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 at the link 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 p.m. MDT). 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 its decision no later than October 1 and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

Ronald J. Moss, RRT, MSEd, MS

The Forensic Sciences Foundation is pleased to award Ronald Moss with the 2020-21 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 $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).

Mr. Moss earned his BS and MSEd from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. He also holds an MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a concentration in Forensic Science as well as a Certificate of Graduate Study in Forensic Death Investigation from the University of Florida.  He is currently working toward certification as a Medicolegal Death Investigator. Prior to his teaching career, now in his 24^th year, he earned an Associate Degree in Respiratory Therapy Technology and was a practicing Registered Respiratory Therapist for 12 years. He teaches College Forensic Science and College Biology at Beekmantown High School. Both classes are taught in conjunction with Syracuse University where he is an adjunct instructor.

Mr. Moss holds memberships in the International Forensic Medicine Association (IFMA), the Council of Forensic Science Educators (COFSE), the International Association for Identification (IAI), and the Northeastern Association for Forensic Scientists (NEAFS). He is currently the COFSE Chair of the K-12 Education Committee and Membership Manager for IFMA.

Congratulations to Mr. Moss on being awarded the Warren-Young Scholarship!

To nurture a productive dialogue between emerging judicial and forensic standards of reliability and validity, the Forensic Sciences Foundation is pleased to offer the 22^nd 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.

The deadline for an abstract submission of the 22^nd Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award is September 30. Please see submission guidelines HERE.

Source: Kimberly Wrasse, AAFS Assistant Director

With the 2021 AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting being converted to a digital format, the 2020-21 FSF/CRC Press Student Travel Grant and Book Prize will not proceed as previously announced. However, the FSF Board of Trustees has agreed to increase the funding for the 2020-21 FSF Student Affiliate Scholarships, which award complimentary meeting registrations.

To qualify for the scholarship, AAFS Student Affiliates must submit an abstract for the AAFS 2021 program through the online submission system or Call For Papers Form. In the awards section (7), check the box indicating “FSF Student Affiliate Scholarship.” Applicants for the Student Affiliate Scholarship may apply only once each year (e.g., the applicant must designate only one abstract as the Student Affiliate Scholarship entry in the submission system). The abstract will then be reviewed by the FSF Student Affiliate Scholarship Committee.

The scholarship abstracts need not be selected for presentation at the meeting, though this could be deemed advantageous by the selection committee. The scholarships will be awarded through the committee’s evaluation of the quality and relevance of the abstracts to the advancement of forensic science by AAFS Student Affiliates. The deadline for submission is September 30.

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 2020-21, and we are pleased to announce the following recipients:

Armando Anzellini, MA—$4,410 for Exploring Intra-Skeletal Variation in Stable Isotope Analysis Through Non-Destructive Approaches: Applications for the Patterns of Skeletal Remodeling to Forensic Contexts

Stephanie J. Cole, MS—$3,511 for Developing Subadult Sex Estimation Standards Using Adult Morphological Sex Traits and an Ontogenetic Approach

Samantha Davis, BS—$6,000 for Optimization of a Sperm Capture Method Using Three Antibodies in Conjunction With Immunomagnetic Beads

Thomas J. Gluodenis, PhD—$6,000 for Profiling Trace Element Contaminants of Toxicological Interest in Commercially Available, Full Spectrum, Hemp-Derived CBD Tincture Oils

Madeleine J. Swortwood, PhD—$6,000 for Fentanyl Analogs in Dried Plasma Spots

Lauren Weidner, PhD—$4,733 for How Hot is Too Hot? Analyzing the Effects of Extreme Temperatures in Arid Environments on Insect Colonization

Armando Anzellini, MA

Stephanie J. Cole, MS

Samantha Davis, BS

Thomas J. Gluodenis, PhD

Madeleine J. Swortwood, PhD

Lauren Weidner, PhD

Congratulations to all recipients!

And a big thank you to the FSF Research Committee – Laura Fulginiti (Chair), William Johnson, Carl McClary, Andrew Seidel, Claire Shepard, and Kathryn Pinneri.

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. Three FSF Field Grants have been awarded for 2020-21 and we are pleased to announce the following recipients.

