Source: Tracie McCray, AAFS Accounting Assistant

As we near the end of 2016, please consider a year-end contribution to the Forensic Sciences Foundation.

Your contribution ensures a sound financial basis for the future of forensic science by funding the Foundation’s many awards, grants, and scholarships—including the Emerging Forensic Scientist Award Competition, the Student Affiliate Scholarships, the Student Travel Grants, the International Association of Forensic Sciences Scholarship, the Acorn Grants, the Lucas Grants, the Warren-Young Scholarship, and the Jan S. Bashinski Thesis Grant. The Foundation has presented more than $200,000 in awards and grants since its inception.

Thank you for your continued support of the Forensic Sciences Foundation!

Amanda R. Hale, MA

Congratulations to Amanda R. Hale, MA (Anthropology), who has been honored with the CRC Press Grant Award!  In collaboration with the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF), CRC Press donated to the top-scoring FSF Student Travel Grant candidate an “instant library” of pre-selected books ($1,500 list price) that will be presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting.  The “FSF/CRC Press Student Travel Grant and Book Prize” has an overall value of $3,000.

Amanda Hale is a doctoral student in Zoology at North Carolina State University. She received her master’s degree in Anthropology from North Carolina State University in 2012. She worked in the NCSU Forensic Analysis Lab as a research technician under Ann H. Ross before pursuing her doctoral degree. Amanda received her training certification in forensic anthropology from the Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe in 2014 and has been a member of AAFS since 2012. Amanda is now an Associate Member of the Academy (since 2016) and is the Young Forensic Scientists Forum Special Session Chair.

Thank you to the 2016-17 FSF Student Travel Grant Committee that was comprised of Paula C. Brumit, Chair (Odontology), Carl R. McClary (Questioned Documents), and Paul Messner (Jurisprudence).

The Forensic Sciences Foundation would like to thank CRC Press for its generous donation.

Each year the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) awards monies in the form of grants to members of the forensic science communities for research conducted throughout the year.  The FSF has awarded two 2016-17 FSF Acorn Research Grants and four 2016-17 FSF Lucas Research Grants and is pleased to announce the recipients of the research grants for this year. Congratulations!

The 2016-17 FSF Acorn Research Grant recipients are:

• Chaunesey Clemmons, BA, $528, Ancestry Estimation of Biracial Individuals Using Dental Morphological Traits
• Michelle R. Sanford, PhD, $471, Indoor Forensic Entomology:  Does the Nearest Weather Station Accurately Represent the Scene?

		Chaunesey Clemmons, BA	Michelle R. Sanford, PhD
Chaunesey Clemmons, BA	Michelle R. Sanford, PhD

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The 2016-17 FSF Lucas Research Grant recipients are:

• Madonna A. Nobel, BS, $4,874, Understanding the Expert Decision Making Process in Forensic Footwear Examinations:  Accuracy, Decision Rules, Predictive Value and the Conditional Probability of an Outcome
• Douglas C. Ryan, MS, $4,700, Cell-Based Confirmatory Testing
• Tal Simmons, PhD, $5,000, Predicting the Postmortem Submersion Interval From the Microbiome of Waterlogged Bone
• Liguo Song, PhD, $5,000, Nitrogen Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry for Forensic Analysis of Illicit Drugs at the Crime Scene

Madonna A. Nobel, BS	Douglas C. Ryan, MS	Tal Simmons, PhD	Liguo Song, PhD

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is proud to announce the winners of the “FSF Student Travel Grant Award” essay contest:  Catherine O. Brown, MSFS, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics; Claire M. Cartozzo, MSFS, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics; Clare M. Fried, BS, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics; Nicole M. Novroski, MS, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics; Julia R. Prince-Buitenhuys, MA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Beatriz A. Pujols, BS, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics; Kelly A. Sauerwein, MA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; and Robert H. Stein, BS, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics.

The Student Travel Grant will assist with travel expenses in attending the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 69^th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, LA. The FSF Board of Trustees is pleased to approve the travel expenses, not to exceed $1,500 per student, for eight students this year.  A complimentary meeting registration is included with the $1,500 grant for travel expenses.

