Recent News
Journal of Forensic Sciences Update
Source: Michael A. Peat, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Forensic Sciences Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the Journal of Forensic Sciences (JFS) leadership team, we continue to grow our scientific recognition and improve our performance metrics. Included below are summaries of the key achievements during 2019 and 2020 to-date. Thank you to all who […]
AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting Update and Call For Abstracts
Source: Jeri D. Ropero-Miller, PhD, 2020-21 AAFS President Meeting attendance by our membership is being influenced almost universally by concerns about COVID-19 and travel restrictions. The Board of Directors (BOD) and AAFS Staff are working diligently with our Houston partners to negotiate our annual meeting. At this time the BOD wants you to continue to […]
NIST to Help Labs Achieve Accurate THC, CBD Measurements
Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST The 2018 Farm Bill legalized cannabis products with less than 0.3% THC. However, labs can have a hard time getting accurate THC measurements, especially at that low level. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has now launched a program to help laboratories accurately measure key chemical […]
Spam/Phishing Emails Alert
Source: Daniel Snapp, AAFS IT Administrator Recently, we have seen an increase in spam/phishing emails that look like they are from either AAFS Executive Director Donna Grogan or AAFS President Jeri Ropero-Miller. In these cases, the actual email address that these emails originate from will not be aafs.org nor from Jeri’s email address. Please make […]
Get to Know the Anthropology Section Leadership
Source: Marin A. Pilloud, PhD, Anthropology Section Secretary In an effort to increase transparency, the Anthropology Section leadership will be sending out information about how the AAFS operates. As the first message in this series, we wanted to introduce ourselves, let you know our roles in the organization, and that you can reach out to […]
Section News
Get to Know the Anthropology Section Leadership
Source: Marin A. Pilloud, PhD, Anthropology Section Secretary In an effort to increase transparency, the Anthropology Section leadership will be sending out information about how the AAFS operates. As the first message in this series, we wanted to introduce ourselves, let you know our roles in the organization, and that you can reach out to […]
Announcing a Webinar Series on the OSAC-ASB Process
Source: Kristy Kadash, PhD A new Promega® Webinar Series will be held over the next few months. The series is free and open to all. A portion of the abstract is provided here: A series of webinars have been created to provide information and educate the forensic and criminal justice community regarding new and emerging […]
AAFS Policy Statements
Statement from the AAFS Board of Directors on the National Commission on Forensic Science
Source: AAFS Board of Directors The American Academy of Forensic Sciences wholeheartedly commends its membership who provided expertise, wisdom, and guidance to the National Commission on Forensic Science (NCFS) since its 2013 origin. There are 14 Commission Members, 3 Ex-Officio Members, and numerous sub-committee members who are also members of the Academy and the work […]
Annual Meeting News
AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting Update and Call For Abstracts
Source: Jeri D. Ropero-Miller, PhD, 2020-21 AAFS President Meeting attendance by our membership is being influenced almost universally by concerns about COVID-19 and travel restrictions. The Board of Directors (BOD) and AAFS Staff are working diligently with our Houston partners to negotiate our annual meeting. At this time the BOD wants you to continue to […]
2021 AAFS Online Abstract Submission System Is Now Open
Submit your abstract for presentation at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. The AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting will be held February 15-20, 2021, in Houston, TX, at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The theme for the upcoming meeting is One Academy Pursuing Justice Through Truth in Evidence. The […]
President's Messages
President’s Message—Did You Miss the HHRRC Poster and Networking Session at AAFS?
Sources: Jeri D. Ropero-Miller, PhD, AAFS President and FTCoE Project Director and Dawnie W. Steadman, PhD, HHRRC Chair This past February at the 2020 AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting in Anaheim, CA, the Humanitarian and Human Rights Resource Center (HHRRC) and the National Institute of Justice’s (NIJ) Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCoE) hosted the Inaugural […]
President’s Spotlight—AAFS Membership Survey
Source: Jeri D. Ropero-Miller, PhD, AAFS President and Laura C. Fulginiti, PhD AAFS Vice President and Membership Outreach Ad Hoc Committee Chair As promised, here is the next Presidential Spotlight in which I have invited the AAFS Board of Directors to contribute to inform the Academy membership of activities and resources of benefit to you. […]
AAFS News
Journal of Forensic Sciences Update
Source: Michael A. Peat, PhD, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Forensic Sciences Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the Journal of Forensic Sciences (JFS) leadership team, we continue to grow our scientific recognition and improve our performance metrics. Included below are summaries of the key achievements during 2019 and 2020 to-date. Thank you to all who […]
NIST to Help Labs Achieve Accurate THC, CBD Measurements
Source: Rich Press, Public Affairs Specialist, NIST The 2018 Farm Bill legalized cannabis products with less than 0.3% THC. However, labs can have a hard time getting accurate THC measurements, especially at that low level. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has now launched a program to help laboratories accurately measure key chemical […]
Spam/Phishing Emails Alert
Source: Daniel Snapp, AAFS IT Administrator Recently, we have seen an increase in spam/phishing emails that look like they are from either AAFS Executive Director Donna Grogan or AAFS President Jeri Ropero-Miller. In these cases, the actual email address that these emails originate from will not be aafs.org nor from Jeri’s email address. Please make […]
Staff Corner
2020 Membership Dues Information
2020 Membership Dues Notices have been posted online and will be mailed shortly. All Student Affiliates and Trainee Affiliates must certify eligibility before a dues notice will be generated. You may login to your AAFS Account Portal to download a .pdf copy of your dues invoice or to make payment with a debit or credit […]
Associate Members and Members—Are You Eligible to Promote?
