Forensic Science Program

Research

Foundation Studies

Standards

Research: Accelerating the development of science-based measurement methods, standards, tools, and assessments to underpin reliable, accurate, interoperable, and validated forensic analysis.
Foundation Studies: Strengthening the scientific foundations of forensic methods and practices by documenting the empirical evidence that supports and underpins their reliability; evaluating their capabilities and limitations; and identifying knowledge gaps and areas for future research.
Standards: Strengthening the nation's use of forensic science by facilitating the development of technically sound standards and guidelines and encouraging their adoption and use throughout the forensic science community.

News and Updates

OSAC's Wildlife Forensic Biology Subcommittee Develops Process Map

September 19, 2025

The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science’s Wildlife Forensic Biology Subcommittee has developed a process map that captures...

Texas Forensic Science Commission Supports NIST Recommendations

January 13, 2025

By Christina Reed There is one answer forensic scientists sometimes provide after analyzing evidence that confounds lawyers and judges: inconclusive. When...

NIST Publishes Report on DNA Mixture Interpretation Methods

December 19, 2024

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published DNA Mixture Interpretation: A Scientific Foundation Review. This report reviews the...

A laboratory technician wearing gloves, a mask and a lab coat holds a dropper over a vial with liquid that is held in the other hand. There are digital images floating around the center of the image as if seen on an invisible screen. The dropper is not exactly lined up with the opening of the vial, indicating that we are looking at the moment after the task of putting the liquid from the dropper into the vial is done and now the digital analysis will take place.

NIST Report Outlines Strategic Opportunities to Advance Forensic Science in the U.S.

September 4, 2024

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published Strategic Opportunities to Advance Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward...