The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is proud to announce the winners of the “FSF Student Travel Grant Award” essay contest:  Saskia Ammer, MSc, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Kimber G. Cheek, Student Affiliate Applicant/General; Mary E. Cole, MA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Victoria M. Dominguez, MA, Associate Member/Anthropology; Matthew C. Go, MA, Student Affiliate Applicant/Anthropology; Angela L. Harden, MA, Associate Member/Anthropology; Suzanna Michener, MSc, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Jessica Shiffert, BA, Student Affiliate Applicant/Toxicology; and Nicole M. Weiss, MA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology.

The Student Travel Grant will assist with travel expenses in attending the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 70^th Annual Scientific Meeting in Seattle, WA. The FSF Board of Trustees is pleased to approve the travel expenses, not to exceed $1,500 per student, for nine students this year. A complimentary meeting registration is included with the $1,500 grant for travel expenses.

The 2017-18 FSF Student Travel Grant Committee was comprised of Paula C. Brumit, Chair (Odontology), Carl R. McClary (Questioned Documents), and Paul Messner (Jurisprudence).

Victoria M. Dominguez, MA	Victoria Dominguez is the FSF/CRC Press Student Travel Grant and Book Prize recipient for 2018. As the top-scoring recipient, she will receive the complimentary meeting registration, the $1,500 for travel expenses, and an “instant library” certificate ($1,500-worth of pre-selected books) presented by CRC Press. A plaque will be presented to Victoria during the AAFS Annual Business Meeting, Wednesday, February 21. Victoria received both her BA and MA in anthropology from New York University. She spent four years with the Forensic Anthropology Unit of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in New York City. Currently, she is a PhD candidate in the Division of Anatomy at The Ohio State University (OSU). She is also the laboratory manager for the Skeletal Biology Research Laboratory, a part of the Injury Biomechanics Research Center at OSU, and team leader for the Forensic Anthropology Case Team. Her principle research interest is in bone histology, particularly the use of histology for human vs. non-human differentiation, age-at-death estimation, and the influence of microarchitecture on bone biomechanics.
Saskia Ammer, MSc	Saskia Ammer completed her bachelor’s degree in anthropology and exercise and sport science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received her MSc in forensic anthropology from Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom. Currently, she is working toward her doctoral degree in forensic anthropology at the University of Coimbra in Portugal, with her research focusing on stable isotope forensics as a tool to predict region of origin for undocumented border crossers and the development of an isoscape of Mexico.
Kimber G. Cheek	Kimber Cheek is a senior at Radford University in Virginia studying anthropology with a concentration in forensic anthropology and a minor in both forensic science and biology. Kimber is a member of the Radford University Honors Academy. As an undergraduate, she has gained experience in teaching as a Teacher’s Assistant for Osteology and Introduction to Biological Anthropology. Kimber received a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the Radford University Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship to work with Dr. Donna Boyd to gather data from the Scheuer Collection at the University of Dundee in Scotland. She is an Intern of the Radford University Forensic Science Institute working under Dr. Boyd, which has provided her with casework experience.
Mary E. Cole, MA	Mary Cole is a PhD candidate in anthropology at The Ohio State University where she also received her master’s degree in anthropology in 2014. She is a biological anthropologist with a specific focus on skeletal biology. Her doctoral research focuses on patterns of cortical bone loss across the lifespan and their relationship to fracture risk. She is a University Fellow and Presidential Fellow at The Ohio State University, as well as a National Institute of Justice Fellow in STEM.
Matthew C. Go, MA	Matthew Go is a PhD candidate in anthropology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Among his many interests, Matthew focuses on forensic anthropology, particularly looking at contemporary Filipino skeletal variation and how this may be applied to medicolegal and humanitarian issues. Much of his fieldwork is in Manila where he established the first Filipino skeletal reference collection and laboratory in the country. He is an affiliate scholar at the University of the Philippines Archaeological Studies Program and regularly hosts lectures and workshops on forensic anthropology to students and professionals in hopes of bolstering the discipline locally. His dissertation work on sex and ancestry estimation from the Filipino cranium is supported in part by fellowships from the U.S. National Institute of Justice and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, but more so by the guidance of his advisor, Dr. Lyle Konigsberg.
Angela L. Harden, MA	Angela L. Harden received her MA in anthropology with a specialization in forensic anthropology.  She is currently an anatomy PhD student at The Ohio State University. Angela is a Graduate Research Associate in the Skeletal Biology Research Laboratory in the Injury Biomechanics Research Center. Additionally, she conducts research for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency as an ORISE Research Fellow. Her principal research interests are skeletal biology, forensic anthropology, skeletal trauma, and injury biomechanics.
Suzanna Michener, MSc	Suzanna Michener is a third-year PhD student in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University, in Burnaby, Canada. She received an MSc from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, and a BA from the University of British Columbia. Suzanna currently works and studies at the Centre for Forensic Research, researching spatial approaches to histological age estimation. She is  involved in other projects within the department, including studying the relationship between personality disorders and sexual violence, and updating a criminological risk-assessment framework to include biological influences.
Jessica Shiffert, BA	Jessica Shiffert is a student at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. She currently holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry while working on her master’s degree in forensic science and law. Her master’s thesis is on Examining the Stability of Explosive Residues on Multiple Surfaces and Time Intervals. She will be presenting a poster on this subject at the 2018 AAFS meeting in February. She also presented at the Young Forensic Scientists Forum Special Session during the AAFS 2017 meeting in New Orleans, LA. In addition to school, Jessica is also enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard as a Military Police Officer.
Nicole M. Weiss, MA	Nicole Weiss graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a bachelor’s degree in biology and minors in anthropology and chemistry. She completed her master’s work in biological anthropology at The Ohio State University, where she is currently a doctoral student and Graduate Teaching Associate. She plans to focus on rib histology and histological age estimation for her dissertation.

