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ASB Newsletter – June 26, 2026

Call for Members for ASB Consensus Body Members

The Academy Standards Board (ASB) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) is an ANSI-accredited Standards Development Organization. It is announcing a call for new members for all existing consensus bodies. The consensus bodies have 7 to 25 members based on applications received. The ASB has six interest categories, applicants are encouraged to apply in their self-selected interest category. A person may apply to one or more Consensus Body and need not indicate the same interest category for each Consensus Body application. 

Visit the ASB Call for Members page for additional information on the call for members and a link to the application. Deadline for applicants to submit the online form is July 27, 2026.

Upcoming AAFS Standards Webinars

Demystifying ISO 21043: An Introduction to ISO 21043, Parts 1, 2, and 3
This webinar (part 2 in a four-part series) will introduce attendees to the ISO 21 043 Parts 1 (Vocabulary); 2 ((Recognition; recording; collecting; transport and storage of items); and 3 (Analysis) standards The speakers will provide an overview of these documents; talk about how they were developed; and discuss how and where these documents may fit into forensic operations across the United States. It is the objective of this webinar series to bring greater awareness to these international standards and solicit feedback on their use and application from practitioners. Attendees will obtain a better understanding of how these standards are created and the implications that each part might have in their daily work related activities.

July 16, 2026, 12:00pm - 12:30pm ET
Speakers: Erin Forry, Senior Forensic Solutions Architect and Laurel Farrell, Forensic Consultant
Target Audience: Interdisciplinary
Knowledge Level Required: Basic
Register Now! 

ASTM E1732-25e1 Standard Terminology Relating to Forensic Sciences
ASTM E1732-25e1 is the master terminology standard for all ASTM E30 standards. E1732 was first published in 1996 and was reformatted in 2024. The standard is updated at least two times per year. This standard for terminology is published by ASTM International. Join us for a deep dive into E1732 and learn about its history and evolution, the other "master" terminology standards in E30, and the Subcommittee's plans for continuous improvement.

June 30, 2026, 2:00pm - 3:00pm ET
Speaker: Karen K. Reczek, MLS, Social Scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Target Audience: Interdisciplinary
Knowledge Level Required: Basic
Register Now! 

ASB Documents Open for Public Comment

The ASB encourages all interested parties to provide comments on documents in progress.

The following documents are open for public comment:

* Please note that comments on a recirculation will only be accepted on revised sections of a document, comments made to text not revised from the previous public comment period will not be accepted.

The documents and additional information on the ASB can be accessed through the ASB website  

 

Published Standards from the ASB

To date, the ASB has published over 150 Standards/Best Practice Recommendations and Technical Reports. All ASB standards can be accessed through the ASB site.

 

Project Initiation Notification

The following proposed document has recently been approved by the ASB for work:

  • ASB Std 019-202x, Standard for the Practice of Wildlife Forensic Laboratories (revision of ANSI/ASB Std 019-2019)
    PINS response end date of 7/26/2026

Order Your Very Own ASB 10-year Anniversary Gear!

The ASB now has a Lands End Business Store! Choose your item and Apply Logo to add the special limited time 10-year Anniversary Logo! Visit the Storefront! 

ASB Standards Included FIU Research Forensic Library

This library is a curated collection of publicly-accessible articles, reports, drug monographs, controlled substance notifications, historical documents, and other material relating to every discipline of the forensic sciences. The Library provides access to groundbreaking research and to historical articles, all available for free. There are currently over 7,600 articles and reports in the library, with more added every day. Visit the Library here! 

Checklists Available on Forensic Standards
These Checklists provide a tool to allow a forensic science service provider to evaluate the level of standard implementation and/or audit conformance to a standard.  Each checklist, provided in Excel, uses a standardized format that also allows flexibility when used. Checklists are in continuous production with more coming soon! Visit the AAFS Standards Resources and Training site to access the Checklists!

AAFS Factsheets on ASB, ASTM, and NFPA Standards Available
The AAFS Standards Factsheets provide a concise summary of each standard and facilitate broader understanding, they also highlight the purpose of a standard, why it is needed, and the benefits of adoption. Factsheets are in continuous production and more are coming soon. Visit the AAFS Standards Resources and Training site for more details!

Standards Webinars on AAFS Connect
AAFS Connect is the hub of digital forensic science content provided by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. AAFS Connect hosts conference workshops, presentations, webinars, educational training, and other resources. Webinars and updates on Forensic Standards are now available in the Standards Videos portion of AAFS Connect, free of charge. Visit the AAFS Educational Webinars page for more details!

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in the articles contained in the Academy News are those of the identified authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Academy.