Morgan N. Carpenter, BS—$1,300 for Assessing the Individual Versus Joint Use of Microspectrophotometry and Elemental Analysis Methods to Efficiently Discriminate Automotive Paint

Amy M. Osborne, BS—$1,478 for Development of a Technique for the Forensic Identification of Carrion Beetles

Sonia M. Vagues, BS—$1,500 for The Analysis of Differentially Methylated Genetic Markers Through Bisulfite Treatment and PCR-High Resolution Melt to Distinguish Between Monozygotic Twins

Morgan N. Carpenter, BS

Amy M. Osborne, BS

Sonia M. Vagues, BS

Congratulations, Morgan, Amy, and Sonia!

And a big thank you to the FSF Research Committee – Laura Fulginiti (Chair), William Johnson, Carl McClary, Andrew Seidel, Claire Shepard, and Kathryn Pinneri.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is proud to announce that Rachelle A. Turiello has been awarded the 2020-21 FSF Jan S. Bashinski Criminalistics Graduate Thesis Assistance Grant for her paper, Epi-PrepDise: A Centrifugal Microfluidic Device for Forensic DNA Methylation Sample Preparation for Chronological Age Prediction. The award consists of $1,700, a plaque, complimentary meeting registration at a future AAFS meeting, and up to $1,300 for travel and per diem expenses toward the future meeting attendance.

Rachelle is an Associate Member in the AAFS Criminalistics Section. She is a National Institute of Justice Fellow and PhD student with the Chemistry Department at the University of Virginia. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in Interdisciplinary Studies: Bio-Cultural Hominid Anthropology, and a master’s degree from Towson University in Forensic Science. Rachelle has worked as a civilian scientist for multiple police departments in crime scene science and forensic DNA analysis. Her research is focused on bio-analytical chemistry and centrifugal microfluidic technologies for forensic applications, including sample preparation and analysis of nucleic acids for human identification.

Congratulations, Rachelle!

And a big thank you to the FSF Bashinski Committee – Lucy Davis (Chair), Mary Gibbons (Co-Chair), Thomas Nasser, Robert Gaensslen, and George Sensabaugh.

Rachelle A. Turiello, MS

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is proud to announce the winners of the “FSF Student Affiliate Scholarship.” The Student Affiliate Scholarship program is designed to assist students with the AAFS Annual Meeting registration.

Meghan Appley, MS, Criminalistics; Lucio Avellaneda, BS, Criminalistics; Kailey Babcock, BS, Criminalistics; Petra Banks, MA, Anthropology; Emily Brooks, BA, Anthropology;Amber D. Budmark, BS, Criminalistics; Josephine Buckley, BA, Criminalistics; Kylie E. Candela, BS, Pathology/Biology; Erica Cantor, MS, Anthropology; Megan I. Chambers, BS, Criminalistics; Courtney Cruse, BS, Criminalistics; Randi M. Depp, MS, Anthropology; Gabrielle E. DiEmma, BS, Criminalistics; Erin E. Dimino, BS, General; Meaghan C. Dougher, MPS, Pathology/Biology; Rhian Dunn, MS, Anthropology; Emily P. Eng, Toxicology; Nicole Fernandez Tejero, BS, Criminalistics; Casey A. Flint, BS, Pathology/Biology; Kaitlyn J. Fulp, BA, Anthropology; Ema H. Graham, MS, Criminalistics; Kari A. Graham, BS, Criminalistics; Ryan Gutierrez, BS, Criminalistics; Elizabeth D. Henry, BS, General; A. Skylar Joseph, MS, Anthropology; Anthony V. Lanfranchi, BS, Anthropology; Tiffany R. Layne, MS, Criminalistics; Ruby E. Liliedahl, BS, Toxicology; Tracy-Lynn E. Lockwood, BS, General; Justin R. Maiers, MS, Anthropology; Angelina M. Mauriello, BS, Criminalistics; Kaitlyn B. Palmquist, BS, Toxicology; Jenna M. Pregent, BS, Criminalistics; Meghan Prusinowski, MS, Criminalistics; Dayla C. Rich, BS, Criminalistics; Teresa M. Runge, MS, Anthropology; Katherine R. Smart, BS, General; Christina Smith, BS, Criminalistics; Jennifer L. Snedeker, BS, Criminalistics; Micayla C. Spiros, MS, Anthropology; Oluwwakemi Sowemimo, MS, Criminalistics; Aracelis A. Velez, BS, Toxicology; Paul M. Yount, Criminalistics.