The 19^th Annual Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Emerging Forensic Scientist Award paper competition was hosted in Seattle, WA. The following presenters were selected as the 2018 winners by a panel of judges: Michelle K. Gordon, MS, was selected for her presentation, “Maximizing the Amount of DNA Recovered: A Study of Mawi DNA Technologies’ iSWAB^™-ID Collection Device for Forensic Science Application,” and Emily R. Parchuke, BS, was selected for her presentation, “An Analysis of Ethanol in Blood and Oral Fluid Samples From Dosed Individuals by Headspace Gas Chromatography.” Congratulations to Michelle and Emily! They will each receive expense reimbursement to attend the 71^st Annual Scientific Meeting in Baltimore, MD.

Purpose: To nurture a productive dialogue between emerging judicial and forensic standards of reliability and validity, the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to offer the 20^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 completed 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 that 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 AAFS Newsfeed following determination of the winner by the Awards Committee. The Award will be presented during the 2020 AAFS Annual Business Meeting in Anaheim, CA.

Eligibility Requirements: Entrants are not required to be American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) members. Entrants who are AAFS members must be either a “Student Affiliate” or “Trainee Affiliate.” All entrants must be within three (3) years of completion of formal training at the time the presentation is made. Formal training is defined as either enrollment in an undergraduate/graduate program in the forensic sciences or a training program within a forensic science laboratory. Entrants must provide proof of this requirement from a professor or laboratory director. In the case of multiple contributors to a presentation, only the presenter (the entrant) is eligible for the award. Substitute presenters will not be accepted after the application is submitted. The entrant should be the sole presenter of the paper. The decision of the Awards Committee is final and the amount of the award is firm. The form below must be completed and submitted to the AAFS office by August 1.

The Award: The award will cover the expense of recipient’s attendance at the 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting in Anaheim, CA, 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 2020 AAFS Annual Business Meeting in Anaheim, CA.

For additional details, please view and fill out the entry form found HERE.

Purpose: The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to offer Student Travel Grants to assist with travel expenses in attending the 2019 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Baltimore, MD. 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. The recommendation may be submitted with the other application materials or may be submitted separately by the advisor/professor.
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 (with attachments in pdf format) to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org or by mail to: Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21^st 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 committee will make their decision no later than November 15 and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

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: The Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant 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 (with attachments in pdf format) to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org or by mail to: Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21^st 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 committee will make their decision no later than October 1 and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

Purpose: This award is designed to encourage forensic science education at the middle and high school level and is intended to provide funds to purchase supplies, equipment, or reference materials to support forensic science education in teaching basic scientific principles. Applications will be judged based on how the funds will further the goals of the Foundation. Priority will be given to programs with apparent financial need and those which provide forensic science education in underserved population areas.

