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Special Programs Office (SPO)

News and Updates

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NIST Adds New 'Fingerprints' to Chemical Identification Database

June 17, 2020

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated its database of chemical fingerprints, called mass spectra, that are used to identify

Two New Forensic DNA Standards Added to the OSAC Registry

May 12, 2020

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has placed two new standards covering the interpretation of DNA evidence on its

Bullet fragment is illuminated under microscope lens.

Kennedy Assassination Bullets Preserved in Digital Form

December 5, 2019

In the palm of his hand, Thomas Brian Renegar held two small metal objects that had changed the course of history. Twisted pieces of copper and lead, they were

Interdisciplinary Training Standard Added to the OSAC Registry

December 2, 2019

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has added the first interdisciplinary training standard to its registry of approved

Dozens of cars waiting in a queue in front of a building with large letters reading, "U.S. Border Inspection Station."

Stopping Fentanyl at the Border: Can Chemical Detectors Help?

November 21, 2019

Large quantities of the synthetic drug fentanyl flow into the country at ports of entry along the Southwest border, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. As

NIST Announces Plans for OSAC 2.0

September 17, 2019

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Today, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science

yellow crime scene tape with the words CRIME SCENE DO NOT ENTER

Houston Forensic Science Center to Voluntarily Adopt OSAC Standards

December 18, 2018

One of the nation’s leading crime laboratories, the Houston Forensic Science Center (HFSC), has announced that it will voluntarily adopt standards approved by

OSAC Standards Bulletin, November 2018 Published

November 15, 2018

This Bulletin provides an update on forensic science standards that are moving through the development process at Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and

NIST details plans for reviewing the scientific foundations of forensic methods

September 24, 2018

NIST has published Draft NISTIR 8225, Scientific Foundation Reviews. This publication describes NIST’s approach to conducting scientific foundation reviews

OSAC Annual Report 2018

August 29, 2018

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science has released its 2018 Annual Report. OSAC continues to make steady progress toward

Three New Standards Approved for OSAC Registry

June 26, 2018

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) has approved three new standards for inclusion on the OSAC Registry. This registry

OSAC Releases Draft Implementation Plan and Draft Human Factors Technical Publication for Comment

May 21, 2018

DRAFT Guidance on Testing the Performance of Forensic Examiners The Human Factors Committee (HFC) of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for

In this illustration, a gas well field has a circle on it. A dual-comb spectrometer at the center sends out laser light which bounces off mirrors, goes through a gas cloud and returns to the spectrometer for analysis.

Mobile ‘Dual-Comb’ Device Significantly Improves Methane Leak Detection

March 22, 2018

Accurately detecting, locating and quantifying leaks of methane, the main component of natural gas and a major fuel source worldwide, is critically important

OSAC Releases an Online Lexicon for the Forensic Sciences

March 13, 2018

The forensic sciences encompass dozens of disciplines, each with its own history and vocabulary. As a result, a word might mean one thing to forensic

A graph with vertical lines showing the mass spectrum of fentanyl

Free Software Can Help Spot New Forms of Fentanyl and Other Illegal Drugs

March 7, 2018

Fentanyl, the synthetic drug that is driving a nationwide overdose epidemic, is not only a killer. It’s also a shape shifter. Illicit chemists are constantly

Graphic explaining the CMC method for comparing ballistic surfaces

How Good a Match is It? Putting Statistics into Forensic Firearms Identification

February 8, 2018

On February 14, 1929, gunmen working for Al Capone disguised themselves as police officers, entered the warehouse of a competing gang, and shot seven of their

A Framework for Harmonizing Forensic Science Practices and Digital/Multimedia Evidence

January 11, 2018

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC), which works to strengthen forensic science through the development of

NIST to Assess the Reliability of Forensic Methods for Analyzing DNA Mixtures

October 3, 2017

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will undertake a study to assess the reliability of forensic methods for analyzing DNA evidence that

The Forensic Scientist Who Knows How to Build Consensus

September 26, 2017

Jeremy Triplett has had a busy three years. Since the inception of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science ( OSAC) in 2014, Triplett

The Physicist Who is Working to Accelerate Change in Forensic Science

September 26, 2017

Sylvester James Gates, Jr. is a world-recognized researcher in theoretical physics. Formerly of the University of Maryland and now a professor at Brown

Lynn Garcia at the 2017 International Error Management Symposium

Speaking of Error in Forensic Science

September 5, 2017

When Continental flight 3407 crashed on approach to Buffalo Niagara airport on February 12, 2009, all 49 persons on board, and one on the ground, were killed

NIST Seeks Input on OSAC 2.0

August 30, 2017

GAITHERSBURG, Md.—The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking public input on a potential new organizational

Standard for Glass Comparison Approved for OSAC Registry

July 31, 2017

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) has approved the Standard Test Method for Forensic Comparison of Glass Using Micro X

Do You Have What It Takes to be a Forensic Fingerprint Examiner?

May 18, 2017

Being a forensic examiner seems glamorous on TV. But working in a crime lab requires long hours of intense focus that are anything but action-packed. This is

Standard for Sampling Seized Drugs Approved for OSAC Registry

April 3, 2017

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) has approved the Standard Guide for Sampling Seized Drugs for Qualitative and

Advanced communications
-Open Radio Access Network (Open-RAN)
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Bioscience
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--Biological data
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Buildings and Construction
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Forensic Science
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Health
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Materials
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Mathematics and statistics
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Nanotechnology
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