Membership in the Forensic Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section

Academy Requirements

Both at the time of application and at the time the application is being considered for approval, an applicant for Student Affiliate status must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program that would support a forensic science career accepted by the section to which application is being made.  Each Student Affiliate must certify eligibility annually with the AAFS.

Student Affiliate status may be maintained for two consecutive calendar years beginning at the end of the calendar year within which graduation occurs. During the two-year period, once employment in a forensic discipline recognized by a section of the AAFS is attained, Student Affiliates will be required to upgrade their membership to Trainee Affiliate or Associate Member.

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Student Affiliate must be fulfilled; and
2. Applicants must provide one (1) letter of reference from their department chair, program director, or academic advisor indicating that the applicant is enrolled in a program relevant to the forensic sciences.

Academy Requirements

Trainee Affiliate status is limited to persons who have completed the educational requirements, but not the experience requirements for Associate Member in the section to which application is being made. Both at the time of application and at the time the application is being considered for approval, applicants for Trainee Affiliate status must be actively working toward completion of the experience requirements by participating in a training program or employment that supports a forensic science career accepted by the section. Each Trainee Affiliate must certify eligibility annually.

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Trainee Affiliate must be fulfilled; and
2. Applicants must provide one (1) letter of reference from their immediate supervisor indicating that the applicant is working in a program relevant to the section's area of interest.

Academy Requirements

1. Actively engaged in the field of forensic sciences and has made a significant contribution to the cause of advancing forensic science
2. Earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college/university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies
3. Has earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation

Section Requirements

1. AAFS Basic Requirements for Associate Member must be fulfilled; and
2. Applicant must have earned a baccalaureate degree and have five (5) years of experience in one of the forensic sciences within the scope of coverage acceptable to the section, or a master's degree and four (4) years of similar experience, or a doctorate degree and three (3) years of similar experience. NOTE: Past experience is counted if: (a) related to current forensic discipline field, and (b) was not required to obtain educational degree; and
3. Demonstrate current involvement in the forensic discipline for which applying; and
4. Two (2) letters of reference. One (1) reference must be from a full Member, Fellow, Retired Member, or Retired Fellow of the AAFS. The second letter may be from an AAFS member, or an acceptable reference from someone active in the forensic sciences. References must be able to comment knowledgeably on the applicant's qualifications. Exceptions to this requirement may be considered for applicants residing outside of the United States and Canada, in which case, one or both references may be from non-members who can comment knowledgeably on the applicant's qualifications. These references will be evaluated and will be accepted if approved by a majority vote of the members present at an annual business meeting of the section. Since the AAFS Board of Directors approval occurs before the section business meetings, those seeking a waiver of requirements will be delayed approval of the application for one (1) year.

Academy Requirements

The criteria for promotion are applicable to all members seeking promotion to Member or to Fellow. Applications must be received and completed by October 1 to be considered for approval at the AAFS annual conference.

The criteria for original membership, as stated in the bylaws for the AAFS Basic Requirements, still apply to promotions:

Membership shall be available only to those persons of professional competence, integrity, and good moral character:

1. Who are actively engaged in the field of forensic sciences and who have made some significant contribution to the literature of forensic science, or
2. Who have advanced the cause of forensic science in some other significant manner; and
3. Who satisfy the requirements for membership of the section applied to or recommended for; and
4. Who have earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education, or from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation.

 In addition, the following criteria for service to the AAFS and to forensic science in general are used:

1. Service to the AAFS. This includes attendance at the annual conferences and participation in the program. Attendance at a minimum of one (1) conference is required for advancement from Associate Member to Member and one additional conference for advancement from Member to Fellow. However, if exigencies such as workload requirements, finances, or ill health preclude such attendance, this will be taken into consideration. It is AAFS policy that members who exhibit at the annual conference must pay the conference registration fee, if the exhibitor wishes to receive continuing education credit or count the conference attendance toward fulfilling a requirement for membership promotion.
2. Service in the general area of forensic sciences. This is intended to recognize the individual who performs outstanding service in the execution of his/her regular responsibilities but who, in so doing, is unable to excel in other endeavors.
3. Service in the area of forensic science research. Any contribution which the individual has made since his/her admission to the AAFS, or latest advancement will be given consideration.
4. Service in the area of forensic science education or training. Any effort (either by formal or informal curricula) to disseminate the scientific information which the individual has acquired throughout his/her career will be considered.