Scholarship Award: The Warren-Young Scholarship will receive funds up to $2,500; a complimentary registration to attend one AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting and the Student Academy, including two free nights of hotel accommodations; and a scholarship to attend one Forensic Science Education Conference (FSEC) or CSI Summer Camp.

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

• Teacher Letter – to include teacher’s name, school affiliation, grades and classes taught, and a description of how the grant funds and forensic science knowledge are/will be used in teaching basic scientific principles.
• Teacher Certifications – attach copies of current teaching certifications.
• Course Description – attach course announcements or proposed syllabus.
• Demonstration of Financial Need and Support for Forensic Science Education – submit a letter from a 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. Please submit the aforementioned Warren-Young Scholarship Requirements electronically (with attachments in pdf format) to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org, or by mail to Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21^st 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 Committee chair will notify the scholarship recipient by June 1.

Purpose: The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Acorn Grants (up to $1,500) and Lucas Grants ($1,501-$6,000) 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.

Submission Requirements: The following criteria will be considered in evaluating proposals for both Acorn and Lucas grants. Any proposal not adhering to these criteria, or missing any of the required elements, will be disqualified.

• 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. The page limit pertains to the abstract only; the following criteria are not included in the page limit.
• A brief (no more than twoa pages total) literature review of not more than ten references pertinent to the subject of the research.
• A detailed budget. The grant is intended to pay for direct research costs only. Funding requests may include consumable product purchases, room and board while conducting the research, travel expenses (up to $500 for Acorn Grants and up to $1,000 for Lucas Grants), and necessary equipment purchases (up to $1,000 for Acorn Grants and up to $5,000 for Lucas Grants). Funding requests may not include bibliographic preparation, routine agency operations/university operations, or 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 American Academy of Forensic Sciences 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 2018 and awarded in late 2018-19, the presentation cannot be made until the 2020 meeting or (if two years in length) at the 2021 meeting.
• 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, 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 (with attachments in pdf format) to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org or by mail to Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21^st 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 committee will make their decision no later than October 1 and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

Source: Tanisha V. Henson, MFS, AAFS/FSF Liaison for BAFS Young Forensic Scientists Scholarship Program

The BAFS will be hosting its second interFORENSICS conference in the beautiful city of São Paulo, Brazil, May 21–24, 2019. This is a wonderful opportunity to present on an international level and visit Brazil. This Young Forensic Scientists Scholarship is ONLY available to individuals who are 35 years of age or younger and have the membership status of Student Affiliate, Trainee Affiliate, Associate Member, or Member.

If you meet the above criteria, or know someone who does, please consider applying for this unique scholarship opportunity. The details of the scholarship and how to apply are listed below. All abstracts must be received by March 1, 2019, by 11:59 p.m. EST for consideration. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me at any time (Tanisha.henson@icloud.com) or you may contact organizer Joao Carlos Ambrosio (joaocarlos.jcla@gmail.com) directly.

The Scholarship consists of:

• Air tickets (coach) for the selected authors
• Hotel stay during the event
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the associated venue
• Free registration for the event
• Airport pick-up
• A student guide to the magnificent city of São Paulo

Rules of Application:
To apply, candidates must meet the following criteria:

1. Must have been born in 1984 or later
2. Must be an AAFS Student Affiliate, Trainee Affiliate, Associate Member or Member

The Application Process:

1. All candidates must apply through the website of the event: http://interforensics.com/en/.
2. Applications may begin being submitted on November 5, 2018.
3. Applications must be submitted by Friday, March 1, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
4. Papers from any field of the forensic sciences are eligible.
5. Submissions must be written in either English or Portuguese. English is the preferred language.
6. Submissions must be no more than 500 words.

The Selection Process:

1. All submissions will be reviewed by the AAFS/Forensic Sciences Foundation panel who will pre-select ten manuscripts for final consideration; and
2. The selected manuscripts will be evaluated by the Brazilian Academy of Forensic Sciences who will make the final selection of the three scholarship recipients.

Presentation:
A 20-minute presentation on their paper to be delivered during the Scientific Program of BAFS.