The 2020-21 FSF Student Scholarship Committee was comprised of Andrew Seidel, Chair (Anthropology), Lucy Davis (Criminalistics), Laura Fulginiti (Anthropology), Jeri Ropero-Miller, Trustee (Toxicology), Gina Londino-Smolar, Member (General).

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.

The 22^nd Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award paper competition was hosted during the AAFS Virtual Annual Meeting in February. The following presenters were selected as the 2021 winners by a panel of judges:

• Perla Santillan, MS—“Mass Grave Localization Prediction With Geographical Information System in Guatemala and Future Impacts” (A58/Anthropology)
• Ya-Chih Cheng, MS—“The Differentiation of Hemp From Marijuana Using a Qualitative Decision-Point Assay” (B11/Criminalistics)
• Meghan Appley, MS—“Species-Level Forensic Identification of Illegally Traded Endangered Woods Using a Combination of Mass Spectral and Chemometric Techniques” (E24/General)

Congratulations to Perla, Ya-Chih, and Meghan who will receive expense reimbursement to attend the 74^th Annual Scientific Meeting in Seattle, WA!

The deadline for an abstract submission of the 23^rd Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award is August 1. Please see “23^rd 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.

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 at the link 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 p.m. MDT). 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 its decision no later than October 1 and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

Source: Tanisha V. Henson, JD, YFSS Scholarship Chair

The Brazilian Academy of Forensic Sciences is proud to announce its third biennial InterForensics meeting, to be held from November 2–5, 2021, in the beautiful capital city of Curitiba, located in the southern State of Paraná, Brazil. Curitiba is filled with many wondrous and beautiful sights, including the Botanical Garden, which has been elected as one of the Seven Wonders of Brazil. The tubular structure of the Ópera de Arame and the mix of architecture art, proposed by the Oscar Niemeyer Museum, are also references in local tourism, and there is so much more!

The Brazilian Academy of Forensic Sciences, the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, and the Forensic Sciences Foundation have partnered again to offer the phenomenal Young Forensic Scientists Scholarship. This amazing scholarship offers young forensic scientists with five (5) years of forensic experience or less the opportunity to present at the meeting. There are only two qualifications for this unique scholarship opportunity:

1. Applicant must have five (5) years of forensic experience or less
2. Applicant must be a member of AAFS in one of the following categories: (i) student affiliate, (ii) associate, (iii) trainee, or (iv) full member with AAFS.

If you meet these criteria or know someone who does, please consider applying for this unique scholarship opportunity.

What does this scholarship opportunity consist of?
First and foremost, it is a chance to present a selected abstract during a 20-minute presentation at the biennial meeting in the fabulous city of Curitiba. The scholarship also covers the following:

• Coach air ticket to the host city in Brazil
• Hotel stay during the biennial meeting in the host city
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the associated venue
• Free registration for the event
• Airport pick-up
• A student guide to the magnificent host city

How to apply
Follow these easy steps:

• All candidates must submit an abstract through the website of the event: https://www.interforensics.com
• Papers from any field of forensic sciences are eligible
• Submissions must be written in English
• In the first page of submission, the candidate must fill in the Agency Promotion field with YFSS
• The abstract must have a minimum of 300 words, and its maximum size cannot exceed one page, including any figures and tables, according to the format provided in the official event template with the total words of the summary text, except title, authors, institutional affiliations, and keywords
• All candidates must upload the complete abstract file in Word format (.doc), already containing figures and tables, according to the formatting provided in the official template of the event
• The abstracts must be submitted by Saturday, August 14, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST. Late entries will not be accepted. Be certain to submit early!
• Click HERE for abstract submission form

The selection process

• All submissions will be reviewed by AAFS members or fellows who will score the submitted abstract
• The highest scores from the top ten (10) to fifteen (15) manuscripts will be considered and reviewed by members of the Brazilian Academy of Forensic Sciences, the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, and the Forensic Sciences Foundation
• The selected manuscripts will be evaluated by representatives from the Brazilian Academy of Forensic Sciences, the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education, and the Forensic Sciences Foundation, who will select the three scholarship recipients

Don’t forget, all abstracts must be received by Saturday, August 14, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST for consideration. If you have any questions or concerns about the scholarship, do not hesitate to reach out at any time (tanisha.henson@icloud.com) or you may contact Joao Carlos Ambrosio (joaocarlos.jcla@gmail.com).