The 2016-17 FSF Student Travel Grant Committee was comprised of Paula C. Brumit, Chair (Odontology), Carl R. McClary, (Questioned Documents), and Paul Messner (Jurisprudence).

Catherine O. Brown, MSFS	Catherine Brown is a graduate of Arcadia University with a bachelor’s degree in Biology.  Catherine then obtained a master’s degree in Forensic Science from Arcadia University, focusing on Forensic Biology through research in protein mass-spec applications for seminal fluid detection.  In recognition of the academic achievements Catherine had made in the graduate program, she was awarded the Fredric Rieders Award for Excellence in Forensic Science.  Currently, Catherine is working toward her doctoral degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Denver, conducting research funded by the Department of Defense at the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education.
Claire M. Cartozzo, MSFS	Claire Cartozzo studied Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University before moving to Richmond, VA to attend Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Master of Science in Forensic Science program.  While in the program, she studied both forensic biology and anthropology. Currently, she is perusing a doctoral degree in the Integrative Life Sciences program at VCU. Her research focuses on DNA extraction from waterlogged skeletal remains and developing post-mortem submersion interval estimation methods.
Clare M. Fried, BS	Clare Fried is from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Science from Penn State University in 2014.  Clare is currently finishing her Master of Science in Forensic Science degree at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where she is completing research in the area of fire debris analysis.
Nicole M. Novroski, MS	Nicole Novroski is a fourth year PhD candidate under the guidance of Dr. Bruce Budowle at the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC).  She is native to Canada, where she completed her bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science and Biology at the University of Toronto.  She then worked with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Northern Alberta before moving on to the University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY) to complete her master’s degree in Forensic Molecular Biology.  Following graduation in 2011, Nicole spent some time at the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Department of Forensic Biology as a criminalist.  She left in 2013 to pursue her studies at UNTHSC.  Since joining the Budowle lab at UNTHSC, she has had the opportunity to work on a variety of forensically related projects including novel swab testing, whole genome mitochondrial DNA analysis, and large population studies focused on short tandem repeats (STR) sequence variation using massively parallel sequencing.  Nicole has also been selected to present her research at national and international conferences.  Her dissertation focus is in STR DNA mixture de-convolution using massively parallel sequencing.
Julia R. Prince-Buitenhuys, MA	Julia Prince-Buitenhuys is a doctoral student and Presidential Fellow in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Notre Dame. She received her MA in Anthropology from California State University, Chico and her BA in Anthropology at University of California, San Diego.  Julia interned in forensic anthropology at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in 2015 and worked for the Stable Isotope Preparation Laboratory at California State University, Chico from 2012 to 2016.  Her research is based in forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology, specializing in osteological and isotopic methods.
Beatriz A. Pujols, BS	Beatriz Pujols was born and raised in Puerto Rico.  She moved to Pittsburgh, PA in 2012 to attend Duquesne University and participate in their Forensic Science and Law Masters Program.  Beatriz obtained her bachelor’s degree in Biology with minors in Biochemistry and Psychology in May of 2016. She is currently working on a Master of Science in Forensic Science and Law degree.  She has participated in internships with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Cybergenetics and has completed research in the field of DNA.  Beatriz is a Student Affiliate of the Criminalistics Section at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and is thrilled to have been accepted to present a poster of her research at the upcoming 69th Annual Scientific Meeting.
Kelly A. Sauerwein, MA	Kelly Sauerwein, MA, is a PhD candidate in the Anthropology Department of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  She received her BA from Tulane University and her MA from Texas State University.  Her dissertation focuses on the impact of cognitive biases on the perception and assessment of decomposition and the postmortem interval.  Her current research interests include taphonomy, biometrics, and spectrometry.
Robert H. Stein, BS	Robert Stein is in his final year at Virginia Commonwealth University.  He is working on a Master of Science in Forensic Science degree and concentrating in Forensic Chemistry/Trace Analysis.  His research combines trace chemistry and forensic anthropology to help advance methods in human identification.  After completing his master’s degree, he wants to pursue doctoral work in anthropology.

