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Message from the Chair

It is my honor to reach out to you as Chair of the 

Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB) for this 

year. I have the pleasure of representing the 

Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) on the 

FSSB. I was fortunate to get in on the ground 

floor of OSAC in 2014 and am now starting the 

last year of my second term as an OSAC member 

on the FSSB. I continue to be extremely proud to 

be part of this effort! All OSAC members and affiliates give — and then 

give more — of their expertise and time to strengthen the use of 

forensic science in the United States. 

The strides that have been made in communication since 2014 are the 

most impressive to me. The standard development process is not for 

the faint of heart! Building consensus is a lengthy, arduous process.

Collegial conversations between members from different disciplines

have occurred for decades, but now we see not only willingness, but 

proactive outreach between OSAC units and members with varying 

experience, expertise, and perspective. OSAC members continue to 

demonstrate that they are willing to listen to others and to learn from 

others. I have heard many OSAC members speak positively about the 

value of public comments and how those comments helped them to 

identify gaps or unclear aspects of draft documents. This reflects the 

fact that all involved are doing this work for the right reason.

OSAC members and affiliates continue to show their flexibility! We 

have all learned to do business differently these days. We have 

mastered the virtual meeting and continue to keep productivity at an 

impressive level. It is more difficult to build relationships in a virtual 

environment, but I see individuals making an increased effort to do so.

NOVEMBER 2020 

 

 

 

In this Issue

NIST Launches an 

Updated OSAC

OSAC Registry 

Updates: FY2020 Q4

OSAC: A Year in 

Review

In Memoriam

OSAC in the News

Upcoming 

OSAC/Major Events

NIST Activities
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As of October 1, 2020, OSAC has officially transitioned its new structure and processes, but many 

standards had already been submitted to a standards developing organization (SDO) at that time. Those 

standards will continue to completion using the legacy process for Registry approval. Some flexibility will 

be required as Scientific Area Committees (SACs) and subcommittees manage documents in both the 

new and legacy Registry approval processes for a significant time.

I must recognize the incredible work done by the NIST OSAC Program Office (OPO) staff to bring OSAC’s 

new structure and processes to reality. Redesigning and revising a management system is a herculean 

effort that they have handled professionally and by deadline. I know that they have the gratitude of not 

only all FSSB members, but all involved with OSAC.

I look forward to working with all members of the FSSB over the next year to provide a strong 

foundation for the SACs and subcommittees to work efficiently and effectively during this period of 

transition. Increased time and energy will be focused on implementation of the standards on the OSAC 

Registry. Implementation of OSAC’s hard work takes action by all individual OSAC members and 

affiliates, all OSAC units, and the larger forensic community. We hope you will all join in this “push” this 

year. If you have a suggestion, comment, or concern related to OSAC, please let your chair, OPO, or me 

know. By listening to everyone we will continue to improve as an organization.

Respectfully,

Laurel Farrell, FSSB Chair

NIST Launches an Updated Organization of Scientific 

Area Committees for Forensic Science

On October 1, 2020 NIST officially 

launched a new and streamlined 

OSAC. The changes to OSAC’s 

structure and processes will enable it

to make high-quality, science-based 

standards available to forensic 

laboratories more quickly. 

Changes to OSAC’s structure include 

expanding the number of SACs from 

five to seven, with the addition of a 

new SAC for forensic medicine and the 

separation of the chemistry SAC into 

two SACs. Also, closely related 

subcommittees have been combined 

to address topics that span multiple traditional forensic disciplines. These changes will improve internal 

coordination and reduce duplication of effort.
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To address standards needs that span across SACs, the FSSB has the authority to create Interdisciplinary 

Committees (ICs). ICs can provide recommendations to the FSSB for specific topics or work on drafting 

standards. For example, the FSSB recently approved a Reporting and Testimony IC. The scope of this IC is 

to review current and draft OSAC standards and other published documents related to reporting and 

testimony and to provide recommendations to the FSSB on next steps. To avoid detracting from the 

efforts of subcommittees and SACs, additional OSAC members may be appointed to serve on an IC for as 

long as the scope of work allows. The FSSB will approve all ICs, their scope of work, and expected 

deliverables and assign FSSB liaisons.

