Main content

Professor Sue Black

Michael Berkeley's guest is one of the world's leading forensic scientists Professor Sue Black.

Professor Lady Sue Black is one of the world鈥檚 leading forensic scientists. She says 鈥淚 have never been spooked by the dead. It is the living who terrify me. The dead are much more predictable and co-operative.鈥
Her painstaking work and expertise mean she can work out how people have met their end, and police forces, the Foreign Office and the UN have called on her evidence in countless high profile investigations. She was the lead forensic anthropologist to the British forensic team during the international war crimes investigations in Kosovo and the Thai Tsunami Victim Identification Operation. Back in the UK she provided evidence that helped prosecute Scotland鈥檚 biggest paedophile ring.
She is currently the President of St John鈥檚 College, Oxford, and in 2021 she entered the House of Lords as a crossbench peer. She has just been appointed to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the highest honour in Scotland.
Sue's music selections include Bach, Handel, Mendelssohn and Elgar.

(Photo: Sue Black. Credit David Gross)

2 hours left to listen

1 hour, 26 minutes

Last on

Sun 16 Mar 2025 12:00

Music Played

  • George Frideric Handel

    For unto us a child is born (Messiah)

    Choir: The English Concert Choir. Orchestra: The English Concert. Conductor: John Nelson.
  • Jeremiah Clarke

    Trumpet Voluntary in D major transc Preston

    Performer: Simon Preston.
  • Trad.

    Wha Wadna Fecht for Charlie

    Ensemble: The Corries.
  • George Gershwin

    Rhapsody in Blue

    Performer: Wayne Marshall. Orchestra: Aalborg Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Wayne Marshall.
  • Edward Elgar

    Enigma Variations, Op 36 (Variation 9, 'Nimrod')

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Jesu, joy of man's desiring (Cantata No.147)

    Choir: Choir of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Sir David Willcocks.
  • Trad.

    Mist Covered Mountains Of 成人快手

    Ensemble: Celtic Fiddle Festival.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    The Hebrides Op.26

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
  • Lathallan School Pipe Band

    Highland Cathedral

  • George Frideric Handel

    Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (Solomon)

    Performer: Jeremy Filsell.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 14 Apr 2024 12:00
  • Sun 16 Mar 2025 12:00

Podcast