Forensic Committee Application Closes for 2014; Candidates May Apply for 2015

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has received more than 1300 applications for new committees and subcommittees it is establishing to help strengthen forensic science.

NIST opened an application period for the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) on April 11. OSAC is designed to strengthen forensic science by supporting the development of standards and guidelines to ensure accuracy of methods and practices in the nation's crime laboratories.

The application period for the initial appointments to OSAC closed on May 11. NIST anticipates needing nearly 600 voting members to establish the OSAC framework and a larger pool of qualified members from which to draw for task groups for special assignments. The first meeting of all OSAC members is expected to take place by the end of 2014.

“We are absolutely delighted with this response from the forensic science community,” said Mark Stolorow, NIST Director of OSAC Affairs. “We have received applicants who represent a good balance among practitioners, researchers, academicians, statisticians and private organizations, as well as from every state in the union.”

Stolorow provided an OSAC update at the National Commission on Forensic Science meeting in Washington, D.C., this week. View his presentation slides.

NIST expects to select and notify OSAC resource committee and scientific committee members in June. Subcommittee members will be notified by October. While the application period for initial appointments to OSAC has closed, NIST is now accepting applications for OSAC appointments for consideration for 2015. See Charter, Bylaws and Terms of Reference to learn more about OSAC membership roles and application information.

Sign up to receive OSAC and other NIST forensic science news alerts by going to and entering your email address in the sign-up box on the left side of the page. See the OSAC webpage for more information.