Each year the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) awards monies in the form of grants to members of the forensic science communities to help the investigator/researcher initiate original in-depth, problem-oriented research throughout the year. These grants are open to members and affiliates (at any level) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Five FSF Lucas Grants have been awarded for 2018-19 and we are pleased to announce the following recipients:

Melanie M. Beasley, PhD—$6,000 for A New Multi-Stable Isotope Approach to Increase the Predictability of Determining Region-of-Origin for Human Biological Tissues

Catherine Cupples Connon, PhD—$5,920 for Evaluating the Use of the Colorimetric Indicator Eriochrome^® Black T and Other Analytical Instruments for Detection of EDTA Within Forensically Relevant Blood Samples

Ryan Gutierrez, BS—$6,000 for DNA Profiling of Rootless Hair Shafts Utilizing Massively Parallel Sequencing

Paige L. Hinners, MS—$5,694 for High-Throughput Drug Screening of Biological Specimens Using Laser Ablation Electroscopy Ionization – Ion Mobility – Mass Spectrometry

Katherine E. Weisensee, PhD—$5,500 for GIS Application for Building a Nationally Representative Forensic Taphonomy Database

Congratulations to all the recipients!

Melanie M. Beasley, PhD

Paige L. Hinners, MS

Ryan Gutierrez, BS

Katherine E. Weisensee, PhD

Each year the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) awards monies in the form of grants to members of the forensic science communities to help the investigator/researcher initiate original in-depth, problem-oriented research throughout the year. These grants are open to members and affiliates (at any level) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Four FSF Acorns Grants have been awarded for 2018-19 and we are pleased to announce the following recipients.

Greg Hampikian, PhD—$1,461 for Design, Development, and Testing of a Wash and Filter Collecting System for the Recovery of Genetic Material

Gregory Nigoghosian, BSc—$1,071 for Larval Identification: Can Geometric Morphometrics Help Forensic Entomologists Identify Third Instar Dipteran Larvae?

Madeline Parker, BS—$600 for Sexual Dimorphism in the Shape of the Auricular Surface of the Ilium

Breanna R. Wydra, BA—$1,497 for Necrophagous Insect Communities and How They Associate With Human Decomposition at a New Northern Latitude Outdoor Forensic Research Facility

Congratulations to all the recipients!

Greg Hampikian, Gianluca Peri, Karen Rudolph, Boise State University

Gregory Nigoghosian, BSc

Madeline Parker, BS

Breanna R. Wydra, BA

Gustavo Rodriguez, BS, MEd

The Forensic Sciences Foundation is pleased to award Gustavo Rodriguez with the 2018-19 Warren-Young Scholarship. This award is designed to encourage forensic science education at the middle and high school level and is intended to provide funds to purchase supplies, equipment, or reference materials to support forensic science education in teaching basic scientific principles. Applications are judged based on how the funds will further the goals of the Foundation. Priority is given to programs with apparent financial need and those that provide forensic science education in under-served population areas. The scholarship provides funds up to $2,500, a complimentary registration to attend one AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting and the Student Academy, including two free nights of hotel accommodations, and a scholarship to attend one Forensic Science Education Conference (FSEC).

Mr. Rodriguez is a science teacher from the Pasadena Independent School District, which is located near Houston, TX. Mr. Rodriguez holds a BS in Physics from Texas Tech University and an MEd from the University of Texas at Arlington. In his classroom, Mr. Rodriguez enjoys challenging students’ problem-solving skills and fostering a scientific mindset that allows students to be analytical and critical of forensic evidence so that students may better appreciate and understand the significance of that evidence as it applies to a given case. The 2018-2019 school year marks his 6^th year as an educator and his 4^th year teaching forensic science.

Congratulation to Mr. Rodriguez on receiving this award!

Amanda J. Gonzalez, BA

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is proud to announce that Amanda J. Gonzalez, BA, was awarded the 2018-19 FSF Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant for her paper, “Developing a Single-Cell Interpretation Strategy for Forensically Relevant Loci.” The award consists of: $1,700, a plaque presented at the Criminalistics Section Business Meeting, complimentary meeting registration at a future AAFS meeting where her thesis has been accepted for presentation, and up to $1,300 for travel and per diem expenses toward the future meeting attendance.

Ms. Gonzalez is a United States Air Force veteran and former Crime Scene Investigator (Camden, NJ). She earned her bachelor’s degrees in both Biology and Criminal Justice from Rutgers University-Camden, and recently returned to Rutgers to pursue an MS in Biology. The aim of her graduate research is to fully characterize forensically relevant signal acquired from single-cell pipelines for improved mixture interpretation.

