FORENSICS@NIST

November7–8,2018
NOVEMBER7–8

NOVEMBER 7, 2018

8:00am Registration

9:00 – 9:10 Welcome Remarks and Safety – Robert Thompson

9:10 – 9:20 ADLP Remarks – Associate Director for Laboratory Programs

9:20 – 9:45 Keynote – John Butler

FORENSIC GENETICS

9:45 – 9:55 Forensic Genetics Introduction: Pete Vallone

One aspect of the Applied Genetics group is focused on forensic genetics. 

Using DNA–based technologies, the AG group develops standards and 

assesses emerging forensic methods in support of the human identity community. These activities provide a foundation to ensure accurate measurements and validations performed by the forensic DNA typing community. 

9:55 – 10:15 Characterization of noise in targeted sequencing of STR 

markers: Sarah Riman 

The interpretation of STR profiles generated by targeted sequencing methods are susceptible to the same factors as for profiles generated using 

capillary electrophoresis. These factors include noise, stutter artifacts, 

heterozygote imbalance, and allelic drop–out/in. Our goal is to characterize 

and understand how these behave in targeted sequence datasets of single 

source DNA profiles by developing a framework of statistical tools.

10:15 – 10:35 Results from the 2018 Rapid DNA Maturity Assessment: 

Erica Romsos 

The Rapid DNA Act, which amends the DNA Identification Act of 1994, 

allows for the integration of rapid DNA instruments for use by law enforcement for DNA testing of arrestees in a booking station environment. Of the 

multiple efforts to integrate the forensic DNA work flow, three platforms 

were included as part of a rapid DNA maturity assessment. NIST provided 

20 single–source buccal samples to participants and evaluated the samples for successful analysis of the 20 CODIS core loci. 

10:35 – 10:55 Sequencing and standards for characterization of the 

mitochondrial genome: Kevin Kiesler

Advanced DNA sequencing technologies have reduced the barriers to 

sequencing the mitochondrial DNA genome. The Applied Genetics Group 

at NIST has explored the use of several next generation sequencing technologies to develop Standard Reference Materials (SRMSs) for process 

quality assessment in laboratories wishing to validate next generation 

sequencing technologies. Population scale sequencing studies are also 

underway at NIST to add to the content of databases for forensic mtDNA 

matching, to refine match statistics with mtDNA results. 

10:55 – 11:05 Q&A SESSION 

11:05 – 11:20 BREAK

FINGERPRINTS

11:20 – 11:40 Five decades of fingerprint research at NIST: Elham Tabassi

This talk will overview NIST Image group fingerprint research and contributions over the past 50 years.

11:40 – 12:00 The Making of NIST Special Database 302: Greg Fiumara

In September 2017, the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity 

held a data collection as part of its Nail to Nail Fingerprint Challenge. An 

elaborate elicitation of latent print data was conducted by Certified Latent 

Print Examiners during the collection. The result is a new NIST Special 

Database of latent print and exemplar images, NIST SD 302. Learn about 

how the data was collected and the techniques used for development.

12:00 – 12:20 The confidence interval for the likelihood ratio with application 

to biometrics data: Larry Tang

The purpose of this talk is to introduce the score–based likelihood ratio 

based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The explicit 

expression of the variance and the resulting confidence interval for the 

likelihood ratio is derived. The method is evaluated through a large–scale 

simulation study and is illustrated through a finger and facial recognition 

dataset.

12:20 – 12:30 Q&A SESSION 

12:30 – 1:30 LUNCH on your own

DIGITAL & MULTIMEDIA

1:30 – 1:40 Digital and Multimedia Introduction: Barbara Guttman 

Digital evidence includes data on computers and mobile devices, including 

audio, video, and image files as well as software and hardware. Digital evidence can be a part of investigating most crimes, since material relevant to 

the crime may be recorded in digital form. Methods for correctly acquiring, 

storing and analyzing digital evidence quickly and efficiently are critical. 

1:40 – 1:55 The NSRL and Video Games – Why I get to buy video games at 

the office: Austin Snelick 

The National Software Reference Library (NSRL) continues to expand the 

types of software it collects. Our latest major addition is video games from 

Steam, Blizzard, and Origin. Having new software types helps law enforcement more efficiently process digital evidence. 

