ASCLD

The ASCLD Forensic Research Committee is proud to announce the next episode of a virtual “Lightning Talks” series to highlight new and emerging research in all areas of forensic science. Each episode will feature three short talks given by practitioners, researchers, and/or students. The next episode will be held on Thursday June 13th at 1:00 ET and will feature the 2024 ASCLD FRC Award Winners, who will discuss single-cell analysis and validation studies using the Randox MultiSTAT analyzer. It will feature talks by three speakers and a panel discussion. The live event is limited to 100 people. To register, visit https://www.ascld.org/forensic-research-committee/.

ASCLD is committed to working collaboratively with universities and colleges to improve the qualification and training process for new forensic scientists. To that end, ASCLD Member Resource Committee recently hosted a daylong inaugural meeting that brought together 19 universities/colleges and 10 crime labs from around the country. Everybody had the opportunity to share perspectives, address gaps and offer ideas for areas of improvement. Overall, it was a highly productive meeting and lays the groundwork for the future.
Special thanks to the Philadelphia Police Department for hosting the event and to everybody who took part in this exciting meeting!

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In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors stands firmly with survivors. Through advanced forensic science, we are committed to holding perpetrators accountable, ruling out the wrongly accused, and building safer communities for all.

Here’s how to prepare your FIGG information for court.
We know you still have questions regarding FIGG and how you can adhere to the standards for its admission in court. Learn from the other labs, genealogists and investigators on how they support FIGG in court. Sign up for the workshop, “Preparing FIGG documentation for court,” at the American Society of Crime Lab Directors Symposium on April 28. Registration ends soon!
https://buff.ly/49noQBz

Happy Pi Day! As we celebrate the mathematical constant π (3.14) on March 14th, let's also recognize the precision and accuracy that forensic scientists bring to the field of forensic science every day. Cheers to the dedicated professionals at crime laboratories across the nation! Have a piece of pie today to celebrate!

Excited to announce the 2024 Train the Director webinar series by ASCLD and FTCOE! Join us as experts delve into decision analysis studies, diversity & inclusion in forensic science, and insights from the latest Crime Laboratory Census. Don't miss out! https://buff.ly/48HNSdp

ASCLD Symposium Pre-Conference Excursion - National Computer Forensics Institute Tour

The NCFI is the nation's premier law enforcement training facility in cyber and electronic crime forensics. Join this tour to learn more about challenges to law enforcement and the justice system in our digital world.

When: Monday, April 29, 4:00 - 4:45 PM
Cost: $0. Pre-registration required.

The ASCLD Forensic Research Committee is proud to announce the next episode of a virtual “Lightning Talks” series to highlight new and emerging research in all areas of forensic science. Each episode will feature three short talks given by practitioners, researchers, and/or students. The next episode will be held on Thursday March 21st at 1:00 ET and will feature Updates from the ASCLD Forensic Research Committee. It will feature talks by three FRC members highlighting LEAP, the Evaluation/Validation Repository, and the FRC Collaboration Hub. If you are engaged in forensic science research – this lighting talk is for you! The live event is limited to 100 people. To register, visit https://buff.ly/3NEWER0.

ASCLD Symposium Pre-Conference Excursion - Bham Eat Drink Ride Food Tour

Board a party bus in Birmingham with Comedienne Joy and ride around the metro area sampling 4-5 restaurant small plate bites and adult beverages.

When: Monday, April 29, 12:30 - 4:30 PM
Cost: $130. Pre-registration required.

Pre-Conference Excursion - Civil Rights Tour

Visit notable locations on this walking tour including the 16th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park, and the site of the 1961 Freedom Riders attack, and discover their history from your guide.

When: available on Sunday, April 28 from 9:45 AM - 11:45 AM, and Monday, April 29 from 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Cost: $75. Pre-registration required.
https://buff.ly/49noQBz

Outstanding Evaluation/Validation Award

WIFM – What’s In it For ME… the Outstanding Evaluation/Validation Award if you’ve shared! What better way to have your hard work acknowledged and praised!