Congratulations and good luck, Amanda, as you pursue your career in the forensic sciences!

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to announce the recipients of the “FSF/CRC Press Student Travel Grant Award and Book Prize” essay contest: Meghan Fogerty, MS, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics; Shelby Garza, BS, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Rebecca L. George, MA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Sierra Kaszubinski, BS, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics; Vienna C. Lam, BA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Mariah E. Moe, BS, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Christian T. Pascual, PhD, Student Affiliate Applicant/Toxicology; Carrie Polston, BA, Student Affiliate/Criminalistics; and Karin E. Wells, BA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology.

The Student Travel Grant consists of a complimentary meeting registration and travel expenses (up to $1,500) to attend the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 71^st Annual Scientific Meeting in Baltimore, MD.

The 2018-19 FSF Student Travel Grant Committee was comprised of Paula Brumit, Chair (Odontology), Carl McClary (Questioned Documents), and Paul Messner (Jurisprudence).

Vienna C. Lam, MA   Vienna Lam was the top-scoring recipient and is the CRC Press Student Travel Grant and Book Prize recipient. In addition to the aforementioned Student Travel Grant award (travel expenses and registration), she will receive an “instant library” certificate ($1,500-worth of pre-selected books) from CRC Press. A plaque will be presented to Vienna during the AAFS Annual Business Meeting, Wednesday, February 20 by CRC Press. Vienna is a current PhD scholar at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, where she also received both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees. Her passions intersect between public science education, criminal justice advocacy, and aquatic morbidity research. She is currently the Principal Investigator on three different research projects, a Canadian Drowning Prevention Coalition Member, a Research Ethics Board Member, a Forensic Entomology Laboratory Supervisor, and a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Victim Services Caseworker. Vienna brings her love of human anatomy to public libraries and schools as a Ms. Infinity mentor (guest lecturer) for the Society of Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST). She also has recently been elected as the SCWIST Director of Youth Engagement.
Meghan Fogerty, MS   Meghan Fogerty is currently a PhD candidate at the University at Albany–State University of New York. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in criminology from Le Moyne College and her master’s degree in forensic science from the University of New Haven. She recently was awarded a National Institute of Justice Graduate Student Fellowship. Her doctoral research focuses on the detection and identification of psychoactive material through the use of headspace-derived mass spectral analysis.
Shelby Garza, BS     Shelby Garza is currently a second-year graduate student at Texas State University studying biological anthropology, with emphasis on forensics. Her thesis project is focusing on the effects of labor on the biomechanical properties of the femora and the humeri in the 19th and 20th centuries. After graduation, she plans on completing a doctoral program. She is looking forward to continuing her education in the field and seeing where her career will take her.
Rebecca L. George, MA     Becca George is a PhD candidate in anthropology at the University of Nevada, Reno. She received her master’s degree in anthropology from the California State University, Chico in 2015. Her doctoral research focuses on dental morphological and metric variation in Latino populations. She is a currently a Bilinski Fellow at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Sierra Kaszubinski, BS   Sierra Kaszubinski graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in organismal biology and a minor in chemistry. She is currently a master’s student at Michigan State University in the Department of Integrative Biology. Her research interests include applications of next generation sequencing to forensic microbiology, and she primarily studies the human postmortem microbiome. Additionally, Sierra is a Department of Defense Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) scholar sponsored by the United States Army Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC). As an intern at DFSC, she focuses on forensic applications of the hand microbiome. Separate from her graduate studies, she also volunteers as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Mariah E. Moe, BS     Mariah Moe is a second-year master’s to PhD student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, studying biological anthropology. Originally from Tucson, AZ, her research interests are primarily forensic anthropology geared toward improving identification efforts of human skeletal remains. She has assisted many teams with the missing and unidentified across the United States-Mexico border and more recently at the Camp Fire incident in Paradise, CA. Current research is aimed at improving age-at-death estimations using histological methods. Mariah will be presenting a poster with her master’s advisor, Dr. Timothy Gocha.
Christian T. Pascual, PhD   Christian Pascual is pursuing a master’s degree at the Emporia State University (ESU). Christian is currently on a study leave as a faculty member of the University of the Cordilleras–College of Criminal Justice Education (UC-CCJE). He earned his undergraduate degree and his initial master’s degree from UC-CCJE, and also obtained his PhD in Criminal Justice from the University of Baguio. He strongly desires to translate his learning from his United States educational experience upon his return to the Philippines by engaging with critical research studies that aim to identify and address gaps in the existing forensic science curricula in higher education institutions in the Philippines. He also intends to serve as a member of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) technical panel for forensic science programs that will ensure the design and implementation of quality curriculum and instruction among higher education institutions that offer forensic science programs.
Carrie Polston, BA     Carrie Polston completed her bachelor’s degree in biology at Truman State University. Carrie completed an internship with the Université de Lausanne in Switzerland in 2016, where she gained exposure to Questioned Documents casework scenarios and began research on related topics. She is currently a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Forensic Science at Sam Houston State University, with research focusing on magnetic flux measurements of toner-printed documents.
Karin E. Wells, BA     Karin Wells is in her final year of a master’s program in physical anthropology at California State University, Chico. She received her bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University in 2015 and has been working as a student intern for the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office since 2016. Her next goal is to attend medical school and pursue a career in forensic pathology.