In addition, the composition of the FSSB has changed. The Association of Forensic Quality Assurance 

Managers (AFQAM) is now represented on the FSSB, together with the American Academy of Forensic 

Sciences (AAFS), American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), Association of Firearm and 

Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE), International Association of Identification (IAI), National Association of 

Medical Examiners (NAME), and Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT). 

Along with these structural changes, OSAC’s Registry approval process has also changed. Now, scientific 

and technical review panels (STRPs) will review proposed standards before they are sent to an SDO. 

Public comment will also be invited at an earlier stage. This will help ensure that proposed standards 

already meet OSAC’s high bar for quality before being forwarded to an SDO. 

Overview of the new OSAC Registry approval process

Furthermore, OSAC proposed standards will now be included on the OSAC Registry alongside approved

published standards. This indicates that the proposed standards have undergone a rigorous quality 

review and can help fill the standards gap during the time it takes for an SDO to complete the standards 

development process. This will also allow laboratories to get a head start on implementing high-quality 

standards. 

More details about the changes being implemented are available on the OSAC website. 

If you’d like to contribute to OSAC by participating in an STRP or interdisciplinary committee, 

complete the OSAC application form.
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OSAC Registry Updates: FY 2020 Q4

The OSAC Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB) approved the addition of 

the following seven standards for listing on the OSAC Registry in FY 2020 Q4:

• ANSI/ASB Standard 022, Standard for Forensic DNA Analysis Training 

Programs, First Edition, 2019 (effective September 1, 2020). 

• ASTM E2916-19e1 Standard Terminology for Digital and Multimedia 

Evidence Examination (effective July 7, 2020).

• ASTM E3017-19 Standard Practice for Examining Magnetic Card 

Readers (effective July 7, 2020).

• ASTM E3150-18 Standard Guide for Forensic Audio Lab Setup and Maintenance (effective July 

7, 2020).

• ASTM E1967 Standard Test Method for the Automated Determination of Refractive Index of 

Glass Samples Using the Oil Immersion Method and a Phase Contrast Microscope (effective 

July 7, 2020).

• ASTM E2330 Standard Test Method for Determination of Concentrations of Elements in Glass 

Samples Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for Forensic 

Comparisons (effective July 7, 2020).

• ANSI/ASB Standard 036, Standard Practices for Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology, First 

Edition, 2019 (effective July 7, 2020).

To access these standards and see a complete list of the Registry standards, please visit the OSAC 

website.

OSAC: A Year in Review

Highlights from FY 2020 (from left to 

right): Members of OSAC's Geological 

Materials Subcommittee and 

colleagues "digging in" to create a 

training video on the collection of soil 

samples; we returned to Norman, 

Oklahoma this spring for several OSAC 

meetings; former FSSB chair, Steve 

Johnson, speaking at the plenary 

meeting in Oklahoma; members of the 

DNA process map working group at a 

working session; OSAC Program 

Manager, JP Jones addressing the 

audience at the plenary session in 

Oklahoma.
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In addition to delivering quarterly updates, the fall edition of the OSAC Newsletter also serves as OSAC’s 

annual report and provides a review of OSAC’s accomplishments and activities over the past fiscal year 

(FY), October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. 

Organizational Snapshot

In February 2020, OSAC entered its sixth year of existence and currently has:

• 469 members

• 316 affiliates

• 2,700-plus member and affiliate applications received

As of October 2020, the employer and job classification of OSAC members include:

OSAC Registry 

The OSAC Registry is a repository of high-quality, 

technically sound published and proposed standards 

for forensic science. These written documents

define minimum requirements, best practices, 

standard protocols and other guidance to ensure 

that the results of forensic analysis are valid, reliable and reproducible.

In January 2016, OSAC added the first standard to the Registry: ASTM E2329-14 Standard Practice for 

the Identification of Seized Drugs. By the end of FY16, two additional standards were approved for 

placement the Registry. As shown in the graph below, the number of OSAC Registry standards continues

to grow each year. 