The International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS) Scholarship: Offered Through the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF)

PURPOSE: The IAFS is an international association focused on bringing together academics, managers, researchers, and scientists from around the world to discuss and to debate issues focal to the forensic science disciplines. The IAFS proclaims its goals and objectives to be: “to develop forensic sciences; to assist forensic scientists and others to exchange scientific and technical information; and, to organize triennial meetings.” The FSF is interested in providing an opportunity for an AAFS member to experience this educational venture.

Therefore, the Forensic Sciences Foundation is offering a scholarship to help defray the expenses involved in attending the 21^st Triennial Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences to be held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from August 21-25.

CRITERIA TO ENTER: If you have been a member of the AAFS for fewer than ten years (includes Associate Members, Members, and Fellows) and have never attended an IAFS meeting, then you are eligible to apply for this scholarship. In order to be considered, you must submit to the IAFS, and have accepted, a podium presentation for the 2017 IAFS meeting.

Within five days of receiving the IAFS acceptance notice, the following items should be sent to Lucy Davis (ladavis@ldhconsult.com), Chair of the IAFS Scholarship Committee: (1) a copy of your abstract; (2) a copy of the acceptance letter from IAFS; and, (3) a copy of your up-to-date curriculum vitae.

SELECTION PROCESS: A committee composed of four FSF Trustees and two AAFS section members will review the submissions. Abstracts will be judged on their technical merit, innovation, and impact to the community.

AWARD: The winner will receive up to $5,000 to cover the costs of airfare, registration, housing, and per diem of $75 for five nights while in attendance at the meeting.

IMPORTANT DATES: The IAFS deadline for abstract submission is March 10. The IAFS program will make notification to the submitter by April 24. Once acceptance is received, send the requirements (1-3, noted above under “Criteria to Enter”) to Lucy Davis (ladavis@ldhconsult.com). The winner notification date is dependent on the static nature of the current IAFS timeline.

For more information on the abstract submission process, go to http://www.iafstoronto2017.com/. For more information on the scholarship, please contact Ronald Singer at crimelab@flash.net.

The following Friends of the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) generously contributed to the Foundation during the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) 69^th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, LA. Contributions are very much appreciated and ensure a sound financial basis for the FSF grant programs, the Emerging Forensic Scientist Award, and other FSF-sponsored educational programs.

Thank you to all who bid on all of the wonderful items and for supporting the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Silent Auction Fundraiser.  All auction proceeds benefit the Forensic Sciences Foundation, Inc., Endowment Fund, which supports FSF Research Grant Programs.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation, Inc., would like to thank and acknowledge those who generously donated their time or items to the 2017 FSF Silent Auction:

The Forensic Sciences Foundation, Inc., would like to thank the winning bidders for their participation in the 2017 FSF Silent Auction:

Purpose:  To nurture a productive dialogue between emerging judicial and forensic standards of reliability and validity, the Forensic Sciences Foundation is pleased to offer the 19^th Annual Emerging Forensic Scientist Award. The award will be ­presented to the author of the best paper on any topic focusing on the reliability and validity of techniques, processes, or methods in a forensic area of the author’s choice.

How to Enter:  Entrants should submit an abstract of the proposed paper to the AAFS Program Committee by August 1, in compliance with AAFS abstract criteria, and indicate that the abstract is submitted for the Emerging Forensic Scientist Award. Initial review and acceptance/rejection of the abstract will be done by the AAFS Program Committee which will focus specifically on the abstract’s treatment of reliability and validity issues. Multiple abstracts may be submitted for the Program Committee’s review; however, once the Program Committee approves abstracts for presentation, one abstract must be designated by the presenter as an EFSA entry. If multiple abstracts are submitted for review and one abstract is not designated by the presenter as an EFSA entry, none of the abstracts will be considered by the EFSA Review Committee.

