National Commission on Forensic Science Invites Chris Palenik to Speak

The National Commission on Forensic Science (NCFS) held their twelfth meeting at the Department of Justice Programs Building in Washington, DC on January 9-10, 2017. Microtrace Senior Research Microscopist Chris Palenik was invited to address the conference on Monday in a session entitled “Scientific Foundations.” Chris spoke on the scientific basis of trace evidence analysis and other non-routine forensic analyses, as well as the impact of recent reforms and popularized news upon such analyses, such as uniform reporting requirements, standardization, quality control, recent criticism of FBI hair analysis, and the Presidential Council on Science and Technology (PCAST) report. Citing both historical and modern examples of trace evidence, Chris discussed the traditional breadth of forensic science and some of the unique challenges that forensic scientists face compared to colleagues in the academic sciences.

National Commission on Forensic Science

In 2013, the Department of Justice (DOJ) established the National Commission on Forensic Science, in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to enhance the practice and improve the reliability of forensic science. This unique partnership draws upon each agency’s core strengths to promote scientific validity, reduce fragmentation, and improve federal coordination of forensic science.

The Commission includes federal, state and local forensic science service providers; research scientists and academics; law enforcement officials; prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges; and other stakeholders from across the country.

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