Membership Requirements
This page outlines the different requirements for each section as they pertain to certain status levels. In addition to the section requirements, you must also meet the academy-wide requirements which are outlined on the membership page. The first step in applying for AAFS membership is to identify which section you are best suited for. The second step is to identify which status category is most appropriate.
Fellow
Academy Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
Service to the AAFS. This includes attendance at the annual meetings and participation in the program. Attendance at a minimum of one (1) meeting is required for advancement from Member to Fellow.
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.
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.
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.
Anthropology Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
- Register and attend a minimum of three (3) annual conferences of the AAFS. 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; and
- Submit for review: a. Copies of two (2) recent (within 5 years) case reports; or b. Copies of two (2) first or second authored publications; or c. Copies of two (2) evidences of teaching or other contributions to applied anthropology with a forensic emphasis.
NOTE: Proof of activity from a, b, or c must have occurred since being elected to Member.
References not required.
Criminalistics Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
- Serve a minimum of two (2) years as a full Member; and
- Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS. 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; and
- While serving as an Associate Member or Member, meet one (1) or more of the following requirements on three (3) separate occasions (for a total of three (3) points) within ten (10) consecutive years prior to, but not including the annual conference at which the title of Fellow is being considered: a. Be presenting author of an oral or poster presentation at an annual conference of the AAFS. One (1) presentation counts as one (1) point. NOTE: This requirement is fulfilled if the applicant's presentation in person is confirmed; or b. Prepare and submit a paper that is accepted for publication in the Journal of Forensic Sciences or other peer-reviewed scientific journal. One (1) publication counts as one (1) point; NOTE: 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 c. Participate as a moderator, or panelist at two (2) separate annual conferences of the AAFS. One (1) participation counts as a half point. NOTE: Only one (1) session per annual conference counts. If applicant participates as a moderator or panelist for more than one session of a conference, only a half point is earned; or d. Participate as a site evaluator/commissioner for the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) or as faculty of a Forensic Science Educational Conference (FSEC) on two (2) separate occasions. One (1) participation counts as a half point; or e. Serve as an active member or chair of either an AAFS or Criminalistics Section committee for two (2) years. One (1) year of service counts as a half point..
References not required.
Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion, and any such additional requirements as may be established for its members; and
- 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
- 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.: a. 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 b. Participate in the annual program of the AAFS by presentation of paper, poster, breakfast seminar, luncheon seminar, workshops or moderating a routine Digital & Multimedia Sciences Section program session, or c. 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 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 d. 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
- Demonstrate active work in the forensic sciences at the time the promotion application is filed.
References not required.
Engineering & Applied Sciences Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
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 conferences of the AAFS. 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; and
- Meet two (2) of the following requirements prior to the annual conference at which promotion to Fellow is conferred: a. Author a minimum of two (2) scientific papers presented at an annual conference of the AAFS; or b. Publish two (2) articles in the Journal of Forensic Sciences or other peer-reviewed journal; or c. Participate as an active member or chair of two (2) committees of the Engineering & Applied Sciences Section for one (1) year; or d. 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.
General Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion, and any such additional requirements as may be established for its members by a specific forensic science discipline represented in the General Section; and
- Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS and two (2) General Section Business Meetings. 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
- 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 c., d., or e.: a. Participate as an active member or chair of a committee of the General Section or AAFS. One (1) years 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 which will be retained by the Historical Committee; or b. Serve as the General Section Luncheon speaker; or c. Present a scientific or technical paper or poster accepted for presentation in a scientific session, workshop, breakfast seminar, or luncheon seminar, or d. Author a scientific paper that is accepted for publication in the Journal of Forensic Sciences. Letters to the Editor or Book Reviews will not be considered in fulfilling this requirement; or e. Participate as a site evaluator/Commissioner for the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) or as faculty of a Forensic Science Educational Conference (FSEC) on one (1) occasion; and
- Demonstrate active work in the forensic sciences at the time the promotion application is filed.
References not required.
Jurisprudence Section
Fellow
General Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
- Have a license in good standing to practice law, or have full-time status as a professor on the law faculty of any university; and
- Obtain two (2) recommendations by Fellows of the Jurisprudence Section of the AAFS; and
- Register and attend a minimum of one (1) conference of the AAFS. Neither the conference at which the applicant becomes a Member nor the conference at which promotion to Fellow is being considered shall be counted in fulfilling the requirement; and
- Participate in one (1) program of the AAFS at an annual conference by presentation of papers, acting as a panelist of a program, or serving as an active member or chair of a committee of the Jurisprudence Section; and
- Attend one (1) Jurisprudence Section Business Meeting since becoming a Member and prior to application to be promoted to Fellow.