Selection Process:  Abstracts accepted by the AAFS Program Committee and the EFSA Program Committee will be scheduled for presentation during the scientific session of the section which accepted the abstract, and evaluated by representatives of the Multidisciplinary Awards Committee appointed by the Forensic Sciences Foundation Board of Trustees. Announcement of the winning entry will be made through the Academy News Feed following determination of the winner by the Awards Committee. The Award will be presented during the 2019 AAFS Annual Business Meeting in Baltimore, MD.

Criteria to Enter:  An eligible entrant need not be an AAFS member. However, entrants who are AAFS members must be a Student Affiliate or Trainee Affiliate. All entrants must be within three years of completion of formal training (must submit proof from ­laboratory director or university professor) at the time the paper is presented in 2018. Only the presenter is eligible for the award; no ­substitutions will be accepted after the application is submitted. The decision of the Awards Committee is final and the amount of the award is firm. The form below must be completed and sent with the abstract submission to the AAFS office by August 1.

The Award:  The award will cover the expense of the recipient’s attendance at the 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting in Baltimore, MD, including registration, up to $1,000 for airfare, lodging while in attendance at the annual meeting not to exceed five nights, and up to $75 per diem. A commemorative plaque will also be presented to the award winner at the 2019 AAFS Annual Business Meeting in Baltimore.

For additional details, please view and fill out the following form:  FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award Entry Form.

Purpose:  The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) will fund a limited number of American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) international member registrations for the 2018 AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting through a “Scholarship Program.”

Scholarship Eligibility Requirements:
• Only members or affiliates of the AAFS who have never attended an annual meeting and who reside outside of North America are eligible for the Scholarship Award.

• The member or affiliate awardee must, at a minimum, have been voted into the AAFS at the preceding meeting (if not previously) and must have at least one year of experience in forensic science.

• The applicant must have submitted an abstract for the AAFS 2018 program through the online submission system or Call For Papers Form. In the awards section, check the box indicating “FSF Henry C. Lee Scholarship.” Once requested, the abstract will be reviewed by the FSF Henry C. Lee Scholarship Committee.

Scholarship Amount:  The FSF Henry C. Lee Scholarship is $1,000.

The committee chair will notify the AAFS no later than October 25, and the awardee notification will be transmitted no later than November 1.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) will fund a limited number of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Student Affiliate registrations for the 2018 AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting through a “Scholarship Program.”

To qualify for the scholarship, AAFS Student Affiliates must submit an abstract for the AAFS 2018 program through the online submission system or Call For Papers Form. In the awards section (5b), check the box indicating “FSF Student Affiliate Scholarship.” Applicants for the Student Affiliate Scholarship may apply only once each year (e.g., the applicant must designate only one abstract as the Student Affiliate Scholarship entry in the submission system). The abstract will then be reviewed by the FSF Student Affiliate Scholarship Committee.

The scholarship abstracts need not be selected for presentation at the meeting, though this could be deemed advantageous by the selection committee. The scholarships will be awarded through the committee’s evaluation of the quality and relevance of the abstracts to the advancement of forensic science by AAFS Student Affiliates. The deadline for submission is August 1.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to offer Student Travel Grants to assist with travel expenses in attending the 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Seattle, WA. The FSF Board of Trustees has allocated $12,000, not to exceed $1,500 per student, including complimentary meeting registration. This is a wonderful opportunity, and members are encouraged to promote it.

Travel Grant Eligibility Requirements:
1. Prior Student Travel Grant award recipients are not eligible to reapply.
2. The applicant must be an AAFS member/affiliate or an AAFS Applicant for membership. Applications for membership must be received and completed by the October 1 deadline.
3. The applicant must have submitted an abstract by the August 1 deadline, either as a presenter or co-author for the Annual Scientific Meeting he/she will be attending.
4. The applicant must be a fourth-year undergraduate or a graduate student at an accredited four-year college, university, or professional school whose accreditation is acceptable to the FSF Board of Trustees. Those who   have completed their terminal degree and are now pursuing internship, residency, or fellowship positions are considered to be in the training phase, and therefore are not eligible.
5. The applicant must submit a letter of recommendation from his/her advisor or professor. This recommendation is separate from any membership application requirements.
6. The applicant must submit a 400-600 word essay explaining how attendance at an AAFS meeting will impact his/her career decision.
7. The applicant must submit a curriculum vitae, highlighting their involvement in forensic science and their current grade point average.

