UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
Honorary conferring
Friday, 6 September 2019 at 11.30
TEXT OF THE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS DELIVERED BY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MATTHEW HARMEY, School of Biology and Environmental Science on 6 September 2019, on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Science ,honoris causa on Sheila M Willis
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President, Graduates, Colleagues, Honoured Guests
Sheila Willis epitomises what a forensic scientist should be. Sheila pursued both her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at UCD. Following her honours degree she studied for her PhD under the supervision of Professor Anthony Manning, a very strict and exacting scientist.
Sheila’s first employment was AS A CHEMIST IN Clondalkin Paper Mills this position did not present sufficient challenge so, when a position became available in the fledgling forensic science laboratory. In this she found her vocation and her work helped bring about several convictions of note. It would not be appropriate to name these cases because of possible retribution in some instances. Sheila progressed rapidly upward and she sought to improve the facilities and the expertise needed in a forensic laboratory. When the lab director retired Sheila was appointed to this position. She proceeded to recruit a good spread of expertise and pretty soon she had a fine multidisciplinary team assembled and by pressure of nagging and persuasion she acquired a comprehensive range of state of the art equipment. Sheila modernised the lab and improved the practices of the lab, but she was always guided by the principle that there is not a special Forensic Science, what is necessary is good science applied to forensic problems. I can attest to the quality of the output from her lab as I have been on the other side as a defence witness in many cases where I had access to case files from the Forensic Laboratory.
When the scandal of the misuse of forensic evidence in the miscarriage of justice in the case of the Birmingham six and the Guilford four was exposed it became apparent that some organisation need be established to improve the standards of forensic science. When the association of Forensic Science Providers became the voice of forensic science in the UK and Ireland, Sheila was appointed to the chair where she continued to drive quality issues. Later as a result of some controversy in the UK she was invited to address a select committee of the House of Lords on forensic science issues. Sheila has also served on a number international bodies regulating and establishing analytical standards in forensic science.
The work of Sir Alec Jeffries in an immigration problem in the UK led to the development of the science of DNA profiling which was welcomed by the worlds forensic scientists and Sheila was not to be left behind in this new emerging field. She set about recruiting a team of molecular biologists who could handle the task of establishing a criminal DNA data base when the government legislation for it. While Sheila was by training a chemist she immersed herself in this field and mastered the essentials so that she could manage tis new area. She was very conscious of the limitations of this new development and of the potential for misuse or mismanagement of this new tool. On one occasion it was the work of her lab that prevented a serious mistake in this field which would have led to a serious miscarriage of justice. We in this country are well aware of the misuse of science and miscarriage of justice in acquiring conviction in a neighbouring jurisdiction. The strict standards of evidence in Forensic Science Ireland were due in no small way to Sheila’s and were set up to avoid such events. The science practised under Sheila’s stewardship was immunised against pressure on their findings.
As Sheila was a civil servant she had to retire on reaching the age of maturity, but her last act was to announce her greatest achievement. She was present at the cutting of the sod at the site of a new custom-built Forensic Science Laboratory. Sheila had been exerting as much pressure as she could on the Minister and the Department of Justice, for this as the level of demand for their services for some years had created a huge need for more space. It is a fitting legacy to leave to her successor and will ensure that facilities adequate to the demand will be available.
All organisms in the world including humans leave an indelible and eternal imprint on the evolution of form and knowledge. Sheila Willis imprint on Forensic Science in Ireland and Internationally is highly significant.
As an example of her dedication to her vocation she is now a senior visiting Forensic Scientist in Washington where she is working on the scientific foundations of DNA mixture interpretation.
Sheila Willis has been a shining example of our Alumni and has done a huge and impressive service to Ireland and the honour conferred on her today is richly deserved.
Praehonorabilis Praeses, totaque Universitas,
Praesento vobis hanc meam filiam,quam scio tam moribus quam doctrina habilem et idoneam esse quae admittatur, honoris causa ad Gradum Doctoratus Scientiae; idque tibi fide mea testor ac spondeo, totique Academiae.