Odontology Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
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 conferences of the AAFS. 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; and
- Complete two (2) separate presentations that may be given in the same year. These may be oral or poster (author must be listed in official Academy documents as presenting author) in any section of the Academy, including workshop presentations. The following may be substituted for a single presentation: Publication as first author of a forensic article in the Journal of Forensic Sciences or other peer-reviewed journal. This article cannot be the same material as a presentation claimed above.
References not required.
Pathology/Biology Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
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 conferences of the AAFS and Pathology/Biology Section. 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 begin considered shall not be counted; and
- Demonstrate active engagement in a field of forensic science including pathology, forensic pathology, forensic medicine, veterinary pathology, or other biological science; and
- Advance the work and purpose of the Pathology/Biology Section by: a. Presentation of one (1) or more oral or poster sessions at an annual meeting; or b. Publication of one (1) or more articles in the Journal of Forensic Sciences; or c. Serve at least one (1) year as the program chair of the Pathology/Biology Section at an AAFS Annual Conference.
References not required.
Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
- Be certified by the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology in general and forensic psychiatry (or equivalents for international members), or be a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology/American Board of Forensic Psychology and Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (or equivalents for international members), or for research psychologists (admitted under Associate Member, C.4) who have attained the rank of Fellow of the American Psychology – Law Society (Div. 41 of the American Psychological Association); and
- Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS. 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; and
- Have served three (3) years as a Member or one (1) year in the event of participation in a joint session of the AAFS or scientific presentation in a section other than the Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Section; and
- Demonstrate active participation in the Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Section. Participation may include the presentation of a scientific paper or serving as a moderator at an AAFS annual conference, publication in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, or active participation on a working committee within the Psychiatry & Behavioral Science Section.
References not required.
Questioned Documents Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
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 conferences of the Questioned Documents Section of the AAFS. 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; and
- While serving as an Associate Member or Member, present at least one (1) technical paper that is accepted for publication by the Journal of Forensic Sciences, Journal of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, IAI Journal, Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, Forensic Science International, or Science & Justice.
References not required.
Toxicology Section
Fellow
Section Promotion Requirements: Member to Fellow
While serving as a Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion; and
- Be actively engaged in forensic toxicology at the time of application for advancement; and
- Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS and one (1) Toxicology Section business meeting after becoming a Member. 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; and
- Attend two (2) Toxicology Section Business Meetings after becoming a Member. NOTE: If the annual conference requirement (as described in 3.) for promotion was fulfilled prior to 2021, the section business meeting requirement will be waived, and
- Advance the work and purpose of the Toxicology Section in four (4) or more of the following ways while an Associate Member or Member: a. AAFS service and participation (mandatory completion of at least two (2) items): 1. Serve as presenting author of a presentation at an AAFS event. One (1) presentation can be substituted for authorship on a publication submitted to the Journal of Forensic Sciences, or substituted for co-authorship on at least two (2) presentations at an AAFS event; or 2. Serve as a moderator or abstract reviewer at the (2) annual conferences; or 3. Serve one (1) year on an AAFS committee (Academy or Section Level); or 4. Participate in AAFS forensic science outreach and development programs (e.g., Young Forensic Scientists Forum, International Education Outreach Program, FEPAC, etc.); or 5. Participate in ASB standards development process; or 6. Serve one (1) year as a mentor in the AAFS mentoring program; b. Non-AAFS forensic science participation (optional completion of no more than tow items): 1. Publish peer-reviewed and/or formal publication in forensic science or related journal other than the Journal of Forensic Sciences; or 2. Teach forensic science-related courses (must provide course curriculum; minimum of ten (10) contract hours); or 3. Participate in forensic science outreach programs outside of AAFS; or activities outside of ASB (e.g., ASTM ISO, ADA, NFPA, OSAC, etc,); or 5. Obtain certification by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT).
References not required.
Forensic Nursing Science Section
Fellow
Section Requirements
While serving as Member, the applicant must:
- Fulfill the AAFS Basic Requirements for Promotion and any such additional requirements as may be established for its members by a specific forensic science discipline represented in the Forensic Nursing Science Section; and
- Demonstrate active work in the forensic sciences at the time the promotion application is filed; and
- Register and attend a minimum of two (2) annual conferences of the AAFS and one (1) Forensic Nursing Science 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
- Meet two (2) of the following requirements prior to the annual conference at which promotion to Fellow is conferred: a. Participate as an active member or chair of a committee of the Forensic Nursing Science 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 b. Participate in the annual program of the AAFS by presentation of a paper, poster, luncheon seminar, workshop, or moderating a routine Forensic Nursing Science Section program session; or c. 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.
References not required.