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 $1,850. In addition, up to $1,400 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 at the link 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, 2021 (11:59 p.m. MDT). 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 its decision no later than October 1 and all applicants will be notified shortly thereafter.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to offer Student Travel Grants to assist with travel expenses in attending the 2022 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Seattle, WA. The FSF Board of Trustees has allocated $24,000, 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 September 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- to 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, 2021 (11:59 p.m. Mountain). 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.

          Ashley Shidner, PhD

The Forensic Sciences Foundation is pleased to award Ashley Shidner with the 2021–22 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 $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).

Dr. Ashley Shidner earned her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Arkansas in 2018. While completing her MA at the University of West Florida, she worked on forensic cases in the Florida panhandle and Alabama and is trained in Fatal Fire Investigations. She was selected for the April 2010 Visiting Scientist position at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner–New York City. She completed her BA in Anthropology with a minor in Entomology at the University of Florida in 2006.

Dr. Shidner began her teaching career in the public school system in 2015 after moving back to Florida with her husband and children. She is currently the head of the science department at Lecanto High School in Citrus County, FL, where she teaches Forensic Science I and Biology, as well as Theory of Knowledge courses for the International Bachelorette (IB) program. She is the faculty co-sponsor for National Honor Society and the founder/advisor for the Lecanto Young Archaeology Society. Dr. Shidner started the Forensic Science I course with the goal of presenting non-traditional art career paths, as well as to promote cross-disciplinary education between the arts and sciences to all students. The grant will be used to help further develop their forensic science program and to promote forensic science education in their county.

Congratulations to Dr. Shidner on being awarded the Warren-Young Scholarship!

PURPOSE: To nurture a productive dialogue between emerging judicial and forensic standards of reliability and validity, the Forensic Sciences Foundation is pleased to offer the 23rd 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 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Program Committee by September 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 Academy Newsfeed following determination of the winner by the Awards Committee. The Award will be presented during the 2023 AAFS Annual Business Meeting in Orlando, FL.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Entrants are not required to be 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 AWARD: The award will cover the expense of the recipient’s attendance at the 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting in Orlando, FL, 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 2023 AAFS Annual Business Meeting.

The deadline for an abstract submissions of the 23^rd Annual FSF Emerging Forensic Scientist Award is September 1, 2021.

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) will fund a limited number of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Student Affiliate registrations for the 2022 AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting through a “Scholarship Program.”

To qualify for the scholarship, AAFS Student Affiliates must submit an abstract for the AAFS 2022 program through the online submission system. Click Yes when asked, “Is the abstract a candidate for the FSF Student Affiliate Scholarship Award?” Applicants for the Student Affiliate Scholarship may apply only once each year (e.g., the applicant must designate only one abstract as the Student Affiliate Scholarship entry in the submission system). The abstract will then be reviewed by the FSF Student Affiliate Scholarship Committee.

The scholarship abstracts need not be selected for presentation at the meeting, though this could be deemed advantageous by the selection committee. The scholarships will be awarded through the committee’s evaluation of the quality and relevance of the abstracts to the advancement of forensic science by AAFS Student Affiliates. The deadline for submission is September 1, 2021.

Purpose:  The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) will fund a limited number of American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) international member registrations for the 2022 AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting through a “Scholarship Program.”

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

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

• The applicant must have submitted an abstract for the AAFS 2022 program through the online submission system or Call For Papers Form. In the awards section, check the box indicating “FSF Henry C. Lee Scholarship.” Once requested, the abstract will be reviewed by the FSF Henry C. Lee Scholarship Committee.

Scholarship Amount: The FSF Henry C. Lee Scholarship is up to $1,000 for registration and travel-related expenses.

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

The Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) is pleased to offer Student Travel Grants to assist with travel expenses in attending the 2022 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Scientific Conferencein Seattle, WA. The FSF Board of Trustees has allocated $24,000, not to exceed $1,500 per student, including complimentary conference 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 September 1 deadline, either as a presenter or co-author for the Annual Scientific Conference 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- to 600-word essay explaining how attendance at an AAFS conference 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, 2021 (11:59 p.m. Mountain). 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.