SoFIGG’s journey
2024
Work begins
Inspired by the lack of a formal FIGG-related body in Europe and the US-centric landscape of FIGG, the work on SoFIGG begins: drafting documents, outlining structure and vision for the organisation
March-April 2025
Team expansion
The team expands and now includes all current trustees – Eryk Jan Grzeszkowiak, Alexander Alberts-Dakash and Matthew Waterfield
April 2025
Application for charitable status
With the core team ready, and the required paperwork completed, the application is made to OSCR (Office of Scottish Charity Regulator) to formally register SoFIGG as a charity.
May-August 2025
Advisory board
SoFIGG team expands further. An advisory board is established – it now includes some of Europe’s leading experts in FIGG and FIGG-related disciplines.
June 2025
SoFIGG’s logo
SoFIGG’s heraldry-inspired logo is designed. It symbolises the union of two fields that contribute to FIGG – traditional genealogy (golden oaks) and genetics (chains): a pun on “kinship chains” that are depicted by chains resembling chromosomes with a ring symbolising a centromere.
7 August 2025
SoFIGG registered!
The 7th of August marks the day SoFIGG was formally registered as a charity (SCIO – Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation). The following week SoFIGG’s beta launch begins.
SoFIGG’s history
SoFIGG was founded as a charity in 2025 – the 10th anniversary of the first case successfully solved with FIGG. The field of FIGG has since grown considerably – with hundreds of cold and hot cases solved with this novel method worldwide, FIGG has made a lasting impact on forensic investigations. It has been used in investigations of homicides and other violent crimes, unidentified human remains (including victims) as well as living Does. The public benefit derived from FIGG has been far reaching and affecting millions of people from many different populations and all walks of life.
Much has changed in this rapidly growing field. Not just in terms of available tools, techniques and databases but also in terms of public and scientific acceptance. An increasing number of academic institutions are now embracing both genetic genealogy and forensic investigative genetic genealogy. More and more organisations are providing FIGG services and an increasing number of jurisdictions and investigating agencies are adopting the method.
However, the last decade of FIGG has been relatively US-centric. European and American landscapes often differ significantly in terms of legislation, perspectives on ethics, region-specific methodological challenges, educational requirements for practitioners and many others. The need for a Europe-based organisation devoted to advancing FIGG has never been more pressing.
The idea to launch a Europe-based formal body devoted to FIGG was first conceived in 2024 and in 2025 a small group of experienced European FIGG practitioners formally founded a membership organisation devoted to FIGG – Society of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (SoFIGG). SoFIGG operates as a registered charity (SCIO – Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation). The organisation is a member of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO).
Eryk Jan Grzeszkowiak, Alexander Alberts-Dakash and Matthew Waterfield bring jointly three decades of experience in genetic genealogy and forensic investigative genetic genealogy. They have all worked on FIGG cases in Europe or with subjects of recent European ancestry and are passionate about advancing the field of FIGG.
SoFIGG’s goals
SoFIGG aims to:
- Advance FIGG as a scientific field, ensuring high academic standards, supporting FIGG-related research
- Advance FIGG as a forensic method aiding in both cold and recent cases in various jurisdictions
- Promote high ethical standards, recognising the importance of the public’s support for the effectiveness of FIGG
- Establish professional network for FIGG practitioners supporting their professional development
- Facilitate dialogue with other branches of forensic science, law enforcement and legislators
- Facilitate public outreach to engage the members of the public, educate them about the process, dispel common myths, and ensure the FIGG process remains transparent
If these goals resonate with you, we would like you to invite you to join our organisation. We have adopted a tiered membership model: the affiliate membership is open to any applicant interested in FIGG while professional tiers (associate and full members) are reserved for those who are FIGG practitioners.
