National Experts Program | Lt. Col. Rashed Alghafri, PHD

NEP 2.0

Name
Lt. Col. Rashed Alghafri, PHD
Sector
Advanced Sciences and the Future Economy
Designation
Deputy Director General, Forensic Sciences and Criminology Department, Dubai Police and Secretary General, World Police Summit

Dr Rashed Alghafri is currently the Deputy Director of Administrative Affairs at Dubai Police’s General Department of Forensic Science & Criminology, with over 12 years’ experience in forensic genetics. As an active researcher in the field, he has been granted two patents by WIPO for the development of novel male DNA profiling tools and has published over 40 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles in prestigious journals as well as being a Reviewer of the Forensic Science International: Genetics Journal and Genes Journal. He has presented expert evidence in court for over 8 years as well as presented at several national and international conferences, including as an invited speaker. Based on his contributions to the field of forensics, he has been presented with 15 local, regional and international awards including Gordon Thomas Honeywell’s DNA Hit of the Year Award, International Association of Chiefs of Police’s August Vollmer Leadership in Forensic Science Award and 40 under 40 Award. 

Dr Alghafri is an active member in a number of professional organizations including International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG), American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), International Society for Applied Biological Sciences (ISABS), International Association for Identification (IAI), Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS) and Association of Forensic DNA Analysts and Administrators (AFDAA). In addition to international memberships, Dr Alghafri is also a member on the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s Biosecurity Scientific Committee and UAE Ministry of Interior’s Unified DNA Database Committee and Head of Mohammed Bin Rashed Academy of Scientists (MBRAS) Youth Scientists Committee. He is also the founder and current president of the Arabian Speaking Working Group (ASWG) as part of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG), and also serves as Secretary-General of the World Police Summit 2025.

Alongside his professional forensic roles, he is also a Visiting Professor in Forensic Genetics at local and international universities including Bond University, Murdoch University and United Arab Emirates University. Within his role in academia, Dr Alghafri has supervised 3 PhD students and 7 MSc students across UK, Australia, Bahrain and UAE.