Source: Tanisha V. Henson, MFS, AAFS/FSF Liaison for BAFS Young Forensic Scientists Scholarship Program

The BAFS will be hosting its second interFORENSICS conference in the beautiful city of São Paulo, Brazil, May 21–24, 2019. This is a wonderful opportunity to present on an international level and visit Brazil. This Young Forensic Scientists Scholarship is ONLY available to individuals who are 35 years of age or younger and have the membership status of Student Affiliate, Trainee Affiliate, Associate Member, or Member.

If you meet the above criteria, or know someone who does, please consider applying for this unique scholarship opportunity. The details of the scholarship and how to apply are listed below. All abstracts must be received by March 1, 2019, by 11:59 p.m. EST for consideration. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me at any time (Tanisha.henson@icloud.com) or you may contact organizer Joao Carlos Ambrosio (joaocarlos.jcla@gmail.com) directly.

The Scholarship consists of:

• Air tickets (coach) for the selected authors
• Hotel stay during the event
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the associated venue
• Free registration for the event
• Airport pick-up
• A student guide to the magnificent city of São Paulo

Rules of Application:
To apply, candidates must meet the following criteria:

1. Must have been born in 1984 or later
2. Must be an AAFS Student Affiliate, Trainee Affiliate, Associate Member or Member

The Application Process:

1. All candidates must apply through the website of the event: http://interforensics.com/en/.
2. Applications may begin being submitted on November 5, 2018.
3. Applications must be submitted by Friday, March 1, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
4. Papers from any field of the forensic sciences are eligible.
5. Submissions must be written in either English or Portuguese. English is the preferred language.
6. Submissions must be no more than 500 words.

The Selection Process:

1. All submissions will be reviewed by the AAFS/Forensic Sciences Foundation panel who will pre-select ten manuscripts for final consideration; and
2. The selected manuscripts will be evaluated by the Brazilian Academy of Forensic Sciences who will make the final selection of the three scholarship recipients.

Presentation:
A 20-minute presentation on their paper to be delivered during the Scientific Program of BAFS.

CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group is proud to partner with the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) and is a supporter of the 2018–19 FSF/CRC Press Student Travel Grant and Book Prize to assist with travel expenses in attending the 2019 AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting. Congratulations to Vienna C. Lam on being selected to receive this year’s FSF/CRC Press Student Travel Grant and Book Prize! Review the books donated on CRC Press’s AAFS membership page HERE.

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 items to the 2019 FSF Silent Auction:

AAFS

Alyse Gray

Anne Warren

BAC-Tracker International, Inc.

Bone Clones, Inc.

Carlos Gutierrez

Carol Henderson

Cil Schutz

Debra Osterman

EDAX, Inc.