Federal

22%

State

20%

Local

18%

Academic

21%

Private

18%

FFRDC

1%

Practitioner

57%

Researcher

17%

Educator

10%

Other

9%

Attorney

2%

QA 

Manager

2%

R&D Tech

2%

Judge

1%

Employer classification Job classification
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At the end of FY 2020, there were 37 standards on the OSAC Registry representing 13 specific forensic 

science disciplines and various interdisciplinary topics. In November 2019, for example, OSAC added the 

first interdisciplinary training standard to the Registry. This standard, ASTM E2917-19a Standard Practice 

for Forensic Science Practitioner Training, Continuing Education, and Professional Development 

Programs, details the key knowledge skills and abilities that should be included in laboratory training 

programs for forensic science professionals. 

Looking forward, with OSAC’s new organizational structure and processes, both published standards and 

OSAC proposed standards will be available on the Registry, allowing laboratories to get a jump on 

implementing high-quality standards. 

To see a current list of the Registry standards and a breakdown of standards by fiscal year, visit the 

OSAC Registry webpage.

Registry Implementation Efforts

Standards are only useful if they are implemented. In 2018, the FSSB prepared the OSAC Registry 

Implementation Plan, which describes various strategies OSAC might use to encourage our stakeholders 

to implement the standards on the OSAC Registry. 

This past year OSAC focused its initial implementation efforts on crime laboratories and other forensic 

science service providers (FSSPs). To support these stakeholders with their implementation efforts, 

OSAC developed several resources:

• 3 Biology/DNA

• 1 Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

• 3 Digital Evidence

• 2 Disaster Victim Identification

• 1 Dogs & Sensors

• 3 Facial Identification

• 2 Fire & Explosion Investigation

• 7 Trace Materials

• 2 Odontology

• 2 Seized Drugs

• 3 Toxicology

• 2 Wildlife Forensics

• 6 Interdisciplinary
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• FAQs on Implementation of OSAC Registry Standards.

• OSAC Registry Implementation: A How-to Guide, which 

describes various pathways FSSPs can take to incorporate 

OSAC Registry standards into their management 

processes and documents, along with specific examples.

• The Registry Implementation Document Tracker provides 

a regularly updated list of all documents that are on the 

OSAC Registry and under development at OSAC and 

SDOs.

During FY 

2020, five laboratories declared their 

commitment to implementing the standards on 

the OSAC Registry. The Georgia Bureau of 

Investigation – Division of Forensic Sciences made 

the decision to embark on the implementation 

journey in January 2017 and celebrated its threeyear anniversary as the first forensic laboratory to 

implement the OSAC Registry standards. Another early implementer, the Houston Forensic Science 

Center (HFSC), has adopted guidelines recommended by OSAC in its continuous effort to improve 

forensic science results for Houston and impact the broader forensic science community. The Seized 

Drugs section of the Kentucky State Police Forensic Laboratories has committed to implementing all 

seized drugs-related OSAC Registry standards and has created a process to evaluate and consider 

incorporating new OSAC Registry standards each year. In addition, Bode Technology, the largest private 

forensic DNA testing laboratory in the U.S., has incorporated two of the DNA standards that are 

currently on the Registry. The Trace Evidence Analysis Facility (TEAF) at Florida International University is 

the latest organization to have officially declared their commitment to implementation and has adopted 

the standard for the analysis and comparison of glass evidence. 

Additionally, last fall the Texas Forensic Science Commission

recommended that all crime laboratories accredited to perform 

forensic analysis in the state of Texas voluntarily adopt the 

standards listed on the OSAC Registry. This recommendation 

impacts the 40 laboratories in Texas and another 40 out-of-state 

laboratories that perform services for the state. 

