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THE MAIN EVENT: NOVEMBER 18-20, 2024
Join us virtually on Monday November 18th - Wednesday November 20th, 2024 to learn how NIST scientists are using advanced methods in metrology, computer science and statistics to strengthen forensic science.
Topic Areas to be covered include:
- Biometrics
- Digital and Multimedia
- Drugs/Toxicology
- Evidential Statistics
- Firearm and Toolmarks
- Forensic Genetics
- Quality Assurance
- Trace
- CSAFE Forensic Statistics Center of Excellence
Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions during a virtual Q&A.
OPTIONAL WORKSHOPS: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2024
Each workshop is limited to 175 attendees. Registrations will be approved on a first-come, first-serve basis. Attendees must register to attend the main session (November 18-20, 2024) in order to register for a workshop. In order to accommodate as many participants as possible, please register for workshops only if you plan to attend.
Workshops:
Application and Implementation of 3D Technology, Algorithms, and Statistics for Forensic Firearm and Toolmark Analysis Thursday, November 21, 2024 (8:00AM EST – 12:00PM EST)
This workshop aims to provide forensic practitioners, laboratory managers, legal personnel, and researchers with knowledge of emerging technologies for forensic firearm and toolmark analysis. Training topics include different styles of microscopes for measuring three-dimensional (3D) toolmark topography, measurement quality assurance, data processing, toolmark similarity scores, statistical frameworks for estimating the strength of the evidence, and virtual comparison microscopy (VCM). Participants will learn about the advantages and current limitations of these emerging technologies, the development of documentary standards, and strategies for implementation in casework.
Analytical Challenges in Seized Drug Analysis Thursday, November 21, 2024 (1:00PM EST – 5:00PM EST)
Forensic laboratories have faced new challenges over the past few years that have pushed their scientist, protocols, and instrumentation to adapt to the routinely changing landscape of seized drug analysis. Forensic scientists have been pushed to develop or modify existing methods to include sample preparation, isomer differentiation, and identification of unknown substances. This workshop will include three sessions for each of these challenges with topical and case study presentations. Attendees will be split into smaller groups to discuss approaches forensic scientists would employ in their laboratories for each case study presentation. The objective of this workshop is to continue to improve analytical methods and forensic scientist capabilities to address these challenges. The hope is to also inspire an active dialogue among scientists and improve collaboration as new challenges emerge in the seized drug analysis.
DAY 1: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2024
Start Time | End | Speaker(s) | Session Name/Information |
9:00am | 9:15am | Shyam Sunder | Welcome |
9:15am | 9:45am | Peter Stout | Keynote: Implementing Research and Standards – A Practitioners’ Perspective |
9:45am | 10:25 | Shyam Sunder Henry Swofford | Strategic Opportunities to Advance Forensic Science in the United States |
10:25am | 10:35am |
| BREAK |
10:35am | 12:00pm |
| FORENSIC SCIENCE PROGRAM |
