President's Message
Update from Project Foresight:
 
There will be a meeting of the FORESIGHT Users Group directly after the last presentation at the annual ASCLD Symposium on April 2. The meeting will be held a few blocks from the hotel, at the Denver PD Crime Lab. Thank you to Greg Laberge and the Denver PD Crime Lab for hosting the meeting! Anyone interested is invited to attend. No need to RSVP for the event. The meeting will continue on with the discussion from the FORESIGHT meeting last year in Salt Lake City about future developments we would like to see, better uses of the data, etc. As more details emerge, we will get out another notification. This is more for you to spread the word, hold the date, and book your airline tickets to the symposium that will allow you to attend this event. 
 
When you register for the symposium, please note that there are two workshops on FORESIGHT. The first is for new entrants into the program and the other is for experienced users and making more sense of the data you are getting back from Paul Speaker and Max Houck. If you have questions, please contact Matthew Gamette.
 
Awards and Nominations Committee Notifications:
 
Board of Directors Nominations: Nominations for the Board of Directors are now being accepted and will be voted on by the membership during the business meeting on April 2 at the symposium in Denver, CO. There will be three (3) vacancies to fill this year. If you are interested in getting more involved in the organization, this is a great way to do so. Please email your nominations to office@ascld.org by December 31, 2019.
 
Briggs-White Award: It is also that time of year to submit nominations for the prestigious Briggs-White Award, which was established in honor of the former FBI Director to recognize a present ASCLD member who has demonstrated managerial excellence in forensic science. The award plaque will be presented to the recipient at the Annual Symposium. Information and the nomination form can be found on the ASCLD website http://www.ascld.org/nominations/ .  Please submit nominations by December 31, 2019 to be considered.  (please note the date has been extended)
 
ASCLD Scholarship: Do you know a junior or senior in a baccalaureate program or a graduate student (masters or doctorate) at an accredited university who is pursuing a degree in forensic science, forensic chemistry, a physical or natural science? The ASCLD Scholarship application is open to any eligible student. Information and the application can be found on the ASCLD website http://www.ascld.org/nominations/ . Applications are due February 15, 2020.
 
“Start each day with a positive thought and a grateful heart.” - Roy T. Bennett
 
Have a great week - Brooke

Looking Ahead
December 20, 2019 Board of Directors Meeting - teleconference
January 31 February 2, 2020 Board of Directors Meeting - Raleigh/Durham, NC
March 29 April 2, 2020 ASCLD Symposium, Denver - CO
ASCLD is pleased to announce that registration for the 2020 symposium has opened. Come explore the website, make your hotel reservations, reserve your spot for the off-site event, sign up for classes, and read about your key note speakers.

Visit the 2020 ASCLD Symposium website at  https://www.ascldsymposium.com
Weekly News and Resources
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) is pleased to release the NFLIS-Tox and NFLIS-MEC Brief on Toxicology Testing Practices for Opiates and Opioids Across the Nation .
Community Research and Surveys

Scientists have demonstrated a way for police to quickly and safely test whether a baggie or other package contains illegal drugs without having to handle any suspicious contents directly. The new technique can limit the risk of accidental exposure to fentanyl and other highly potent drugs that can be dangerous if a small amount is accidentally inhaled.

Continue reading here .
Training
72 nd Annual Scientific Meeting of AAFS
February 17 – 22, 2020
Anaheim, CA

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) will conduct its 72 nd Annual Scientific Meeting February 17-22, 2020, in Anaheim, California.  Each February, the AAFS scientific meeting gathers together approximately 5,000 world-renowned professionals to present the most current information, research, and updates in their fields. More than 900 scientific papers, workshops, and other special sessions are presented. In addition, approximately 150 exhibitors showcase the cutting-edge technology and services of this ever-changing profession. The theme for the 2020 meeting is “Crossing Borders.”  The Advance Program may be viewed here - https://www.aafs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020_AdvanceProgram.pdf
Evidence Management Conference Webcast

The NIST Evidence Management Conference was held from Oct. 2 – 4. The videos talk about area available and are located here: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/events/2019/10/evidence-management-conference
9th Annual Forensic Science Symposium
June 2-4, 2020
Miami, Florida

Join more than 200 forensic science colleagues and aspiring scientists from Florida and beyond at the 9th Annual Forensic Science Symposium at the beautiful Florida International University Modesto A. Maidique Campus in Miami. The symposium will be held June 2-4, 2020.

