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American Academy of Forensic SciencesYoung Forensic Scientists Forum

Bridging the Gap:
AAFS Establishes a Mentor Program
Members of the Mentor Committee:

C. Ken Williams, BS
New Jersey State Police Dept
South Regional Laboratory
1101 South Whitehorse Pike
Hammonton, NJ  08037 
Phone: (609) 561-6600 
lppwillc@gw.njsp.org 

Jeremy Rich, MD
539 Worcester Street
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 416-9980 
jmrich@caregroup.harvard.edu

 

 

In August 1996, AAFS past Presidents Steven Batterman and Richard Rosner approached the Young Forensic Scientists Forum (YFSF) to develop an Academy-wide program to bridge the gap between the older, more experienced members and the newer, less experienced members of the AAFS. Subsequently, a Mentor Program Committee was created and a proposal for the program was developed. The proposal was presented to the YFSF at the 1997 AAFS Annual Meeting and was received favorably.

The Mentor Program's fundamental goal is to promote and to build partnerships between forensic scientists with different levels of experience and knowledge in an effort to promote the forensic sciences and the AAFS.

The Mentor Program is being established with several purposes in mind. It will be used as a tool to promote communication between scientists of varying experience levels. This will be accomplished by assisting new forensic scientists to establish working relationships with more experienced/established scientists. The program also will promote cross-disciplinary research and problem solving. Lastly, the program will try to bridge the "generation gaps" between scientists within the AAFS and provide contact for new AAFS members as they move forward in their careers.

The program's success is dependent upon the support and the participation of all AAFS members. In essence the program will be a partnership. It will help new members gain a "footing" in the field of forensic science, and provide the more experienced members an opportunity to share their vast knowledge with those eager to learn.

If you would like to participate in the program, please complete the Information Form provided below. It will be submitted to Mentor Committee Member Ken Williams. Mentors are needed from all sections of the AAFS. Once the information has been assembled, the Mentor Committee will match mentor with mentoree and notifications will be made. After notification is made, it will be the responsibility of the mentor and mentoree to establish lines of communication. If the Mentor Committee does not have a suitable match for a mentoree from the submissions received, an attempt will be made to find one. Please note: Those requesting Mentors need to be in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences membership. At this time we are unable to fulfill the request of applicants and/ or non-members.

The mentor Committee is interested in hearing from you. Please contact them with any suggestions, concerns and ideas, as well as with any questions you may have regarding the program. The members of the Mentor Committee are listed to the left.

 
Mentor/ Mentoree Information Form

Please complete the Information Form and click the submit button when you're done.

 
First Name
Last Name
Middle Initial
*E-mail (required)
Address
City
State/Province
Zip/Postal Code
Country
Work Phone
Home Phone
Fax
AAFS Section Affiliation
Area(s) of Forensic Expertise
Forensic Research Interests
Number of Years Working in field
Type of Assistance Requesting or Willing to Render Mentor     Mentoree
(i.e., research questions, introduction at AAFS meetings, work related contacts, etc.)

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