1:55 – 2:10 Approximate Matching – Testing how well matchers work: 

Monika Singh 

Finding items that are exactly the same, as is done with the NSRL, is very 

useful, but often forensics practitioners need to find similar items, for example a picture that is a part of a Word document. Approximate matching 

is the name of this type of technique. But how can a practitioner know how 

well the matcher works and for which kinds of situations? 

2:10 – 2:25 Drone Forensics and other new additions to CFReDS: 

Ben Livelsberger 

The Computer Forensics Reference Dataset (CFReDS) is a collection of test 

files and simulated digital evidence that practitioners, tool developers and 

educators can use for training and testing. The CFReDS keeps growing 

with work developed at NIST and by the community. Our latest major 

addition is drone forensics images. Given the growth of drones, and their 

potential involvement in various types of crimes, this collection should be 

useful to the community.

2:25 – 2:40 Going deeper and deeper into Cell Phones: 

Jenise Reyes Rodriguez 

Getting information from cell phones started with looking at the contacts, 

calls and text messages and now includes GPS, social media, and other 
apps. Forensic techniques have been getting more and more sophisticated 

including analysis of the cell phone chips. Our latest testing program looks 

at tools that can analyze raw physical dumps of these chips.

2:40 – 2:50 Q&A SESSION 

2:50 – 3:30 BREAK and POSTER SESSION

FOOTWEAR IMPRESSIONS

3:30 – 3:40 Footwear Impression Intro: Martin Herman

Footwear evidence is often the most abundant form of physical evidence at 

a crime scene. The 2009 National Academy of Sciences and 2016 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology reports state that 

forensic footwear identifications are largely subjective. Both reports have 

expressed the need for quantitative assessments of footwear evidence 

using scientifically valid methods. The long–term goal of NIST research in 

footwear forensics is development of a system called SHOECALC, a system 

for footwear analysis that will allow (1) researchers/developers to have a 

workbench for development of quantitative methods and (2) examiners to 

use these quantitative methods during casework.

3:40 – 3:55 Towards an end–to–end system for quantitative footwear 

impression comparisons: Martin Herman

This talk describes research towards an end–to–end system for quantitative footwear evidence evaluation using image processing and statistical 

approaches. Scores computed by the system represent the degree of 

correspondences and discrepancies between features in two compared 

footwear impressions. The scores are meant to be used by footwear 

examiners to help them in making conclusions by relating the scores to the 

SWGTREAD conclusions scale.

3:55 – 4:10 Image Alignment and Feature Extraction for Shoeprint Matching: 

Gautham Venkatasubramanian

Steps towards quantitative footwear impression comparisons include 

aligning the questioned and test impressions and then extracting and comparing features in the two impressions. The features considered here are 

based on a combination of design, wear, and size. This talk describes some 

of the alignment methods and features extracted from the images.

4:10 – 4:25 Deep Learning Feature Extractors for Shoeprint Matching: 

Sarala Padi

A step towards quantitative footwear impression comparisons involves 

comparing features in the questioned and test impressions. The features 

considered here are based on a combination of design, wear, and size.

This talk presents a comparison approach based on transfer learning from 

a deep learning network model. Experiments are described in which the 

feature extractors from the deep learning model are applied to shoeprint 

matching to compute pairwise comparison scores. 

4:25 – 4:40 Matching Randomly Acquired Characteristics (RACs) in 

Footwear Impressions: Weiqing Chen

Comparison of RACs in the questioned and test impressions is required for 

quantitative footwear impression comparisons. Experiments are described 

that involve detecting, extracting, and matching RACs. Comparison scores 

for the RACs are computed. These scores are part of an end-to-end system 

for quantitative shoeprint comparisons.

