The 20^th Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award paper competition was hosted during the AAFS Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD. The following presenters were selected as the 2019 winners by a panel of judges:

1. Helen M. Brandt, MS – “An Examination of Pelvic Scarring as a Determinant of Sex” (A8/Anthropology)
2. Carrie Polston, BA – “Assessing the Impacts of Induction Spatial Effects on Magnetic Flux Measurements of Toners” (J15/Questioned Documents)
3. Ellyn A. Zeidman, BS – “Development of a Single-Tube Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Blood, Semen, and Saliva Utilizing DNA Methylation and ScreenClust^® High-Resolution Melt Software” (B44/Criminalistics)

Congratulations to Helen, Carrie, and Ellyn who will receive expense reimbursement to attend the 72^nd Annual Scientific Meeting in Anaheim!

The deadline for an abstract submission of the 21^st Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award is August 1. Please see “21^st Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award (EFSA) Competition” submission guidelines HERE.

Pamela Carman, BS

The Forensic Sciences Foundation is pleased to award Pamela Carman with the 2019-20 Warren-Young Scholarship. This award is designed to encourage forensic science education at the middle and high school levels 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 underserved 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).

Ms. Carman is a high school forensic science teacher for the Newark Public School District in New Jersey. She graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in chemistry and education. Since beginning teaching in 2016, she has taken part in curriculum writing for the Newark Public Schools district and has developed an entirely new curriculum for Forensic Science to bring the class from an elective to a fourth-year lab science requirement.

Congratulations to Ms. Carmen on being awarded the Warren-Young Scholarship!

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 p.m. 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.

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 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 FSF is offering a scholarship to help defray the expenses involved in attending the 22^nd Triennial Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences to be held in Sydney, Australia, from September 21–25, 2020.

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 2020 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 January 31, 2020. The IAFS program will make notification to the submitter by April 10. 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 https://iafs2020.com.au/. For more information on the scholarship, please contact Ronald Singer at crimelab@flash.net.

Cameron M. Longo, BS

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is proud to announce that Cameron M. Longo has been awarded the 2019-20 FSF Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant for his paper, See the Forest for the Trees: A Non-Targeted Approach to Discerning Exposure to Explosives Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and the Multivariate Statistical Model Random Forest. The award consists of $1,700, a plaque presented at the Criminalistics Section Business Meeting, complimentary meeting registration at a future AAFS meeting where his thesis has been accepted for presentation, and up to $1,300 for travel and per diem expenses toward the future meeting attendance.

Cameron is a PhD student whose primary research focus is on the detection and mapping of forensically relevant diagnostic small molecule markers—such as those indicative of exposure to psychoactive substances or explosives. This has application in both forensic and medical contexts as a means of determining potential sources of impairment while providing a definitive link between an individual and said materials, or proactively as a counterterrorism strategy. He recently authored a chapter in Methods in Molecular Biology titled, Detection of Diagnostic Plant-Derived Psychoactive Biomarkers in Fingerprints by MALDI-SpiralTOF-Mass Spectrometry Imaging and was a co-author on the Analytical Chemistry paper, Species Identification of Necrophagous Insect Eggs Based on Amino Acid Profile Differences Revealed by Direct Analysis in Real Time-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

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

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 Field Grants have been awarded for 2019-20 and we are pleased to announce the following recipients.

Jacqueline L. Galimany, BS—$1,500 for The Informative Value of the Pubic Symphysis for Age-Estimation as Compared to Low-Information Traits in a Chilean Skeletal Sample.

Angela L. Harden, MA—$1,402 for Quantification and Assessment of Microstructural Variables and Relationships With Fracture Characteristics in Human Tibiae.

Amy Michael, PhD and Samantha Blatt, PhD—$1,495 for Applying Model-Based Approaches for Investigating Histological and Diagenetic Alteration of Dental Tissue in the Burial Environment.

Clarra G. Moore, BS—$1,000 for An Evaluation of Gray Value Measurements and Hyperspectral Imaging as a Method for Analyzing Optical Characteristics of Porous-Tipped Pen Inks.

Congratulations to all the recipients!

Jacqueline L. Galimany, BS

Angela L. Harden, MA

Amy Michael, PhD

Samantha Blatt, PhD

Clarra G. Moore, BS

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. Six FSF Lucas Grants have been awarded for 2019-20, and we are pleased to announce the following recipients:

Meghan G. Appley, MS—$6,000 for Detection and Forensic Identification of Illegally Traded Endangered Species of Wood Using Mass Spectral Techniques.

