Rate My Professor Anna Heavey

Anna L. Heavey is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences at Murdoch University. A forensic scientist with over 20 years of experience in forensic biology and quality management, she currently holds the role of Senior Forensic Scientist-in-Charge of Quality, Training, Safety, and Risk in the Forensic Biology Department at PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA. Heavey is a PhD candidate since 2020 at Curtin University in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences, with a focus on forensic and analytical chemistry. She possesses a BSc from Murdoch University, an MBA, and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management (AFAIM).

Heavey's research centers on quality assurance in forensic science, encompassing the management and disclosure of quality issues, standardized terminology for quality events, and scientific communication in legal contexts. Her key publications include 'Management and disclosure of quality issues in forensic science: A survey of current practice in Australia and New Zealand' (2023, Forensic Science International: Synergy, co-authored with Gavin R. Turbett, Max M. Houck, and Simon W. Lewis); 'Rethinking scientific communication in courts: A question of credibility' (2024, Forensic Science International: Synergy); 'Toward a common language for quality issues in forensic science' (2022, WIREs Forensic Science); and 'Quality issue management and disclosure in forensic science: A survey of practice and perceptions' (2025, Journal of Forensic Sciences). These contributions have received international acclaim and citations exceeding 90 across her works. Awards include the ANZPAA NIFS Best Paper Award for Best Literature Review (Quality Management, 2023), a $10,000 PathWest Research and Innovation Award (2024), and the ASCLD Forensic Research Committee Innovation Award. As Vice President of the Western Australia Branch of the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS), she has chaired the Quality Specialist Advisory Group and presented at events including the AOQ webinar 'From ISO to Intel: Forensic Science' (2024) and an ANU seminar on scientific communication in courts (2023). Her efforts promote transparency and best practices in forensic laboratories.