All submissions must be received and completed by October 15. The deadline is firm, with no extension. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Please submit the aforementioned Travel Grant Requirements electronically to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org, or by mail to:  Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21st Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904. The FSF will confirm receipt of all submissions within two business days. If confirmation is not received within two business days, the applicant should contact Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org.

In collaboration with the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF), CRC Press will fund the top-scoring FSF Student Travel Grant candidate, as determined through the FSF selection process outlined in the article entitled “FSF Student Travel Grants.” In addition to funding the $1,500 travel grant, CRC Press will donate an “instant library” worth $1,500 (list price) in pre-selected books to this student at the Annual Scientific Meeting. The “FSF/CRC Press Student Travel Grant and Book Prize” will have an overall value of $3,000.

Purpose: This award is designed to encourage forensic science education at the middle and high school level.

Scholarship Eligibility Requirements: The Warren-Young Scholarship is intended to provide funds, up to $1,500, for middle and high school teachers to purchase supplies, equipment, or reference materials to support forensic science education in teaching basic scientific principles. In addition, the scholarship recipient will receive a complimentary Annual Scientific Meeting registration to attend Student Academy, as well as two complimentary hotel nights during the annual meeting. Applications will be judged based on how the funds will further the goals of the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF). Priority will be given to programs with apparent financial need and those which provide forensic science education in underserved population areas.

Application: To apply for funding, the following must be submitted:

• Teacher Letter;
• Teacher Applicant Name (please attach copies of any teaching certifications);
• School Affiliation;
• Course Description (please attach any course announcements or proposed syllabus) – Please describe how the grant funds and forensic science knowledge are/will be used in teaching basic scientific principles;
• Demonstration of Financial Need and Support for Forensic Science Education (please attach a letter from school administration official concerning the level of financial need and the current availability of forensic science education).

All submissions must be received and completed by May 1. The Committee chair will notify the scholarship recipient by June 1. Please submit the aforementioned Warren-Young Scholarship Requirements electronically to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org, or by mail to: Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21st Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904. The FSF will confirm receipt of all submissions within two business days. If confirmation is not received within two business days, the applicant should contact Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Acorn Grants (up to and including $1,000) and Lucas Grants (up to and including $5,000) are intended to help the investigator/researcher initiate original in-depth problem-oriented research. These grants are open to members and affiliates (at any level) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS).

Each research proposal must include:

• An abstract – not to exceed three pages for Acorn Grants or five pages for Lucas Grants. Abstracts must contain a well-developed title and the research question. Research must be creative and unique. Research conducted as a follow-up to a previous study is discouraged. Issues related to the use of live humans or animals as research subjects must be dealt with explicitly in the proposal. Similarly, your plan for accommodating any issue related to privacy, appropriate permissions, and the harvesting, transport, or disposal of human tissues or body fluids must be included. FSF Lucas and Acorn Grant proposals on the same subject, differing only in scope and budget, may not be submitted by the same investigators in the same year.

• A brief literature review of not more than 10 references pertinent to the subject of the research.

• A detailed budget. The grant is intended to pay for direct research costs only, typically limited to consumable products. Funding requests may not include travel, equipment, bibliographic preparation, routine agency operations/university overhead, including salary of investigators/researchers or assistants. Applicants must disclose if funding for this project is being sought from other/additional sources.

• A timetable and a specific plan for dissemination of results. The dissemination plan and timetable must be compatible with the annual schedule of the AAFS and its meeting date in February. The grants are awarded in the late fall; presentation will be at the meeting in two years. Example: If the grant request is submitted in 2017, and awarded in late 2017-18, the presentation cannot be made until the 2019 meeting or (if two years in length) at the 2020 meeting.

• Disclosure. Applicants must disclose current or previous FSF research grants awarded to any of the investigators.

• CVs from all involved. One investigator, preferably the Principal Investigator, must be an affiliate or member of the AAFS.

