The team is recognized for developing the first open-access research database of microscopic firearm marks on bullets and cartridge cases. State and federal forensic laboratories, academia, and industry have embraced the database as a critical tool to develop the scientific basis for firearm identification. The database provides previously inaccessible data that strengthens firearm forensics and develops robust statistical approaches to objectively characterize the weight of evidence, which helps ensure the fair administration of justice, potentially affecting thousands of court cases every year.