The Forensic Research Committee of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors is proud to announce the ASCLD FRC Outstanding Evaluation/Validation Award. The goal of the award is to promote information-sharing between labs through open access to comprehensive validations. The award will recognize an outstanding evaluation/validation study that has been submitted to the FRC Evaluation/Validation Repository within the last two years.

The winner will be recognized at the ASCLD Annual Symposium and will receive an award plaque highlighting their contribution to advance forensic science and their dedication to sharing information to support technology implementation in other forensic science labs.
To learn more or to see the amazing validations/evaluations that have won in the past – please check out https://buff.ly/3T87XFf

LEAP Partnership Award

FOMO – Fear of Missing Out…Don’t miss out on your opportunity to apply for the ASCLD LEAP Partnership Award!

The Forensic Research Committee of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors is proud to announce the ASCLD FRC LEAP Partnership Award (formerly the LEAP Collaboration Award). The goal of the award is to recognize an outstanding partnership between collaborating LEAP partners (Laboratories, Academia, and Industry Partners).
To be eligible you/your partner organization must be a LEAP Partner with a collaborative partnership and have submitted information pertaining to the success of your partnership. The FRC will request submissions from collaborating LEAP Partners but self-nomination email submissions are also welcomed. Email submissions should be sent to [email protected] with “ASCLD FRC LEAP Partnership Award” as the subject line.

The winning partnership will be recognized at the ASCLD Annual Symposium and they will receive an award plaque highlighting their successful and impactful LEAP partnership.
For more information or to review the past winners – please check out https://buff.ly/3SGReHC

ASCLD Symposium Pre-Conference Excursion - The Birmingham Ghost Walk
Discover the dark side of Birmingham's history on a walking tour that focuses on the city's allegedly haunted sites and the incidents that have taken place there. Whether you are a paranormal believer or just interested in learning about a different side of the city, this tour is for you.
When: available on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28, 8:00 - 10:00 PM
Cost: $50. Pre-registration required.

The ASCLD Forensic Research Committee (FRC) would like to announce a new submission to the FRC Collaboration Hub. The National Technology Validation and Implementation Collaborative (NTVIC) is inviting you to participate in a study entitled FIGG and UHR Survey of Publicly Funded Crime Laboratories. The principal investigator on this study is Dr. Garry Bombard (Retired Illinois State Police and Loyola University Chicago), Public Policy Analyst.
For more information can be located at https://buff.ly/3SMD7kc.

The ASCLD FRC Collaboration Hub is a valuable resource to connect researchers and practitioners in order to foster communication and cooperation between forensic researcher and practitioner communities. For more information visit the ASCLD FRC website: https://buff.ly/3NEWER0.

FRC Innovation Award

DYK – Did you know that the ASCLD Forensic Research Committee (FRC) Innovation Award is open!

The ASCLD FRC Innovation Award recognizes innovative research studies that have been submitted to the FRC Collaboration Hub within the last two years that have or will result in new technologies, protocols, or tools that impact the forensic science laboratory. The FRC Collaboration Hub connects members of the Forensic Science Community to come together to address research needs and drive the future development of forensic science.

There is still time to submit your study to the FRC Collaboration Hub! You can see a list of past winners at https://buff.ly/4bHIiuq

The winner will be recognized at the ASCLD Annual Symposium and will receive an award plaque highlighting their contribution to advancing forensic science.

Today, ASCLD celebrates the achievements of women in forensic science on International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Their expertise shapes our field and inspires the next generation of women in forensics. (image courtesy of U.S. Embassy)

Today we shine a spotlight on Laura Tramontin, a graduate of the ASCLD Leadership Academy Level 2. From the New Jersey State Police, Laura's journey is filled with valuable insights and experiences. Join us as we start the Graduate Spotlight Series, where we explore the incredible accomplishments and learnings of outstanding individuals like Laura.

The Forensic Research Committee released the FRC Bulletin # 14 with information on the FRC Research Awards, Lightning Talks, LEAP, the FRC Collaboration Hub, and the Evaluation/Validation Repository. Check out https://buff.ly/3NEWER0 for exciting developments from the FRC!