Source: Cheryl Hunter, Membership Coordinator AAFS encourages Associate Members and Members who are eligible for a higher status to complete and submit an application for promotion. Please review the promotion requirements on the AAFS website at https://www.aafs.org/home-page/membership/student-affiliate-trainee-affiliate-or-associate-member/aafs-basic-membership-requirements/promotion-requirements/individual-section-requirements/ to determine if you are eligible. If you fulfill your section’s requirements for promotion, you may apply online […]
AAFS Standards Board
ASB Newsletter—July 24, 2020
Source: Teresa Ambrosius, ASB Secretariat A New Probabilistic Genotyping Standard from the ASB! The AAFS Standards Board (ASB) is pleased to announce the publication of ANSI/ASB Standard 018, Standard for Validation of Probabilistic Genotyping Systems, First Edition, 2020. Probabilistic genotyping systems are computer programs that apply various algorithms to aid in the interpretation of DNA […]
ASB Newsletter—July 7, 2020
Source: Teresa Ambrosius, ASB Secretariat Three New Forensic Standards from the ASB The AAFS Standards Board (ASB) is pleased to announce the publication of three new American National Standards. ANSI/ASB Standard 023—Standard for Training in Forensic DNA Isolation and Purification Methods, First Edition, 2020, provides requirements to ensure proper training in the methods of DNA […]
In Memoriam
John S. Shimoda: Retired Fellow of the Questioned Documents Section, May 2020
Peter A. Benson, MD: Fellow of the Pathology/Biology Section, January 2020
Steven M. Schorr, PE: Fellow of the Engineering Sciences Section, April 2020
Daniel Garner, PhD: Retired Fellow of the Criminalistics Section, May 2020
John Frasco, DDS: Retired Member of the Odontology Section, May 2020
YFSF News
REMINDER: YFSF Attendees—Bring Your Own Slides With You!
Source: Zain Bhaloo, MSc, YFSF Committee Chair This is a reminder that if you want to submit a presentation to the YFSF portion of the Bring Your Own Slides session, don’t forget your slides. Submission requirements can be found HERE, and forms will also be provided at registration in your packet. Submissions will be reviewed […]
YFSF Is Celebrating 25 Years!
Source: Zain Bhaloo, MSc, YFSF Committee Chair Hello YFSF Attendees! Young Forensic Scientists Forum (YFSF) Committee Chair Zain Bhaloo and the committee members—Catherine Brown, Brittany Beyers, Hannah Simmons, and Amber Smith—would like to cordially and personally invite you to the YFSF Special Session Networking Break on Tuesday, February 18, to enjoy some cake and stimulating […]
FSF News
2020-21 FSF Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant: July 31 Deadline
Purpose: The Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant is to provide graduate students with financial assistance to complete their thesis or independent research project as required for a graduate degree in Criminalistics/Forensic Sciences. The thesis or research project must be in the field of Criminalistics/Forensic Sciences. Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant […]
Donations Honoring Carol Henderson
Source: Zeno Geradts, PhD, AAFS Past Presidents Council Chair The AAFS Past Presidents Council is disheartened by the sad news that Carol Henderson passed away. Carol was very involved in forensic science and education. Due to her important commitment to forensic science and her dedication to the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF), the Past Presidents Council […]
FEPAC News
FEPAC 2020 Accreditation Decision
Source: Nancy J. Jackson, AAFS Accreditation & Outreach Coordinator At a meeting held January 24, 2020, the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) conducted reviews of forensic science programs that applied for accreditation during the 2019 review cycle. The summary of accreditation actions taken by FEPAC are available online through the FEPAC website at […]
FEPAC Accepting Accreditation Applications for 2020/2021 Consideration
Source: Nancy J. Jackson, AAFS Accreditation & Outreach Coordinator The Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) is currently accepting applications for forensic science and forensic digital evidence programs for review during the 2020 review cycle. FEPAC’s primary mission is to maintain and enhance the quality of forensic science education through a formal evaluation and […]