Foray Technologies

France Casting

Gil Sapir

Hilton Baltimore

IACME

Jack Kenney

Jennifer Hammers

John Gerns

Kathy Reichs

Ron & Donna Singer

The Forensic Sciences Foundation, Inc., would like to thank the winning bidders for their participation in the 2019 FSF Silent Auction:

Agnes Winokur

Al Derrick

Alexis Gray

Alison Galloway

Andrew Baker

April Edwards

Bill Cross

Cheryl Nelson

Christina Beatty

Cristin Rolf

D. Walter

Dennis DeCrisce

Diane France

Erin Koester

Georgette Massou

Greg Schmunk

Hannah Bielamowicz

Howard Cooper

Jamie Downs

John Edwards

Juan Zamora

Judy Melinek

Lineth Saldano

Lisa Kaspriak

Nik Lemos

Patricia Smith

Sara Getz

Stephanie Domitrovich

Tim Dunn

Purpose: The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to offer Student Travel Grants to assist with travel expenses in attending the 2020 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Anaheim, CA. 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. The recommendation may be submitted with the other application materials or may be submitted separately by the advisor/professor.
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 (11:59 pm MT). The deadline is firm, with no extension. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Please submit the aforementioned Travel Grant Requirements electronically (with attachments in pdf format) to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org or by mail to: Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21^st 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 committee will make their decision no later than November 15 and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

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 and is intended to provide funds to purchase supplies, equipment, or reference materials to support forensic science education in teaching basic scientific principles. Applications will be judged based on how the funds will further the goals of the Foundation. Priority will be given to programs with apparent financial need and those which provide forensic science education in underserved population areas.

Scholarship Award: The Warren-Young Scholarship will receive funds up to $3,000; a complimentary registration to attend one AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting and the Student Academy, including two free nights of hotel accommodations; and a scholarship to attend one Forensic Science Education Conference (FSEC).

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

• Teacher Letter – to include teacher’s name, school affiliation, grades and classes taught, and a description of how the grant funds and forensic science knowledge are/will be used in teaching basic scientific principles.
• Teacher Certifications – attach copies of current teaching certifications.
• Course Description – attach course announcements or proposed syllabus.
• Demonstration of Financial Need and Support for Forensic Science Education – submit a letter from a 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 (11:59 MDT). Please submit the aforementioned Warren-Young Scholarship Requirements electronically (with attachments in pdf format) to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org, or by mail to Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21^st 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 Committee chair will notify the scholarship recipient by June 1.

Purpose: The Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant 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 (11:59 pm MT). Please submit the aforementioned Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant Eligibility Requirements electronically (with attachments in pdf format) to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org or by mail to: Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21^st 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 committee will make their decision no later than October 1 and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

Grant Name Change:  Formerly known as the “Acorn Grant,” the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Board of Trustees recently changed the grant’s name to the “Field Grant.”  This change was in honor of Kenneth S. Field who passed away this last year at the age of 100.  Mr. Field, former Executive Director of the AAFS and FSF, was a Fellow of the General Section, a Distinguished Fellow, and a Gradwohl Laureate. It was due to Mr. Field’s diligence back in the mid-to-late 1980s that the Acorn Grant was finally established and was the only grant offered by the FSF at that time. Today, the Foundation funds eight grants and scholarships which foster research and education in forensic science.

Purpose: The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) Field Grants (up to $1,500) and Lucas Grants ($1,501-$6,000) 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.

Submission Requirements: The following criteria will be considered in evaluating proposals for both Field and Lucas grants. Any proposal not adhering to these criteria, or missing any of the required elements, will be disqualified.

• An abstract – not to exceed three pages for Field 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 Field and Lucas Grant proposals on the same subject, differing only in scope and budget, may not be submitted by the same investigators in the same year. The page limit pertains to the abstract only; the following criteria are not included in the page limit.
• A brief (no more than two pages total) literature review of not more than ten references pertinent to the subject of the research.
• A detailed budget. The grant is intended to pay for direct research costs only. Funding requests may include consumable product purchases, room and board while conducting the research, travel expenses (up to $500 for Field Grants and up to $1,000 for Lucas Grants), and necessary equipment purchases (up to $1,000 for Field Grants and up to $5,000 for Lucas Grants). Funding requests may not include bibliographic preparation, routine agency operations/university operations, or 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 American Academy of Forensic Sciences 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 2019 and awarded in late 2019-20, the presentation cannot be made until the 2021 meeting or (if two years in length) at the 2022 meeting.
• 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 (11:59 pm MT). 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, 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 Field Grant or Lucas Grant Requirements electronically (with attachments in pdf format) to Kimberly Wrasse at kwrasse@aafs.org or by mail to Kimberly Wrasse, FSF, 410 North 21^st 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 FSF Research Committee will make its decision no later than October 1, and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.