Laboratories face many challenges when implementing 

standards. OSAC worked with ASCLD’s Forensic Research 

Committee and Standards & Accreditation Initiatives Committee 

on their online survey to better understand these challenges 

and identify solutions. This survey, which was open from

February through June 2020, captured baseline information about the implementation of OSAC Registry 

standards. ASCLD recently published the survey results in a white paper. OSAC will build on this work by 

continuing discussions with quality managers and laboratory directors about their implementation 

discussions and efforts.

OSAC Registry implementation efforts this year focused on forensic science service providers. Moving 

forward, we will expand our focus to include professional forensic science organizations, prosecutors, 

Texas State Capitol
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defense attorneys, and the courts. We encourage forensic science service providers to initiate the 

standards implementation process in their operations proactively, so they will be prepared to share the 

value of standardization when addressing these topics in court. 

Ongoing Standards Activities

At the end of FY2020 there were more than three dozen standards on the OSAC Registry. In addition, 

there were:

• More than 100 SDO-published standards eligible for OSAC review for placement on the OSAC 

Registry.

• Almost 130 OSAC-drafted standards progressing through the development process at SDOs. 

• More than 160 documents being drafted within OSAC.

Here is a snapshot of the number of documents each subcommittee had at each stage in the OSAC 

development process* at the end of FY20: 

*Key: 

Tier 1: Document on the OSAC Registry; approved by OSAC with highest level of vetting

Tier 2: OSAC supported document published by an SDO; completed the SDO consensus process

Tier 3: OSAC drafted document sent to an SDO for further development; drafted with input from OSAC’s Resource Task Groups 

and approved by SAC

Tier 4: Working draft document inside OSAC development process and not yet publicly available
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This graph illustrates the number of documents at OSAC’s various tier levels for FY19 and FY20.

Accomplishments

In addition to growing the Registry and facilitating standards activities, products and accomplishments 

from the last year include:

• We have supported the development and publication of process maps for the bloodstain 

pattern, speaker recognition, and friction ridge disciplines. We have also supported the 

development of process maps for the DNA and firearms and toolmarks disciplines, which are 

expected to be published soon. Process maps are a useful tool that can help forensic science 

disciplines provide insight into their specific activities, identify areas for improvement and 

discover where standards may be needed. 

• OSAC’s former Geological Materials Subcommittee, in collaboration with the University of 

Kentucky, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the IUGS-Initiative on Forensic Geology, 

developed a Collection of Forensic Soil Evidence Training Video to help educate law 

enforcement and crime scene professionals on how to collect soil and other geological evidence. 

This video is intended to accompany the draft collection guide, Standard Guide for Collection of 

Soils and Other Geological Evidence for Criminal Forensic Applications, developed by the former 

Geological Materials Subcommittee.

• We have updated OSAC’s Organizational Priorities and Minimum Topic Requirements for 

Standards Development document to better identify and clarify the minimum topic 

requirements that subcommittees should address when drafting forensic science standards. 

• We have further developed the OSAC Lexicon. Since it was launched in March 2018, OSAC 

members have been hard at work improving this database of almost 4,000 terms. An immediate 

priority has been to obtain consensus on “OSAC-preferred terms”. This summer, the FSSB 

approved the addition of two new OSAC-preferred terms to the Lexicon: administrative review 

and chain of custody. There are now 20 OSAC-preferred terms that OSAC members are 

encouraged to use when drafting standards. The FSSB has also established an FSSB Terminology 

Task Group to review and consider revisions to the current process for obtaining consensus and 

approving OSAC-preferred terms. The Terminology Task Group will also manage the process for 

updating and maintaining the OSAC Lexicon.
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• We have modified the OSAC application process. Now, applications will be kept on file for three 

years only. After that, all participants must reapply. In addition, we have revised the OSAC 

application form to improve ease of use and limit the amount of personally identifiable

information submitted online. The new application will allow for interested parties to indicate 

areas of expertise and preference for serving on subcommittees, STRPs, and Interdisciplinary 

Committees. 

• Members of OSAC’s Human Factors Task Group published an OSAC Technical Series Publication 

that provides guidance on designing, conducting, and reporting research on the validity of 

methods and examiner performance. This publication, Human Factors in Validation and 

Performance Testing of Forensic Science, brings together key points from the scientific literature 

on assessing human performance. 