Claire M. Cartozzo, MS—$3,223 for Comparison of Nuclear, Mitochondrial, and Bacterial DNA Quantity and Quality Recovered From Waterlogged Skeletal Remains.

Sierra Kaszubinski, BS—$5,300 for Microbial Community Succession of Submerged Bones in an Aquatic Habitat.

Natalie R. Langley, PhD—$6,000 for Determining Fracture Timing From Histological Characteristics of Cortical Bone.

Katherine Ramsland, PhD—$3,117 for Comparing Virtual Tools for Investigator Training.

Daniel J. Wescott, PhD—$5,964 for Detection of Clandestine Surface and Buried Remains in Central Texas Using Unmanned Aerial Systems Equipped With Infrared and Near-Infrared Sensors: Relationship Between Ground Truth and Sensor Data.

Meghan G. Appley, MS

Claire M. Cartozzo, MS

Sierra Kaszubinski, BS

Natalie R. Langley, PhD

Katherine Ramsland, PhD

Daniel J. Wescott, PhD

Congratulations to all the recipients!

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to announce the recipient of the FSF Henry C. Lee Scholarship! Giacomo Musile, PhD (Toxicology) of Verona, Italy, was selected based on his abstract submission, Thanatochemistry at the Crime Scene: A Microfluidic Paper-Based Device for Ammonium Analysis in the Vitreous Humor. Dr. Musile’s paper is scheduled for oral presentation on Saturday, February 22, during the Criminalistics Section’s Scientific Session at the annual meeting in Anaheim. The Henry C. Lee Scholarship will assist Dr. Musile in defraying his travel expenses, up to $1,000, to attend and present at the annual meeting. As part of this honor, he will also receive a complimentary meeting registration and a plaque on behalf of the FSF Board of Trustees.

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: Christiane I. Baigent, MSc, Member/Anthropology; Jacqueline L. Galimany, BS, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Mariyam I. Isa, MA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Molly A. Kaplan, BA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Sophia R. Mavroudas, MA, Member/Anthropology; Diana L. Messer, MS, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Molly Miranker, MA, Student Affiliate/Anthropology; Colby E. Ott, MS, Student Affiliate Applicant/Toxicology; and Courtney C. Siegert, MA, 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 72^nd Annual Scientific Meeting in Anaheim, CA.

Thank you to the 2019-20 FSF Student Travel Grant Committee members for their hard work—Paula Brumit, Chair (Odontology), Carl McClary (Questioned Documents), and Paul Messner (Jurisprudence).

Sophia R. Mavroudas, MA

Sophia Mavroudas 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 Sophia during the AAFS Annual Business Meeting, Wednesday, February 19, by CRC Press.

Sophia is a second-year PhD student in Applied Anthropology at Texas State University. She has been a member of the AAFS Anthropology Section since 2009. Sophia is also the Coordinator of the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) and in these roles is involved with forensic anthropology casework, research, and instruction for the medicolegal community. Sophia’s dissertation will focus on population variation within human bone histology for forensic applications. She received her BA and MA from New York University.

Christiane I. Baigent, MSc

Christiane Baigent is a PhD student in the Department of Anthropology at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. She is currently the Graduate Research Assistant to the Complex for Forensic Anthropology Research (SIU-CFAR) and a Research Associate at Colorado Mesa University’s Forensic Investigation Research Station (CMU-FIRS). She completed a 12-month internship with the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner and has performed research and assisted in various capacities with forensic anthropology field recovery and skeletal analysis in the Rocky Mountain region since 2010. Her principle research interest is in rate and pattern of human decomposition and longitudinal skeletal change at high-altitude. Her dissertation research is supported by a National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowship and conducted at the FIRS-TB40 high-altitude satellite facility in Park County, CO.

Jacqueline L. Galimany, BS

Jacqueline Galimany is a Chilean graduate student at California State University, Chico’s Master in Anthropology. She is sponsored by the international Fulbright program and traveled from Chile with her husband and dog looking to specialize in forensic anthropology. She is currently working on her master’s thesis studying the new Transition Analysis age-informative traits as compared to the classic pubic symphysis in a Chilean skeletal collection and is applying for PhD programs in Physical Anthropology. Her goal is to go back to Chile and serve as a forensic anthropologist and conduct research there.