10:35am | 10:45am | Robert Ramotowski | FSRP Overview |
10:45am | 11:05am | Melissa Taylor | Process Maps/Human Factors |
11:05am | 11:25am | Kelly Sauerwein | Scientific Foundation Reports |
11:25am | 11:45am | John Paul Jones | OSAC |
11:45am | 12:00pm |
| SPO Q&A |
12:00pm | 1:00pm |
| LUNCH BREAK |
1:00pm | 2:45pm |
| FORENSIC GENETICS PROGRAM |
1:00pm | 1:10pm | Peter Vallone | Forensic Genetics Overview |
1:10pm | 1:30pm | Erica Romsos | Collaborative use of RGTM 10235 |
1:30pm | 1:45pm | Sanne Aalbers | Sample size implications for highly polymorphic STR loci |
1:45pm | 2:00pm | Sarah Riman | A performance-based approach for examining the Analytical Threshold methods used in interpreting CE-based STR profiles |
2:00pm | 2:15pm | Lisa Borsuk | Expanding STRBase to include sequenced STR alleles |
2:15pm | 2:30pm | Kevin Kiesler | Use of a local database for unidentified human remains investigation |
2:30pm | 2:45pm |
| FORENSIC GENETICS Q&A |
2:45pm | 3:00pm |
| BREAK |
3:00pm | 4:45 |
| FIREARM & TOOLMARK PROGRAM |
3:00pm | 3:15pm | Johannes Soons | Firearm & Toolmark FA Overview |
3:15pm | 3:30pm | Michael Stocker | Uniqueness and Reproducibility of Firearm Toolmarks |
3:30pm | 3:45pm | Thomas Brian Renegar | Comparison of Printed Marks on 3D-printed Firearms |
3:45pm | 4:05pm | Eunah Joo | Quantitative Topography Comparison of Impressed Toolmarks Made by Tongue and Groove Pliers |
4:05pm | 4:30pm | Xiaoyu Alan Zheng | Reference Population Database of Firearm Toolmarks |
4:30pm | 4:45pm |
| FIREARM & TOOLMARK Q&A |
4:45pm | 5:00pm | John Butler | Daily Wrap Up |
5:00pm |
|
| ADJOURN |
DAY 2: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2024
Start Time | End | Speaker(s) | Session Name/Information |
9:00am | 10:45am |
| DRUGS & TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM |
9:00am | 9:10am | Edward Sisco | Drugs & Toxicology Overview |
9:10am | 9:20am | Edward Erisman | Updates to the NIST Mass Spectral Libraries |
9:20am | 9:30am | Laura Coyoy | The Authentic Drug Sample Library - A New Reseource for Researchers |
9:30am | 9:55am | Kavita Jeerage | NIST’s BACE Study: First Results from a New Paradigm for Identifying Recent Cannabis Use from Breath Measurements |
9:55am | 10:10am | Elise Pyfrom | Test Strips and Their Applicability to Seized Drug Screening |
10:10am | 10:20am | Marissa Ho
| Quantitation of Fentanyl Samples in Under 100 Seconds Using Rapid GC-MS
|
10:20am | 10:30am | Joanna Eldon-Edington | Screening of Illicit Drugs Using a Gas-Free Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry Approach
|
10:30am | 10:45am |
| DRUGS & TOXICOLOGY Q&A |
10:45am | 11:00am |
| BREAK |
11:00am | 12:00pm |
| FORENSIC SCIENCE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM |
11:00am | 11:10 | Erica Romsos | QAP Overview |
11:10am | 11:25am | Andrea Yarberry | Seized Drug Reporting Limits Interlaboratory Study |
11:25am | 11:40am | Jonathon Phillips | Quality Control with Combined Examiner/Algorithm Decisions |
11:40am | 11:55am | Ed Sisco | Ambient Ionization Interlaboratory Study |
11:55am | 12:10pm |
| FORENSIC SCIENCE QUALITY ASSURANCE Q&A |
12:10pm | 1:00pm |
| LUNCH BREAK |
1:00pm | 2:45pm |
| TRACE EVIDENCE PROGRAM |
1:00pm | 1:10pm | Edward Sisco | Trace Evidence Overview |
1:10pm | 1:30pm | Ruthmara Corzo | Interlaboratory Studies to Evaluate the Performance of Modern XRF Systems for the Forensic Analysis of Glass |