• Members of OSAC’s former Materials (Trace) Subcommittee conducted an interlaboratory study 

this summer to evaluate the draft of its Standard Practice for Interpretation and Report Writing 

in Forensic Comparison of Trace Materials. The first round of the study focused on paint analysis 

and members of the subcommittee are currently analyzing the data they received from 88 

participant responses from a combined 1,320 scenarios. Results of the study will be available 

soon.

• Members of OSAC’s Human Forensic Biology Subcommittee, along with the AAFS Standards 

Board (ASB) and Promega, developed a three-part webinar series that provided information on 

new/emerging standards and best practices for forensic biology and DNA testing laboratories. 

• The FSSB Technical Issues Task Group is collaborating with NIST research scientists to create a 

“challenge prize” for the development of a confirmatory algorithm that compares the analysis of 

paint samples for source identification with the analysis of Fourier Transform Infrared 

Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra by a forensic examiner. This year, the project was scoped and 

spectral analysis was performed on paint samples collected from junk yard automobiles. This 

work will provide the “ground truth” samples needed for the challenge. The task group is now 

determining the sample sets that will be provided as “training” data for the algorithms and the 

criteria for judging. We hope to announce the NIST Challenge Prize before the end of this year.

• OSAC SACs and subcommittees have identified 137 research & development needs, with at least 

seven currently being funded. 

• We improved our internal operations to increase collaboration among OSAC units and manage 

our documents more effectively. 

• We continued to grow our digital presence, as evidenced by an increase in website views, 

downloads, and LinkedIn posts and followers. As our outreach grows, so does our ability to 

reach more stakeholders and educate the forensic science community about new standards 

being developed and championed by OSAC.

2020 OLSS Meeting Highlights

On September 1, members of the FSSB and SAC and subcommittee chairs participated in a virtual OSAC 

Leadership Strategy Session (OLSS). During this meeting, each of the chairs presented updates on their 

committee’s accomplishments, priorities, highlights, and non-standards activities that are planned for 

the coming year. 

Each SAC will be reviewing and discussing their subcommittee’s activities to develop a prioritized list of 

standards and other work products to focus on this year. These priorities will be discussed at the 

upcoming FSSB meeting in December. 
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The following individuals were recognized at the OLSS meeting for their leadership and efforts to further 

the OSAC mission and objectives:

• Jose Almirall for his service as a member of the FSSB and chair of the Chemistry/Instrumental 

Analysis SAC.

• Craig Beyler for his service as chair of the Fire & Explosion Investigation SC.

• Andrew Bowen for his service as chair of the Geological Materials SC.

• JoAnn Buscaglia for her service as a member of the FSSB.

• Elissia Conlon for her service as the chair of the Disaster Victim Identification SC.

• Kenneth Furton for his service as the chair of the Dogs & Sensors SC.

• Thomas Holland for his service as the chair of the Anthropology SC.

• Steven Johnson for his service as chair of the FSSB and IAI representative on the FSSB.

• Kristine Kadash for her service as the chair of the Biological Methods SC.

• Melissa Kennedy for her service as the chair of the Toxicology SC.

• Sarah Kerrigan for her service as a member of the FSSB and FSSB Executive Secretary.

• Michael Kessler for his service as the chair of the Crime Scene Investigation SC.

• Keith Pinckard for his service as the chair of the Medicolegal Death Investigation SC.

• Todd Weller for his service as the chair of the Firearms & Toolmarks SC.

• Thomas (Rusty) White for his service as the chair of the Gunshot Residue SC.

The FSSB and OSAC Program Office would like to thank all OSAC volunteers for their time and effort and 

all the federal, state, and local government agencies, academic institutions, and criminal justice and 

forensic science organizations that support the OSAC mission by allowing their staff to participate. 

New FSSB Appointments

The FSSB serves as the OSAC governing board and supports the organization by:

• Facilitating the promulgation of standards that will support the development of quality 

benchmarks and enhance consistency across the forensic science industry.

