Police Organization, chairman of the College Branch of European Forensic Science Institute Coalition, and member of the United States E30 (Forensic Science) standardization committee. In March 2015, he retired and served as an honorary professor of the major of forensic science at University of Lausanne.
During his two-weeks' visit, Professor Pierre MARGOT delivered five excellent speeches entitled "Developing the full potential of forensic science: intelligence before evidence", 'Fingermark detection, a long pathway to selectivity and sensitivity', 'How new techniques allow to revise old cases in QD examination: the fantastic Seznec story', and 'Are forensic science institutes, as we know them, things of the past?' separately in School of Law of Zhejiang University ,Institute of Forensic Science and Evidence Law of CUPL, Evidence Identification Center of The Ministry of Public Security, Beijing Association of Forensic Science ,and Fada Institute of Forensic Medicine & Science.
In Professor Pierre MARGOT's opinion, forensic science is a typical interdiscipline between law and natural science. In the past stage of its development, scholars focused on how to apply all kinds of technology on the process of engendering evidence, we can call this stage “the Technology-lead stage”. However, in recent years, with the perfection and saturation of the method and technology of every field of science, scholars realized that the scientificalness of forensic science lies in the re-discovery and deep-analysis of results and data, which can be called “the Consciousness-lead stage”. Before we condense them into evidences, evidential information often contains lots of clues and intelligence. In Professor Pierre Margot's lectures, he leads the audience 'through science and technology, see the criminal history", and have the true feelings of the modern version of Sherlock Holmes.
The Joint visit by Professor Patrice MANGIN and Professor Pierre Margot produced a profound influence on the domestic field of forensic science. Two world-class forensic science specialists' broad academic vision, vivid cases, and deep subject grasp not only amazed the domestic researchers in related field, but also elicited us to have a deep consideration about the current status and the future of forensic science .
Prof. Patrice MANGIN
Prof. Pierre MARGOT