All submissions must be received and completed by June 15. All research proposals must be submitted by the individual conducting the research. If a proposal is submitted for funding of a master’s thesis, the proposal must be submitted by the student, and NOT by the academic advisor or other academic supporter.

Submissions that do not meet the aforementioned requirements or deadline will be automatically disqualified.

Please submit the aforementioned Acorn Grant or Lucas Grant Requirements electronically to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org, or by mail to: Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21st Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904. The FSF will confirm receipt of all submissions within two business days. If confirmation is not received within two business days, the applicant should contact Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org.

Purpose: The Jan Grant Award 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 Eligibility Requirements:
• The applicant must be a full- or part-time student completing his or her graduate degree requirements by conducting a research project at an educational institution accredited in the
United States by a recognized academic body.
• This project must, in the opinion of the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Awards Committee, make a significant scientific contribution to the field of Criminalistics/Forensic Sciences.
• No student is eligible for more than one grant until at least six (6) years have elapsed since receipt of a previous Jan’s Forensic Science Fund – Grant.

Grant Amount: The Jan Grant Award is $1,700. In addition, up to $1,300 is available for travel expenses to attend a future American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Meeting where the awardee has an approved platform presentation of the completed research. The funding must be used to complete the research project.

Application: Please complete the application below and submit with the required attachments outlined in Part II on the application form.
FSF Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant Form

All submissions must be received and completed by July 31. Please submit the aforementioned Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant Eligibility Requirements electronically to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org, or by mail to: Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21st Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904. The FSF will confirm receipt of all submissions within two business days. If confirmation is not received within two business days, the applicant should contact Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org.

The 18^th Annual Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Emerging Forensic Scientist Award paper competition was hosted in New Orleans, LA.  The following presenters were selected as the 2017 winners by a panel of judges:  D’Nisha D. Hamblin, MSFS, was selected for her presentation entitled Evaluation of a New Technology for the Collection and Analysis of Breath Components for Marijuana Detection Using Capillary Microextraction of Volatiles (CMV), and Lindsay Glicksberg, BS, (Student Affiliate/Criminalistics) was selected for her presentation Synthetic Cathinone Stability in Blood Using Liquid Chromatography/Quadrupole Time-Of-Flight/Mass Spectrometry (LC/qTOF/MS).  Congratulations to D’Nisha and Lindsay who will both receive expense reimbursement to attend the 70^th Annual Scientific Meeting in Seattle, WA.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Acorn Grants (up to and including $1,000) and Lucas Grants (up to and including $5,000) are intended to help the investigator/researcher initiate original in-depth problem-oriented research. These grants are open to members and affiliates (at any level) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS).

Each research proposal must include:

• An abstract – not to exceed three pages for Acorn Grants or five pages for Lucas Grants. Abstracts must contain a well-developed title and the research question. Research must be creative and unique. Research conducted as a follow-up to a previous study is discouraged. Issues related to the use of live humans or animals as research subjects must be dealt with explicitly in the proposal. Similarly, your plan for accommodating any issue related to privacy, appropriate permissions, and the harvesting, transport, or disposal of human tissues or body fluids must be included. FSF Lucas and Acorn Grant proposals on the same subject, differing only in scope and budget, may not be submitted by the same investigators in the same year.
• A brief literature review of not more than 10 references pertinent to the subject of the research.
• A detailed budget. The grant is intended to pay for direct research costs only, typically limited to consumable products. Funding requests may not include travel, equipment, bibliographic preparation, routine agency operations/university overhead, including salary of investigators/researchers or assistants. Applicants must disclose if funding for this project is being sought from other/additional sources.
• A timetable and a specific plan for dissemination of results. The dissemination plan and timetable must be compatible with the annual schedule of the AAFS and its meeting date in February. The grants are awarded in the late fall; presentation will be at the meeting in two years. Example: If the grant request is submitted in 2017, and awarded in late 2017-18, the presentation cannot be made until the 2019 meeting or (if two years in length) at the 2020 meeting.
• Disclosure. Applicants must disclose current or previous FSF research grants awarded to any of the investigators.
• CVs from all involved. One investigator, preferably the Principal Investigator, must be an affiliate or member of the AAFS.

