
Membership in the Forensic Engineering & Applied Sciences Section
During this year of 2021, the section chair has proposed to the E&AS Section members their adoption of the theme, "Forging fellowship." The intent of "Forging fellowship" is to encourage members to get to know more about one another's expertise and experience. It is to inform members through this greater knowledge that there are opportunities to bring fellow members into our cases and projects as complementary or supplementary experts. And, finally, "Forging fellowship" is being encouraged in order to strengthen our relationships as professional colleagues and friends.
Disciplines of Forensic Engineering
The Engineering & Applied Sciences Section members practice in more than a hundred disciplines, categories and topics wherein they engage in research, education, practice or management in one of the natural, physical or forensic sciences.
- Accident reconstruction
- ADA building & site accessibility analysis
- Aviation mishaps
- Bioengineering
- Building diagnostics
- Contaminated sites
- Crime scene reconstruction
- Electrocution
- Equestrian safety
- Ergonomics
- Fire dynamics modeling
- Forensic linguistics
- Highway safety crash analysis
- Human factors
- Improvised explosive devices
- Industrial & environmental hygiene
- Intellectual property & patents
- Machine design, finite system & failure analysis
- Manufacturer standards
- Marine & offshore installations
- Materials failure
- Mathematical modeling
- Mechanics of injury
- Metallurgical failure
- Mining & mountaineering accidents
- Nuclear forensics
- Patent disputes
- Pedestrian accident reconstruction
- Premises liability
- Product defects
- Radioactivity
- Reverse engineering
- Shale drilling/fracking
- Slip, trip & fall pedestrian accidents
- Stabbing, characterizing of tool marks
- System engineering & safety
- Unknown particles analysis
- Vehicle crash & rollover, static & dynamic testing, crashworthiness
- Weapons systems, trajectory, pressure & velocity analysis
- Witness statement analysis
Section Leadership

Recent Engineering & Applied Sciences Section News
Entry Level Categories
ApplyStudent Affiliate
Academy Requirements
Enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program that would support a forensic science career.
Section Requirements
- AAFS Basic Requirements for Student Affiliate must be fulfilled; and
- Applicants must provide proof that they are enrolled in an accredited college or university leading to a degree that would be used to support a career in engineering or an engineering-related science.
Trainee Affiliate
Academy Requirements
- Completed the educational requirements, but not the experience requirements for Associate Member
- Must be actively working toward completion of the experience requirements through training program/employment that supports a forensic science career
Section Requirements
- AAFS Basic Requirements for Trainee Affiliate must be fulfilled; and
- Have less than four (4) years of experience with a baccalaureate degree, less than three (3) years with a master's degree, or less than two (2) years with a doctoral degree.
Associate Member
Academy Requirements
- Actively engaged in the field of forensic sciences and has made a significant contribution to the cause of advancing forensic science
- Earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a U.S. college/university accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies
- Has earned a baccalaureate or higher academic degree from a non-U.S. college or university bearing equivalent accreditation
Section Requirements
- AAFS Basic Requirements for Associate Member must be fulfilled; and
- Applicant must provide proof of a baccalaureate or graduate degree from an accredited four-year college or university in engineering or an engineering- related science; and
- Be actively engaged in the application of forensic engineering science for a minimum of four (4) years, or a master's degree and three (3) years of similar experience, or an earned doctoral degree can be substituted and two (2) years of similar experience; and
- Provide the highest relevant degree, graduate or undergraduate, along with photocopies of certificates, diplomas, degrees, and licensures, which must accompany the application; and
- Provide proof of active participation in the field of forensic engineering science over the past (4) four years, such as client references, court appearances including court case numbers, engineering research or projects related to forensic engineering; and
- Two (2) letters of reference. At least one (1) reference shall be from either a full Member or Fellow of the AAFS. References must be able to comment knowledgeably on the applicant's qualifications.
Promotion Categories
ApplyTo Member
Academy Requirements
- Attendance at the annual conferences and participation in the program
- Performs outstanding service in the execution of his/her regular responsibilities
- Contributions made to the AAFS or latest advancement as service to forensic science research
- Service in the area of forensic science education or training acquired throughout his/her career
Section Requirements
While serving as an Associate Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
- Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual meetings of the AAFS within five (5) consecutive years. The meeting at which the title of Associate Member was conferred, if attended, may be counted; however, the meeting at which the title of Member is being considered shall not be counted; and
- Meet the following requirements within six (6) consecutive years prior to the annual meeting at which the title of Member is being considered (not to include the annual meeting at which the title of Member is being considered):
- Author or co-author a minimum of two (2) scientific papers presented at AAFS Annual Meetings; or
- Publish two (2) articles in the Journal of Forensic Sciences or other peer- reviewed scientific journal; or
- Participate as an active member or chair on committees of the Engineering & Applied Sciences Section for two (2) or more years; or
- Any combination of two (2) of the above prior to the annual meeting at which promotion to Member is conferred. NOTE: At least one (1) of the contributions must be from category a. or b.
References not required.
To Fellow
Academy Requirements
- Attendance at the annual conferences and participation in the program
- Performs outstanding service in the execution of his/her regular responsibilities
- Contributions made to the AAFS or latest advancement as service to forensic science research
- Service in the area of forensic science education or training acquired throughout his/her career
Section Requirements
While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
- Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual meetings of the AAFS. The meeting at which the title of Member was conferred, if attended, may be counted; however, the meeting at which the title of Fellow is being considered shall not be counted; and
- Meet two (2) of the following requirements prior to the annual meeting at which promotion to Fellow is conferred:
- Author a minimum of two (2) scientific papers presented at an annual meeting of the AAFS; or
- Publish two (2) articles in the Journal of Forensic Sciences or other peer- reviewed journal; or
- Participate as an active member or chair of two (2) committees of the Engineering & Applied Sciences Section for one (1) year; or
- Any combination of two (2) of the above prior to the annual meeting at which promotion to Fellow is conferred.
NOTE: At least one (1) of the contributions must be from category a. or b.
References not required.
All AAFS Sections
AAFS is organized into 12 sections that encompass many forensic science disciplines. AAFS is honored to have more than 6,500 members from around the globe.