Mariyam I. Isa, MA

Mari Isa is a PhD candidate in the Department of Anthropology at Michigan State University (MSU). She received bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and human biology from MSU in 2014, and a master’s degree in anthropology from MSU in 2016. Her doctoral research uses biomechanical experiments on human bone to investigate how various extrinsic and intrinsic factors influence blunt force fracture patterns. Mari was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship in support of this research.

Molly A. Kaplan, BA

Molly Kaplan received her BA from Vassar College in 2014. Having spent several years in New York working with the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), she has developed a deep passion for both the academic and humanitarian applications of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. She is currently completing her master’s at Texas State University where she is the Graduate Research Assistant for Operation Identification (OpID), which seeks to identify and repatriate the remains of unidentified migrants recovered along or near the Texas-Mexico border. Her research primarily addresses the need to improve burial and investigative procedures related to unidentified migrant remains in South Texas, although she is also working to refine postcranial sex estimation criteria for unidentified individuals of Hispanic origin.

Diana L. Messer, MS

Diana Messer is finishing her doctoral degree from the Division of Anatomy, College of Medicine at The Ohio State University. Her research examines the effect of patient age, fracture location, and abuse status on pediatric fracture healing based on radiographic assessment. She hopes this research will have implications for time-since-injury estimation in child physical abuse cases in both clinical and forensic contexts. Diana attended, and later taught, at the Department of Applied Forensic Sciences at Mercyhurst University. She currently works as an anthropologist for SNA International in support of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Laboratory in Hawaii.

Molly Miranker, MA

Molly Miranker received her MA in Human Skeletal Biology from New York University in 2015 and is currently pursuing her PhD in Geography at Texas State University San Marcos. She is a human geographer and biological anthropologist with specific research interests in forensic anthropology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and humanitarian forensic action. She is an active member in the Forensic Border Coalition (FBC), a volunteer with Operation Identification (OpID), and a former consultant researcher to the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF). Her service with these groups has been working to address the significant barriers to identifying the remains of Undocumented Border Crossers (UBC) found on the United States-Mexico border. Her dissertation research will advance spatial analysis and extend spatial social theory applications in the field of forensic anthropology by examining the distribution of UBC recovery sites in conjunction with interviews and archival research. She aims to bring geographical methods and perspectives to forensic anthropological and humanitarian research in order to improve UBC recovery, case investigation, and ultimately, identification.

Colby E. Ott, MS

Colby Ott is a first-year PhD student in the Department of Forensic and Investigative Science at West Virginia University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in criminal justice from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (2017) and his master’s degree in forensic science from West Virginia University (2019). Colby currently works as a research assistant within the Forensic and Investigative Science Department, where he is involved in a number of research projects and serves as a mentor for undergraduate research students. His current research and dissertation focus is on two projects funded through the National Institute of Justice: the detection of inorganic and organic gunshot residues using electrochemistry and the detection and identification of novel psychoactive substances and other drugs of abuse using a variety of analytical techniques. Colby plans on pursuing a career in forensic toxicology and drug chemistry.

Courtney C. Siegert, MA

Courtney Siegert is a second-year PhD student in the Applied Anthropology program at Texas State University. For the past 3.5 years, she has worked with the Operation Identification (OpID) project, who’s mission is to help locate, recover, identify, and repatriate human remains found on or near the South Texas border through community outreach, forensic anthropological analyses, and collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organizations. Her doctoral research will focus on improving methods of estimating geographic origin for individuals considered Hispanic through a multi-factorial approach.

CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group is proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and is a supporter of the 2019-20 FSF/CRC Press Student Travel Grant and Book Prize to assist with travel expenses in attending the 2020 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Meeting.  Congratulations to Sophia R. Mavroudas, MA, 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, as well as a discount for AAFS members.

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 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 FSF is offering a scholarship to help defray the expenses involved in attending the 22^nd Triennial Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences to be held in Sydney, Australia, from September 21–25, 2020.

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 2020 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 January 31, 2020. The IAFS program will make notification to the submitter by April 10. 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 https://iafs2020.com.au/. For more information on the scholarship, please contact Ronald Singer at crimelab@flash.net.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation, Inc., gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions made to the Foundation and its Endowment Fund. This listing reflects contributions received from 10/01/2019 through 12/31/19.

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 mail donations by January 20 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 Newsfeed. Thank you!

