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                            Funding & Awards
 Strengthening the evaluation and interpretation of glass evidence using statistical analysis of collection sets and databases of refractive index and elemental data (uXRF, ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS)
Award Information
Awardee
              The Florida International University Board of Trustees
Award #
              2015-DN-BX-K049
Funding Category
              Competitive
Location
                    Miami, FL
Congressional District
              26
Status
              Closed
Funding First Awarded
              2015
Total funding (to date)
              $230,471
Original Solicitation
              NIJ FY 15 Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2015, $230,471)
As submitted by the proposer: The proposed development research aims to improve the interpretation of glass evidence using statistical analysis of existing collection sets of refractive index and elemental data
(μXRF, ICP-MS, ICP-OES and LA-ICP-MS). This research will evaluate the collective knowledge derived from previously acquired glass datasets, surveys and databases. The FIU glass database (>700 different glass samples from known origin) generated through the TSWG-funded effort using both solution-digestion ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS will be combined with other existing databases generated using ICP-MS methods (Sacramento County, Center of Forensic Sciences in Toronto and one large federal US laboratory that has indicated their willingness to collaborate with this effort). In addition, experienced μXRF users will also contribute their experience and databases in order to include the evaluation of μXRF data in the interpretation research. Finally, a representative from the Glass Association of North America (GANA) will also participate and provide useful background information and XRF data from glass manufacturing plants. The overall aim of  this  research  is  to  evaluate  the  state-of-the-art  interpretation  guidelines  (current SWGMAT  draft  interpretation  scale  and  in  review  by  OSAC  committees)  that  are currently in use in some US laboratories and to converge on a common language through a consensus process by ICP and μXRF users. The proposed research will evaluate how the chemical information derived from ICP-MS and μXRF methods, when the data is collected   and   evaluated   using   the   existing   standardized   methods   (ASTM2330, ASTM2926 and ASTM2927) supports various statements of significance for specific case scenarios. Many studies have been conducted over the last three decades illustrating the discrimination power of elemental analysis for these types of evidence. Nonetheless, there is still lack of standardization and agreement among forensic examiners, including in  match  criteria  selection  in  spite  of  the  recently  published  ASTM  methods.  The proposed  project  will  engage  approximately  20  experienced  trace  examiners  and  a statistician that will participate in round-robin and discussion exercises over the course of two years. These group discussions will be designed with an aim to utilize the collective experience and knowledge base within the trace evidence community to address gaps in understanding of the significance of trace elemental profile matches and to converge on a common and consensus language that can be applied to describe the meaning of such associations for common glass case scenarios. It is expected that this approach will be expanded to include other types of trace evidence materials in the future and would therefore create a framework for the future efforts.

This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.

ca/ncf



  
Grant-Funded Publications
        
                      Strengthening the Evaluation and Interpretation of Glass Evidence Using Statistical Analysis of Collection Sets and Databases of Refractive Index and Elemental Data
                  Inter-laboratory Evaluation of LA-ICP-MS Analysis of Glass and the Use of a Database for the Interpretation of Glass Evidence
                  Response to "Likelihood Ratio as Weight of Evidence: A Closer Look" by Lund and Iyer
                  The Use of LA-ICP-MS Databases to Calculate Likelihood Ratios for the Forensic Analysis of Glass Evidence
                  Comparison of Intra-Day and Inter-Day Variation in LIBS Spectra

  
Date Created: September 16, 2015
    
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