American Academy of Forensic Sciences Holds 69th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Jan. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) 69th Annual Scientific Meeting will take place Feb. 13-18, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. Themed "Our Future Reflects Our Past: The Evolution of Forensic Science" by AAFS President John E. Gerns, MFS, more than 4,000 national and international forensic professionals will assemble to discuss issues facing the profession and attend scientific sessions that focus on scientific advances that will affect the forensic sciences moving forward.

Sessions will be presented on topics specific to 11 disciplines of the forensic sciences, covering a multidisciplinary range of human, technical, medical, and scientific endeavors as they are applied to civil disputes and criminal investigations.

Meeting highlights include two major presentations: the opening evening session, 8-10 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14, Hyatt Regency Empire BCD Ballroom, and plenary session, 9-11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 15, Hyatt Regency Empire Ballroom. The evening session, titled "The Last Lecture," features a panel of forensic experts who will share stories regarding their respective careers related to forensic science. Experts include Jan C. Garavaglia, M.D., "Dr. G," reality-TV star on the Discovery Channel and retired chief medical examiner for the District Nine Medical Examiner Office in Orlando, Florida; John J. Lentini, BA, a member of an elite group of scientists certified to conduct both fire-scene investigations and fire-debris analysis; Kenneth E. Melson, JD, former federal prosecutor and former director of the Office for United States Attorneys; Katherine Ramsland, PhD, director of the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Program at DeSales University; and Douglas H. Ubelaker, PhD, curator and senior scientist at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

The plenary session presents AAFS past presidents who will discuss the challenges, opportunities, and innovations they encountered during their careers - and specifically during their terms as president. The session will begin with a video presentation of Kenneth S. Field, MBA, who provides a historical perspective of AAFS's formative years. Topics will also include the expansion of the Academy's involvement on the national platform and the impact of international outreach. Additional topics to be addressed include how forensic practitioners and advocates for research affect advancement in the respective disciplines and how the publication of the 2009 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Report, "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward," has molded the future. The importance of mentoring new generations of forensic science practitioners and researchers who will fortify the forensic enterprise will also be addressed.

For updates on the Academy during the scientific meeting, visit the AAFS newsfeed at www.aafs.org.

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences is a multidisciplinary professional organization providing leadership to advance science and its application to the legal system. The objectives of the Academy are to promote professionalism, integrity, competency, and education, and to foster research, improve practice, and encourage collaboration in the forensic sciences.

Organized in 1948, AAFS serves a distinguished and diverse membership of more than 6,700 forensic science professionals who are the focal point for public information when forensic science issues are addressed in the public domain. AAFS publishes the internationally recognized Journal of Forensic Sciences. For more information, visit www.aafs.org.

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SOURCE American Academy of Forensic Sciences

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