Survey of Wildlife Forensic Laboratory Research Needs |
Dear Wildlife Forensic Scientist,
In 2014, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), created The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC), which “strengthens the nation’s use of forensic science by facilitating the development and promoting the use of high-quality, technically sound standards. These standards define minimum requirements, best practices, standard protocols and other guidance to help ensure that the results of forensic analysis are reliable and reproducible”.
Most forensic science specialties are encompassed within OSAC, including Biology, which is made up of two subcommittees: Human Forensic Biology and Wildlife Forensic Biology. Subcommittees members are primarily scientists from federal, state, and private forensic laboratories, and academicians involved in forensic science, as well as representatives from the legal community, statisticians, and others. These individuals work in task groups designing standards and best practices, which once developed undergo rigorous review and public comment, before being published by a standards developing organization (e.g. ASTM, ASB) and listed on the OSAC Registry.
One standing task group in each subcommittee is responsible for identifying current weaknesses or challenges that exist in forensic laboratories, that may then be targeted for additional research, including possible financial support from NIST, the National Institute of Justice, or other entities. The Wildlife subcommittee task group for research needs has identified a number of areas that may warrant additional research, and through this survey is asking experts in forensic wildlife biology, such as yourself, both your opinion on the relevance/importance of each currently published research need (listed below), as well as other areas/topics in wildlife forensics that you believe might benefit from additional research and development. The survey is completely anonymous, with the only requested information about yourself being what general role in wildlife forensic biology you play. It is estimated that this survey will only take 15 minutes of your time.