5-Minute Read
An internationally recognised forensic anthropologist and former VIFM colleague will return to Melbourne in October to deliver one of the Institute’s most distinguished public lectures.
What happens when the number of missing people becomes so large that conventional approaches to identification are no longer enough?
And what does it mean for families, communities and societies when those people remain unidentified?
These are some of the questions Dr Soren Blau AM will explore when she delivers the 2026 Graeme Schofield Oration at the National Gallery of Victoria on Thursday 29 October, brought to Melbourne by the VIFM and Monash University.
The free public lecture, “Giving Names to Numbers: The Role of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) in Supporting Large-Scale Identification Efforts,” will examine the complex political, technical and social challenges involved in investigating and identifying large numbers of missing people.
It promises to be a compelling evening for anyone interested in forensic science, missing persons, humanitarian investigations, human rights, justice and the role science can play in addressing some of the world’s most difficult challenges.
From VIFM to the world stage
For VIFM, this year’s Oration has a particular significance. Soren is the first VIFM alumna to be invited to deliver the Graeme Schofield Oration, joining a distinguished group of previous Orators who have brought international expertise and perspectives to Melbourne.
Speaking of this year’s orator, Professor Noel Woodford, Director of Forensic Medicine at the VIFM expressed his delight at announcing the 2026 Oration and welcoming Soren back to Melbourne.
“I am especially delighted and honoured to have Soren as the eighth VIFM/Monash University Graeme Schofield Orator, and first VIFM Alum to be invited to be the Scofield Orator. The Institute has a long standing, strong and active commitment to death and injury prevention and public health. Events like the Graeme Schofield Oration contribute to public discussion and awareness of important heath and justice issues. As an internationally recognised forensic investigator in this field Soren will draw attention to the ICMP’s important work in locating and identifying persons who go missing because of conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organized crime, migration and other circumstances.”
Professor Noel Woodford | Director of Forensic Medicine | VIFM
Soren spent 18 years at VIFM, including as Senior Forensic Anthropologist and Head of Identification Services, before joining the International Commission on Missing Persons in 2023. She is now Head of its Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology Division, leading specialists who support investigations involving mass and clandestine graves, the recovery and analysis of human remains, and the identification of missing people.
Her career has taken her well beyond Australia, with extensive experience in forensic investigations and humanitarian work internationally.
In 2021, Soren was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to forensic medicine and to scientific organisations. Her return to VIFM as Graeme Schofield Orator therefore represents more than a homecoming. It brings together the Institute’s history, its international connections and the continuing global relevance of forensic science.
When identification becomes a global challenge
In her Oration, Soren will look at the work of the International Commission on Missing Persons and what is required when investigations involve large numbers of missing people. The challenge is not simply one of identifying human remains.
Families of missing people can live for years with profound uncertainty, often without knowing what happened to their loved ones. Establishing an identity can provide answers, legal certainty and the opportunity to properly acknowledge and remember a person.
At a larger scale, however, identification becomes a complex undertaking requiring scientific expertise alongside robust data management, sustained resources and coordination across institutions and jurisdictions. Soren will draw on examples from different contexts to explore these challenges and, importantly, the role of families in the process. As she puts it in the abstract for her Oration, accounting for the missing is ultimately about more than a technical or legal process. It is a collective commitment to dignity, truth and justice.
The subject is particularly timely. The ICMP marked its 30th anniversary in June 2026, having spent three decades working with governments and others around the world to address the issue of people missing through armed conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organised crime, migration and other circumstances.
“Regardless of the context, families of missing persons live with profound uncertainty. They wait for answers, often holding onto hope that their loved one will return. Even when the outcome is painful, establishing the truth allows families and communities to confront ambiguous loss. Identification affirms the dignity of the dead while providing legal certainty for the living.”
Dr Soren Blau AM , BA (Hons), MSc, PhD, FFSc (RCPA), CF | Head of Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology Division | International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP)
Be part of the evening
The Graeme Schofield Oration is a free public lecture, providing an opportunity for a broad audience to hear directly from one of Australia’s leading forensic anthropologists and an internationally recognised expert in the identification of missing people. Places are limited, and those wishing to attend are encouraged to register now rather than miss the opportunity to hear Soren’s Oration at the NGV.
For those wanting a more intimate experience, the lecture will be followed by the Graeme Schofield Banquet Dinner at the NGV’s Garden Restaurant. The dinner offers guests the opportunity to continue the conversation in a smaller setting, including an informal Q&A with Soren.
Public lecture: Free (booking required: click here)
6pm – 7pm | Thursday 29 October 2026 | National Gallery of Victoria
Banquet dinner: $225 per person (booking required: click here)
7pm – 10pm | Thursday 29 October 2026 | National Gallery of Victoria | Three course dinner with drink $225.00 p.p. | $1,800 per table of 8
Whether you attend the free public lecture or join us for the full evening, this year’s Oration offers a rare opportunity to hear from a VIFM alumna whose work now sits at the centre of one of the world’s most challenging humanitarian and forensic issues.
Register now to secure your place. Or, you find more details on the event and timings here.
Previous Schofield Orators and Topics