This week marks the start of the ASCLD Leadership Academy’s Spring 2024 cohort class. This spring we have over 100 rising leaders across our level 1, 2, and 3 courses. In fact, when we look back over the years, ASCLD is proud to highlight that we have hosted almost 20 courses to date with over 1,000+ leaders across 47 states and 11 countries. This is an amazing accomplishment and is a testament to the growing sentiment across forensic science that leadership education is a critical component to the success of the individual labs and greater community.

The ASCLD Leadership Academy has been instrumental in developing the next generation of forensic science supervisors, leaders, and directors. Today, we would like to recognize our outstanding instructors: Jeremy Triplett, Arlene Hall, Henry Maynard, Tim Scanlon, Ray Wickenheiser, Jody Wolf, Brady Mills, Adam Becnel, John Byrd, Ben Swanholm, and Michael Garvey.

Stay tuned for more great updates from the ASCLD Leadership Academy!

The ASCLD Forensic Research Committee (FRC) Collaboration Hub would like to announce a new submission for Researchers Seeking Practitioners. The Center for Statistics and Application in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE) is inviting you to participate in a study entitled Advancing the Understanding of 3D Imaging for Firearm Analysis. Principle Investigators include: Dr. Heike Hofmann (Iowa State University), Dr. Preshious Rearden (Houston Forensic Science Center).
More information can be located here: https://buff.ly/42lNsYL

The ASCLD FRC Collaboration Hub is a valuable resource to connect researchers and practitioners in order to foster communication and cooperation between forensic researcher and practitioner communities. For more information visit the ASCLD FRC website: https://buff.ly/3NEWER0

The ASCLD Forensic Research Committee is proud to announce the next episode of a virtual “Lightning Talks” series to highlight new and emerging research in all areas of forensic science. Each episode will feature three short talks given by practitioners, researchers, and/or students. The next episode will be held on Thursday February 15th at 1:00 ET and will focus on advances in GSR analysis. It will feature talks by Kourney Dalzell and Thomas Ledergerber of WVU as well as Christopher George of NJSP. The live event is limited to 100 people. To register, visit https://buff.ly/3NEWER0.

Early bird registration ends in two weeks: Take advantage of our lowest rates of the year by registering before Friday, February 2, 2024

Wild Night With The Wildlife! Come and experience the highly anticipated ASCLD Symposium offsite event at the Birmingham Zoo. This year, it is an evening filled with dinner, animal interactions, entertainment, and much more. Show off your wild side by dressing in your best animal print attire for a chance to win exciting prizes. Make sure you sign up when you register for the symposium!

Event Details:
- Date: Tuesday, April 30
- Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Location: Birmingham Zoo
- Cost: $40 (Pre-registration required)

We couldn't achieve what we do at ASCLD without the incredible contributions of our vendor partners. If you haven't already signed up to join us in Birmingham, we invite you to be part of our journey in 2024! https://buff.ly/3v1ZgTm

Registration closes soon! The Level II course is designed for forensic science leaders who oversee entire forensic programs or laboratories. It builds upon Level I training and prepares participants for the Certified Forensic Manager Level II exam. The course includes webinars and an in-person capstone course at the ASCLD Symposium. Participants will gain advanced knowledge and skills in forensic science leadership to effectively manage and lead forensic programs. The Level II course is essential for enhancing skills and qualifications in managing forensic programs. https://buff.ly/3GGHEii

Hurry before registration closes! ASCLD is introducing a new Level III Leadership Academy in 2024. This academy will fulfill the certification requirements for Certified Forensic Manager-III in the National Forensic Science Academy. To enroll in Level III, completion of Levels I and II is mandatory. However, individuals in top/executive-level positions within a forensic laboratory may be eligible to directly enroll in Level III. Further details can be found here: https://buff.ly/3GGHEii

Register now for the ASCLD Symposium! Don't miss out on the early bird registration at https://buff.ly/3thGxT4.