Section Requirements

1. Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion and any such additional requirements as may be established for its members; and
2. Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS and one (1) Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section Business Meeting. The conference at which the title of Associate Member was conferred, if attended, may be counted; however, the conference at which the title of Member is being considered shall not be counted (special consideration may be given for promotion after attendance at one (1) conference if extenuating circumstances have prevented attendance for two (2) years and all other promotion requirements have been met); and
3. Meet two (2) of the following requirements prior to the annual conference at which promotion to Member is conferred. NOTE: One (1) of the contributions must be from category a., and the other contribution must be from either b. or d.:
   • Participate as an active member or chair of a committee of the Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section of AAFS. One (1) year of committee work equals one (1) contribution. The committee chairs will submit a list of active members at the end of each year to the section chair; or
   • Participate in the annual AAFS program by presentation of paper, poster, luncheon presentation, workshop or seminar, or moderating a routine Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section program session; or
   • Author a paper on a subject relevant to the section's area of interest that is accepted for publication in the Journal of Forensic Sciences or other peer-reviewed journal or conference proceedings. This requirement is fulfilled if the applicant's name appears as an author on the paper. Letters to the Editor or Book Reviews will not be considered in fulfilling this requirement; or
   • Participate as a site evaluator/Commissioner for Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) or as a faculty member of a Forensic Science Educational Conference (FSEC) on two (2) separate occasions; and
     1. Demonstrate active work in the forensic sciences at the time the promotion application is filed; and
     2. Applicant must provide one (1) letter of reference from a full Member, Fellow, Retired Member, or Retired Fellow of the Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section.

Academy Requirements 

The criteria for promotion are applicable to all members seeking promotion to Member or to Fellow. Applications must be received and completed by October 1 to be considered for approval at the AAFS annual conference.

The criteria for original membership, as stated in the bylaws for the AAFS Basic Requirements, still apply to promotions:

Membership shall be available only to those persons of professional competence, integrity, and good moral character:

1. Who are actively engaged in the field of forensic sciences and who have made some significant contribution to the literature of forensic science, or
2. Who have advanced the cause of forensic science in some other significant manner; and
3. Who satisfy the requirements for membership of the section applied to or recommended for; and
4. Who have earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the United States Department of Education, or from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation.

 In addition, the following criteria for service to the AAFS and to forensic science in general are used:

1. Service to the AAFS. This includes attendance at the annual conferences and participation in the program. Attendance at a minimum of one (1) conference is required for advancement from Associate Member to Member and one additional conference for advancement from Member to Fellow. However, if exigencies such as workload requirements, finances, or ill health preclude such attendance, this will be taken into consideration. It is AAFS policy that members who exhibit at the annual conference must pay the conference registration fee, if the exhibitor wishes to receive continuing education credit or count the conference attendance toward fulfilling a requirement for membership promotion.
2. Service in the general area of forensic sciences. This is intended to recognize the individual who performs outstanding service in the execution of his/her regular responsibilities but who, in so doing, is unable to excel in other endeavors.
3. Service in the area of forensic science research. Any contribution which the individual has made since his/her admission to the AAFS, or latest advancement will be given consideration.
4. Service in the area of forensic science education or training. Any effort (either by formal or informal curricula) to disseminate the scientific information which the individual has acquired throughout his/her career will be considered.

Section Requirements

While serving as a Member, the applicant must:

1. Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion and any such additional requirements as may be established for its members; and
2. Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS and one (1) Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section Business Meeting. The conference at which the title of Member was conferred, if attended, may be counted; however, the conference at which the title of Fellow is being considered shall not be counted (special consideration may be given for promotion after attendance at one (1) conference if extenuating circumstances have prevented attendance for two (2) years and all other promotion requirements have been met); and
3. Meet three (3) of the following requirements prior to the annual conference at which promotion to Fellow is conferred. NOTE: At least one (1) of the contributions must be from category b. or c.:

• Participate as an active member or chair of a committee of the Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section of AAFS. One (1) year of committee work equals one (1) contribution. The committee chair will submit a list of active members at the end of each year to the section chair; or
• Participate in the annual program of the AAFS by presentation of a paper, poster, breakfast seminar, luncheon seminar, workshop, or moderating a routine Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section program session; or
• Author a paper on a subject relevant to the section's area of interest that is accepted for publication in the Journal of Forensic Sciences or another
• peer-reviewed journal or peer-reviewed conference proceedings. This requirement is fulfilled if the applicant's name appears as an author on the paper. Letters to the Editor or Book Reviews will not be considered in fulfilling this requirement; or Participate as a site evaluator/Commissioner for the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) or as a faculty member of a Forensic Science Educational Conference (FSEC) on two (2) separate occasions; and
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4. Demonstrate active work in the forensic sciences at the time the promotion application is filed.

References not required.