All submissions must be received and completed by June 15. All research proposals must be submitted by the individual conducting the research. If a proposal is submitted for funding of a master’s thesis, the proposal must be submitted by the student, and NOT by the academic advisor or other academic supporter.

Submissions that do not meet the aforementioned requirements or deadline will be automatically disqualified.

Please submit the aforementioned Acorn Grant or Lucas Grant Requirements electronically to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org, or by mail to: Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21st Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904. The FSF will confirm receipt of all submissions within two business days. If confirmation is not received within two business days, the applicant should contact Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org.

Source: Lucy A. Davis, BHS, Chair, FSF International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS) Scholarship Committee

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to announce the 2017 recipient of the FSF IAFS Scholarship–Gulnaz T. Javan, PhD.  Dr. Javan, Member of the AAFS General Section, is an Assistant Professor of Forensic Science at the Alabama State University. Her abstract entitled, “The Thanatomicrobiome Leading to the Determination of the Cause of Death in Criminal Casework,” will be presented during the 21st IAFS Triennial Meeting to be held in Toronto, Ontario, August 21-25, 2017.  

The FSF IAFS Scholarship Committee received many outstanding submissions and would like to thank everyone who submitted abstracts for review.  The committee, composed of four FSF Trustees and two AAFS section members, reviewed abstracts which had been accepted for podium presentation at the upcoming IAFS meeting. Abstracts were judged on their technical merit, innovation, and impact on the community.  

The FSF offers the IAFS Scholarship to help defray the expenses incurred in attending the IAFS meeting.  The IAFS is the international association focused on bringing together academics, managers, researchers, and scientists from around the world to discuss and debate issues focal to the forensic science disciplines. The FSF supports the IAFS with its goals and objectives to develop forensic sciences, to assist forensic scientists and others in exchanging scientific and technical information, and to organize triennial meetings. The FSF IAFS scholarship will provide up to $5,000 to cover the costs of airfare, registration, and housing, plus a per diem of $75 for five nights.  The successful candidate must have been an AAFS member for less than ten years who has never attended an IAFS meeting.  

Our congratulations to Dr. Javan!

Each year, the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) awards monies in the form of grants to members of the forensic science communities for research conducted throughout the year. One 2017-18 FSF Acorn Research Grant and five 2017-18 FSF Lucas Research Grants have been awarded.

The 2017-18 FSF Acorn Research Grant recipient is:

• Hannah A. Kastenbaum, MD, $1,000, Validation of a Urine Drug Screen Assay in the Postmortem Setting

Hannah A. Kastenbaum, MD

The 2017-18 FSF Lucas Research Grant recipients are:

• Candice Bridge, PhD, $4,800, A Novel Approach to Automotive Paint Analysis Using Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry
• Marianne Hamel, MD, PhD, $4,800, Use of Over-the-Counter Urine Pregnancy Tests to Detect Early Gestation in Female Homicide Victims
• LeAnn M. Harrel, BS, $4,800, A Faster, Easier, and More Effective Bone Processing Method for DNA Analysis
• Ashley Morgan, MS, $4,800, Optimization of DNA Recovery From Latent Fingerprints on Paper
• Kaitlyn B. Palmquist, BS, $4,800, Method Development and Validation for the Screening of Fentanyl and Eight Analogs in Whole Blood Using LC/qTOF Analysis

Candace Bridge, PhD

Marianne Hamel, MD, PhD

LeAnn M. Harrel, BS

Ashley Morgan, MS

Kaitlyn B. Palmquist, BS

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) conducts a Silent Auction at the AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting. The FSF depends on donations from members, meeting attendees, and exhibitors for a successful auction. Please consider donating an item that would encourage lively bidding (author signed books, apparel or coffee mugs with your agency logo, or other fun, forensic-related items). The proceeds benefit the FSF Endowment fund, which supports research and educational grants within the profession. Please submit donations by January 15 to Kimberly Wrasse, AAFS, 410 North 21st Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904. Items received after the deadline will be accepted for the following year. Donors will be acknowledged on the auction signup forms and on the Academy News Feed.