4:40 – 4:50 Q&A SESSION

4:50 – 5:00 CLOSING REMARKS – Robert Thompson 

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

TRACE EVIDENCE

9:00 – 9:05 Welcome and Safety – Robert Thompson

9:05 – 9:35 Keynote – Sheila Willis

9:35 - 9:45 Trace Evidence Introduction: Eric Steel and Will Guthrie 

Trace evidence is ubiquitous at most crime scenes and has great potential 

to positively impact both the investigative and testimonial aspects of a 

case when properly used. However, trace evidence is also among the most 

varied in both type and quality. As a result, the range of skills needed for 

the physical analysis of trace evidence and for contextually-relevant interpretation of the information it contains are major challenges for forensic 

scientists. This session will describe some of the applied research that 

NIST is engaged in to better understand and optimize methods for trace 

evidence analysis. Statistical methods for interpretation of evidence in 

court also will be discussed.

9:45 – 10:30 A Framework for Optimizing Gas Chromatography Mass 

Spectrometry (GC/MS) Methods for Analysis of Ignitable Liquid 

Residues

9:45 – 10:00 Edward Sisco

10:00 – 10:15 Dennis Leber

10:15 – 10:30 Charles Hagwood

Method optimization is a fundamental component in validating new instruments for forensic casework. The most commonly utilized instrument in the 

field of fire debris analysis is a gas chromatography mass spectrometry 

(GC/MS) system. While there has been some research, the impact and 

interplay of GC/MS instrument settings on chromatographic and mass 

spectrometric responses in ignitable liquid residue (ILR) analysis is not well 

understood. Because ILR analysis involves comparing chromatographs of 

questioned samples to known samples, identifying a method that produces 

well–resolved and repeatable data is crucial. This talk will describe ongoing efforts to develop a holistic framework that laboratories will be able to 

employ to optimize GC/MS instrument settings for ILR analysis. Discussion 

will include the state of methods currently used in the forensic fire debris 

analysis community, the development of a fire debris test mixture for study, 

the importance of collaboration with practitioners, the statistical experimental design and decision analytic framework underlying the study, and 

how shape analysis will be used in quantifying the chromatograph data. 

The potential for implementation of this framework for drug analysis will 

also be discussed.

10:30 – 10:45 BREAK

10:45 – 11:00 Portable Headspace Sampling for Field Applications in Forensic 

Science: Megan Harries

Forensic analyses often must be conducted in field environments, for 

example, when screening cargo for illegal activity and other hazards. This 

presentation will discuss a recently developed portable device for headspace sampling (PLOT-cryoadsorption) and present the results of its first 

test in the field using a simulated cargo container.

11:00 – 11:15 Human Hair Keratin Extraction and Genetically Variant Peptide 

Detection: Meghan C. Burke

Recent reports have demonstrated that genetically variant peptides (GVPs) 

derived from human hair shafts can be used to differentiate individuals 

of different biogeographic origin. Our work aims to evaluate protein 

extraction methods from a single human hair strand. Furthermore, the 

construction of a human hair mass spectral library, including previously 

reported GVPs, enables the evaluation human hair proteome coverage and 

the effects of each protein extraction method on genetically variant peptide 

identification and quantification.
NOVEMBER8

11:15 – 11:35 Likelihood Ratio as Weight of Forensic Evidence: A Closer Look: 

Steven Lund

We discuss components of several published responses to our Journal 

of Research of NIST article and their impact on our current perspectives 

regarding evidence evaluation and reporting. We highlight areas of agreement, as well as those where potential concerns persist.

11:35 – 11:45 Q&A SESSION

11:45 – 12:00 A Review of NIJ and NIST Collaborative Research and 

Development Efforts: Gerry LaPorte

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST) have forged a critical research and 

development collaboration with the objective of strengthening the forensic 

sciences. The objective of this presentation is to highlight the support NIJ 

has provided to some of the important research efforts at NIST. 

12:00 – 1:00 LUNCH 

DRUGS & TOXINS

1:00 – 1:10 Drugs & Toxins Intro: Eric Steel

1:10 – 1:30 Trace Detection of Fentanyl–related Substances in Screening 

Environments: Jennifer Verkouteren

Technologies are needed for detecting fentanyl–related substances by law 

enforcement, the military, first responders, customs and border protection 

agents, and others. Trace detection is particularly advantageous in that it 

limits exposure to amounts below toxic levels. A significant challenge is 

the complexity of the targeted samples, including the number of different 

analogues, the presence of additional illicit drugs, and the potentially low 

concentration (<1 %) of the fentanyl. This talk will focus on two trace 

detection technologies, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) and direct analysis 

in real time (DART) – mass spectrometry (MS), and the approach to 

testing given the specific needs of different screening environments. The 

approach includes a proposed common sample set, instrument evaluation 

criteria, and evaluation of sources of error from environmental background. 