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 that 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 (e.g., tentative budget) 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. Please advise if this will be the first time the curriculum will be presented or if this is an annual curriculum. Please advise if the course will be utilizing an outside source for guest lecturing (e.g., discipline experts).
• 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 (e.g., percentage of student body that qualifies for free lunches).

All submissions must be received and completed by May 1 (11:59 p.m. 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 FSF Kenneth S. Field Grants (up to $1,500) and the Douglas M. 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. There is a strict ten literature review reference limit for this proposal  Do not include additional references anywhere in your application, including at the end of the abstract. Any proposal exceeding the ten reference limit will be disqualified.

• A detailed budget that categorizes acceptable budget line items – 1) consumables, 2) research travel, 3) equipment, and 4) meeting travel. The grant is intended to pay for direct research costs only. Funding requests may include consumable product purchases and research-related travel expenses, to include room and board while conducting the research (up to $500 for Field Grants and up to $1,000 for Lucas Grants), necessary equipment purchases (up to $1,000 for Field Grants and up to $5,000 for Lucas Grants), and up to $300 may be appropriated for travel to the AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting. 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 2020 and awarded in late 2020–21, the presentation cannot be made until the 2022 meeting or (if two years in length) at the 2023 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.

Purpose: The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to offer Student Travel Grants to assist with travel expenses in attending the 2021 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Houston, TX. 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: 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.

The 21^st Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award paper competition was hosted during the AAFS Annual Meeting in Anaheim, CA. The following presenters were selected as the 2020 winners by a panel of judges:

• Kamar Afra, MA – “Craniometrics vs. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)s: Is There a Correlation?” (A176/Anthropology)
• J. Tyler Davidson, MS – “On the Fragmentation Behavior of Fentanyl and Its Analogs in Electrospray Ionization-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS)” (B188/Criminalistics)
• David S. Hernandez Funes – “Advances in Color and Texture Analysis of Human Hair” (E74/General)

Congratulations to Kamar, Tyler, and David who will receive expense reimbursement to attend the 73^rd Annual Scientific Meeting in Houston!

The deadline for an abstract submission of the 22^nd Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award is August 1. Please see “22^nd Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award (EFSA) Competition” submission guidelines HERE.

Purpose: The FSF Kenneth S. Field Grants (up to $1,500) and the Douglas M. 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. There is a strict ten literature review reference limit for this proposal. Do not include additional references anywhere in your application, including at the end of the abstract. Any proposal exceeding the ten reference limit will be disqualified.

• A detailed budget that categorizes acceptable budget line items—(1) consumables, (2) research travel, (3) equipment, and (4) meeting travel. The grant is intended to pay for direct research costs only. Funding requests may include consumable product purchases and research-related travel expenses to include room and board while conducting the research (up to $500 for Field Grants and up to $1,000 for Lucas Grants), necessary equipment purchases (up to $1,000 for Field Grants and up to $5,000 for Lucas Grants), and up to $300 may be appropriated for travel to the AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting. 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 2020 and awarded in late 2020–21, the presentation cannot be made until the 2022 meeting or (if two years in length) at the 2023 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 p.m. 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.

Source: Zeno Geradts, PhD, AAFS Past Presidents Council Chair

The AAFS Past Presidents Council is disheartened by the sad news that Carol Henderson passed away. Carol was very involved in forensic science and education. Due to her important commitment to forensic science and her dedication to the Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF), the Past Presidents Council proposes to have donations given to the FSF in memory of Carol.

If you would like to make a donation to the FSF in memory of Carol, you may do so by following the instructions below:

1. Go to the FSF website: https://fsf.aafs.org/.
2. At the bottom of the home page in the “Contribute” box, select “Read more.”
3. Select “100% of your contribution can go to the Endowment Fund.”  Click Donate. (This will launch PayPal.)
4. Type in amount of the donation.
5. Select “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card.”
6. Click on “Donation in Honor or Memory of” (Note: There is not a box, just a white area on the screen.) Type in “Carol Henderson.”
7. Complete the remaining questions (i.e., Credit Card # and Billing Address).
8. Select the “Donate Now” button.

The present coronavirus lockdown does not permit Carol’s friends and family to organize or hold an appropriate memorial service. Once they are able to do so, the information will be posted HERE.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carol, please visit Tribute Store.

Our deepest condolences go to Carol’s family, friends, and colleagues around the world. Thank you.