1:30pm | 1:50pm | Zachary Goecker | Forensic Proteomics at NIST |
1:50pm | 2:15pm | Matthew Staymates | Flow Visualization and Scientific Imaging to Support Forensics at NIST |
2:15pm | 2:30pm | Briana Capistran | Optimization of ASTM Sample Preparation Procedures for Forensic Fire Debris Analysis |
2:30pm | 2:45pm |
| TRACE EVIDENCE Q&A |
2:45pm | 3:00pm |
| BREAK |
3:00pm | 4:45pm |
| EVIDENTIAL STATISTICS PROGRAM |
3:00pm | 3:10pm | Steve Lund | Evidential Statistics Overview |
3:10pm | 3:30pm | Steve Lund | NIST Footwear Impression Comparison System |
3:30pm | 3:50pm | Jack Prothero | Seized Drug Testing & Reporting |
3:50pm | 4:10pm | Sarah Riman and Hari Iyer | Strategies for Designing DNA Mixture Validation Studies |
4:10pm | 4:30pm | Steve Lund | Validation Assessment Tool (VAST) |
4:30pm | 4:45pm |
| EVIDENTIAL STATISTICS Q&A |
4:45pm | 5:00pm | Henry Swofford | Daily Wrap Up |
5:00pm |
|
| ADJOURN |
DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2024
Start Time | End | Speaker(s) | Session Name/Information |
9:00am | 10:45 |
| CSAFE PROGRAM |
9:00am | 9:20am | Alicia Carriquiry | CSAFE Overview & Resources |
9:20am | 9:45am | Heike Hofmann | CSAFE Tools - BulletAnalyzr |
9:45am | 10:05 | Stephanie Reinders | CSAFE Tools - Handwriter |
10:05am | 10:30am | Anthony Greiter | CSAFE Learning |
10:30am | 10:45am |
| CSAFE Q&A |
10:45am | 11:00am |
| BREAK |
11:00am | 12:00pm |
| BIOMETRICS PROGRAM |
11:00am | 11:10am | Greg Fiumara | Biometrics FA Overview |
11:10am | 11:35am | Jonathon Phillips | Face Cross Race Bias Closed Box Study |
11:35am | 11:45am | James Matey | Forensic Iris |
11:45am | 11:55am | Greg Fiumara | Friction Ridge |
11:55am | 12:05pm | Lukas Diduch | The Role of NIST GenAI in Forensics/Biometrics Applications: An Overview
|
12:05pm | 12:15pm |
| BIOMETRICS Q&A |
12:15pm | 1:15pm |
| LUNCH BREAK |
1:15pm | 2:45pm |
| DIGITAL EVIDENCE PROGRAM |
1:15pm | 1:30pm | Barbara Guttman | Overview |
1:30pm | 1:45pm | Austin Snelick | NSRL Updates |
1:45pm | 2:00pm | Doug White | Digital Artifact Catalog |
2:00pm | 2:15pm | Rick Ayers | CFTT Overview |
2:15pm | 2:30pm | Jenise Reyes Rodriguez | CFReDS and Tool Catalog Updates |
2:30pm | 2:45pm |
| DIGITAL EVIDENCE Q&A |
2:45pm | 3:00pm | Break |
|
3:00pm | 4:30pm |
| AFI2 PROGRAM |
3:00pm | 3:05pm | Henry Swofford | Overview |
3:05pm | 3:15pm | William Sherman | Advancing Forensic Science in an Immersive Digital Twin to Enable virtual measurement through 3D Immersive Visualization and Computational Algorithm Analysis |
3:15pm | 3:25pm | Bala Muralikrishan | An Autonomous Terrestrial Laser Scanner Performance Evaluation for Forensic Practice |
3:25pm | 3:35pm | Haiying Guan | Guardians of Forensic Evidence: Assessing Forensic Solutions for the New Challenge of Detecting and Mitigating Generative AI-Driven Deepfakes |
3:35pm | 3:45pm | Zachary Goecker | Enhancing Protein-Based Human Identification Using AI-Extended Mass Spectral Libraries |
3:45pm | 3:55pm | Hani Habra | NIST Drugs of Abuse Metabolite Database (DAMD) |
3:55pm | 4:05pm | Amy Mensch | Multiscale and Multiphase Computational Analysis of Soot Deposition on Surfaces |
4:05pm | 4:15pm | Gunay Dogan | Image Alignment Tool to Enable Fast and Objective Analysis of Footwear Evidence |
4:15pm | 4:30pm |
| AFI2 Q&A |
4:30pm |
| Henry Swofford | Daily Wrap Up/Adjourn |