1:30 – 1:50 Is It A Fentanyl? : Arun S. Moorthy 

The Hybrid Search is a mass spectral library search technique that we 

have developed over the past several years. In this seminar, we discuss 

an extended process (and software tool) that helps us decide whether an 

experimental spectrum (1) comes from a novel fentanyl analog, (2) the location of modification(s) if it is an analog, and (3) the correct identification 

if a representative spectrum is contained in the library. Following several 

examples, we discuss how this process can be applied for other classes of 

illicit drugs.

1:50 – 2:10 NPS Data Hub, a Web–based Community Driven Analytical Data 

Repository for New Psychoactive Substances: Aaron Urbas

In recent years there has been a rapid proliferation of new compounds 

emerging in the sphere of recreational drug use. These compounds are 

typically developed in an effort to stay ahead of drug scheduling laws 

banning their use and distribution. Keeping pace with the identification of 

these compounds is becoming an increasing challenge for forensic labs. 

The introduction of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) is a global problem and reliable data to aid in the identification of these compounds is not 

always available and typically lags their distribution and proliferation. To 

help address these issues, a new web–based database, the NPS Data Hub, 

has been developed to serve as a community driven repository for analytical data related to new psychoactive substances. The aim is to elicit data 

from the global forensic community to facilitate identification of unknown 

substances and eliminate unnecessary duplication of elucidation efforts.

2:10 – 2:30 Building the Chemical Foundation for Intelligent Breath 

Analysis: Kavita Jeerage

Quantitative and reliable breath analysis requires choosing the best 

chemical(s) for analysis, designing materials and methods for the capture 

of chemicals present in trace quantities, and having the ability to relate 

measured quantities to those present in blood. This presentation will describe thermophysical property measurements that build the foundation for 

reliable breath analysis, focusing on pure component vapor pressures and 

partitioning of drugs and drug analogs.

2:30 – 2:40 Q&A SESSION

2:40 – 3:00 BREAK

FIREARMS & TOOL MARKS

3:00 – 3:10 Firearms and Tool Marks Intro: Johannes Soons 

In partnership with the forensics community, NIST is working to establish a 

sound metrology infrastructure for firearm and tool mark examination with 

scientifically justified protocols to quantify the weight of the evidence. We 

will present a brief overview of our work on reference artifacts, measurement uncertainty, a research database of tool marks, objective comparison 

methods, comparison score distributions, and error rates.

3:10 – 3:40 Congruent Matching Features (CMF) Method for Ballistics 

Identifications with Subclass Characteristics: John Song

We present the Congruent Matching Features (CMF) method for the 

objective comparison of impressed tool marks. The method quantifies the 

similarity of peak and valley features in the topography of compared samples and the congruency of their distribution patterns. The method builds 

on the Congruent Matching Cells (CMC) method developed at NIST for 

objective firearm identification and error rate estimation. In comparisons of 

breech face and firing pin impressions on cartridge cases, the CMF method 

shows promise in addressing the challenges of subclass characteristics. 

The proposed comparison of binarized surface topography images can 

enhance search performance of large image databases.

3:40 – 4:10 Objective Comparison of Deformed Bullets: Zhe Chen 

Fired bullets can be severely deformed or fragmented. The resulting distortions of the striated tool marks from the firearm cause additional challenges in manual and automatic tool mark comparison. To overcome these 

challenges, we developed an algorithm to correct lateral distortions in the 

topography image of a bullet’s Land Engraved Area (LEA) and extract the 

striae profile of interest. The Congruent Matching Profile Segments (CMPS) 

method was then applied to quantify the similarity of compared profiles. 

We will describe the improvements observed in same–source profile similarity for several bullet jacket materials and comparison metrics.

4:10 – 4:20 Q&A SESSION

4:20 CLOSING REMARKS