The 2020 symposium will showcase topics like DNA, chemistry, toxicology, digital forensics and latent prints, and include expanded criminal justice subjects beyond the laboratory. Workshops and a poster session will be included. Registration will be $30 and free for students. Group registration for agencies is also available.

We are looking for innovative topics and dynamic speakers to share their expertise. A call for abstracts will be released soon. 

You can sign up for news on the symposium webpage , follow # FIUForensics for updates, and even visit the event page to set a registration reminder. 

Questions about attending, sponsoring or presenting at the symposium? Email forensic@fiu.edu
For additional information, please visit  https://iafs2020.com.au/
ANAB - Upcoming training events

December 10-13, 2019, Emeryville, CA
February 4-7, 2020, San Antonio, TX
September 15-18, 2020, Washington, D.C.
November 3-6, 2020, Rancho Cordova, CA
 
December 10-13, 2019, Mesa, AZ
March 10-13, 2020, Little Rock, AR
April 21-24, 2020, Rancho Cordova, CA
April 28-May 1, 2020, New York, NY
June 9-12, 2020, Milwaukee, WI

March 16-19, 2020 (2-4pm ET)
June 24-25, 2020 (2-4pm ET)

March 3-5, 2020 (11am-1pm ET)
June 24-26, 2020 (11am-1pm ET)

April 7-9, 2020, Washington, D.C.

March 3-6, 2020, San Antonio, TX
May 5-8, 2020, Washington, D.C.

February 25, 2020, Cary, NC

February 26-27, 2020, Cary, NC 
Digital Forensics Training

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice provides leadership and assistance to local criminal justice programs that improve and reinforce the nations' criminal justice system. Below is some information on digital forensics training opportunities (both classroom or virtual/online) and resources funded by BJA, including the Law Enforcement Cyber Center, and trainings organized by NW3C. NW3C is the training and technical assistance provider under the BJA Economic, High-Technology, White Collar, and Internet Crime Prevention National TTA Program. BJA has also encouraged online course offerings to save time/costs of travel, and included trainings for prosecutors, too. (Note: some NW3C courses sponsored apart from BJA funding may have a cost).  Click the links below for more information:
Forensic Research Committee
Forensic Research Committee Bulletin - December Issue
The goal of the Laboratories and Educators Alliance Program (LEAP) is to facilitate collaborative research between academia and forensic science laboratories. This joint effort between the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) and the Council of Forensic Science Educators (COFSE) identifies forensic science needs and provides a platform for laboratories, researchers, and students to seek projects aligning with their mutual research capabilities. Read more...
Newly Identified Novels Psychoactive Substances

Recent Additions:
(click drug name for more information)
The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) at the Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, have received funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to develop systems for the early identification and notification of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) in the drug supply in the United States. The goal of the program is the early identification of these substances in seized drug and forensic toxicology casework samples through various high resolution mass spectrometry retrospective data-mining and sample-mining techniques. Information about these programs can be found on our website .
Standards Corner


Click HERE to review standards available for comment.

OSAC News
December 2019 OSAC Standards Bulletin now available, click HERE
ASCLD Partnerships
Crime Lab Minute Sponsors
For More Information, Click the LOGO below:
A2LA WorkPlace Training (A2LA WPT) is a nonprofit organization established with a vision of being the leading management systems, conformity assessment, and measurement training company in the world. Our mission is to provide independent, world-class training programs that inspire confidence in the quality of service and acceptance of results from organizations.
 
Be a leader in your industry by building confidence and consistency in your product through A2LA WPT’s broad spectrum of instructor-led and online e-learning training courses. Move ahead of your competition by learning best practices on international standards, quality systems, technical tools, and soft skill s.
Newsletters
Donate to ASCLD
Donations to ASCLD can now be made online! This is a great way to honor the memory of a forensic colleague, to commemorate a life event for that person who has everything, or to otherwise assist in supporting the tireless efforts of the ASCLD organization in the pursuit of excellence in forensic science management. The donation page can be accessed by clicking HERE or by visiting the ASCLD website and clicking on "Donate to ASCLD" under the "Member Site" tab (this donation page is accessible even to non-members). Please consider donating and do share this information with anyone you think might be interested.
The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors

65 Glen Road, Suite 123
Garner, NC 27529
Phone: 919.773.2044