Your Forensic Science Career Starts With Connections at AAFS
Every forensic science career is built on people: the mentor who explains how they got where they are, the hiring manager who remembers your name, or the colleague from another discipline who changes how you think about your work. From February 15-20, 2027, the 79th AAFS Annual Scientific Conference in Orlando puts all of them in one place, and we've built a week around helping students and early-career professionals meet them.
Here's what that looks like, what it costs, and what we're still working to improve.
Meet the people who hire
- Employment Forum: Tuesday, February 16, 6:00-8:00 p.m., alongside the opening Welcome Reception. Employers and job seekers, from recent graduates to seasoned practitioners, in the same room.
- FEPAC College & University Fair: Thursday, February 18, 6:00-8:00 p.m., alongside the Forensics After Hours Reception. If you're weighing graduate programs, you can talk to accredited programs face to face.
Both are included in your registration.
Meet the people who mentor
- Mentorship Meetup: Mentors and mentees gather with one shared purpose: helping each other. It's newly open to AAFS members and non-members alike. Tuesday, February 16, from 4:30 - 6:00 pm.
- Young Forensic Scientist Forum (YFSF): An all-day session where 18 speakers cover the field, how to advance, how to network, and the paths you can take. It was created for anyone with five or fewer years of professional experience, including career changers, so bring your questions. The forum also hosts a poster session and the YFSF Outstanding Poster Award for non-members, Student Affiliates, and Trainee Affiliates. Reach the committee at emilyrue1@gmail.com for questions.
Learn something specific
With more than 900 scientific sessions and workshops across every forensic discipline, there's plenty to explore. Hundreds of the sessions run just 15 to 30 minutes and are presented by everyone from students to veteran professionals, which makes them a low-pressure way to sample a discipline you've never tried. They're included in registration.
Want to go deeper? Full-day ($300) and half-day ($165) workshops on Monday and Tuesday focus on a single topic. They cost extra, and you'll leave with a specific skill.
Make it affordable
- Student pricing: Student Affiliates pay $260 through November 14. Non-member students pay $465. Prices rise after that, and cancellations through November 14 get a 75% refund. View Pricing →
- Membership math: Student membership is $80 in annual dues plus a one-time $75 application fee, and we regularly offer application fee discounts. This year, students in FEPAC-accredited programs received 40% off the application fee, and anyone subscribed to our membership emails received 30% off. Even at full price, first-year membership ($155) costs less than the $205 you'd save on early registration.
- Volunteer for free registration: Eligible volunteers can earn complimentary registration with 8 hours of service (Student and Professional Affiliates) or 12 hours (non-member students). Shift selection for non-member students opens October 19, shifts are first come, first served, and volunteers must complete registration by December 1. Volunteer Information →
- Student Travel Grants: The Forensic Sciences Foundation has set aside $18,000, up to $2,000 per student including complimentary registration. Applicants must be fourth-year undergraduates or graduate students who submitted an abstract by August 1 and are members (or have a completed application). Planning for next year? Submit an abstract early. More About the Student Travel Grant →
- For early-career professionals: Need your employer's approval? Our Convince Your Manager proposal template makes the case for you.
Don't just take our word for it. Student and volunteer Megan Fisher put it this way:
"I've been able to volunteer and talk to people within the community of forensics and kind of get a deeper understanding of each section and what it's all about … it's been nice getting to know people and feeling the actual community of it."
See it before you go
Not sure what a week at AAFS feels like? Watch it first. Megan's story is part of "A Day in the Life of a Student at AAFS", and AAFS TV has footage from recent conferences: 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.
A conference that's meant for you
Walking into a big conference alone can be intimidating, so we've tried to make it easier. Your badge shows your name and workplace, and its ribbons show membership and other designations, which makes it a ready-made conversation starter.
At the Community Connections Forum & Reception, you'll hear from a speaker with a distinguished professional and scientific background. The speaker will be announced in the AAFS newsletter.
You can also review our Code of Conduct and Sexual Misconduct Resources. For accessibility accommodations, email meetings@aafs.org, and childcare information is on the attendee pages.
What we're still working on
We'd rather tell you than have you find out. A conference this broad can feel overwhelming at first, and workshops carry an added cost. Some funding has eligibility rules and early deadlines, and the conference is in person only, though a limited number of workshops and other content may be recorded for AAFS Connect. We're working to grow with the profession: opening the mentorship session beyond our membership, and continuing to listen to the students and early-career professionals who tell us what they need. If something would make AAFS 2027 more useful to you, tell us at meetings@aafs.org.
Key dates
- October 15: Student Travel Grant applications due
- October 19: Volunteer shift selection opens for non-member students
- November 14: Early registration ends
- December 1: Volunteers must complete registration
- January 14: Regular registration ends
- February 15-20, 2027: AAFS 2027, Orlando
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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.