• Discussing and addressing issues related to the OSAC standards development process.

• Coordinating the activities of the SACs, subcommittees and interdisciplinary committees.

This October the FSSB elected a new Executive Task Group and welcomed five new members.

OSAC FSSB Elected Executive Task Group Members:

FSSB Chair

Laurel Farrell, ANSI National 

Accreditation Board and SOFT 

representative

FSSB Vice Chair

Ray Wickenheiser, New York 

State Police Crime Laboratory 

System and ASCLD 

representative

FSSB Executive Secretary

David Kaye, The Pennsylvania 

State University and Chair of 

OSAC’s Legal Task Group
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New FSSB Members:

• Craig Beyler, Jensen Hughes, Chair of Scene Examination SAC

• Stephen Greene, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Laboratories and Scientific Services 

Directorate, IAI representative 

• Christopher Krug, Johnson County Sheriff's Office Criminalistics Laboratory, AFQAM 

representative

• Marc LeBeau, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Chair of Chemistry: Seized Drugs & 

Toxicology SAC 

• Chris Taylor, Defense Forensic Science Center (including USACIL), Chair of Chemistry: Trace 

Evidence SAC

Engagement Activities

OSAC is committed to sharing information about standards and activities that will impact the forensic 

science community. 

Each year, OSAC reports its activities in an open

and online public forum and provides an 

opportunity for the public to ask questions and

provide feedback. On September 30, 520 

viewers tuned in to this year’s Public Update 

Meeting to hear presentations from the chairs 

of OSAC’s FSSB and five SACs. Each described 

the standards their unit is working on and 

discussed research gaps, challenges, and 

priorities for the coming year. 

If you were unable to attend this year’s meeting, you can view the recording and presentations on the 

OSAC Events webpage. 

In addition to the Public Update Meeting, OSAC was involved in over 50 other outreach and engagement 

events this fiscal year. Here are just a few examples:

• AFQAM Annual Training 

Session – October 2019

• Midwest Firearms Examiner 

Training Session – October 

2019

• NY Crime Laboratory Advisory 

Committee Meeting –

November 2019

• New England Division of the 

IAI – December 2019

• American Association for the 

Advancement of Science 

Annual Conference – February 2020
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• AAFS Annual Meeting – February 2020

• National Association of Appellate Court Attorneys Meeting – July 2020

• Florida Association of Crime Laboratory Directors Annual Meeting – September 2020

• Chesapeake Bay Division of the IAI – September 2020

Final Words

OSAC has made great strides to help facilitate the development and implementation of technically 

sound and consensus-based forensic science standards. With almost 800 combined members and 

affiliates representing forensic science practitioners, laboratory managers, academic researchers, 

measurement scientists, and experts in statistics, human factors, legal, and quality infrastructure, we 

will continue to work together to strengthen forensic science through standards.

In Memoriam 

Peter Tytell

Written by Gerry LaPorte, Chair of OSAC’s Forensic Document Examination Subcommittee 

On August 10, 2020, our community lost a passionate, dedicated, and talented 

forensic document examiner and the world lost a genuinely warm-hearted, 

friendly, and affable man. Peter Tytell lost a long hard battle with cancer, but 

during his fight against this terrible and unrelenting disease, Peter always 

maintained a positive attitude and sense of humor. He continued to work 

relentlessly during his illness, especially when it came to working on OSAC 

standards as a member of the Forensic Document Examination subcommittee.

Peter was internationally renowned and highly respected world-wide. He 

began his training in the early 1970s and he was always present at professional meetings, especially the 

Annual General Meeting for the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (ASQDE), which 

he began attending in 1973 and missed only four times over the course of nearly 50 years. Peter was a 

consummate professional and never stopped wanting to learn. 

In 2017, the ASQDE presented Peter with the Albert S. Osborn Award of Excellence, which was created 

to honor the Society’s most distinguished members. The criteria for this award is a perfect description of 

Peter - it shall only be bestowed on persons who have attained exceptional distinction in terms of 

cumulative activities, such as professional research or literary accomplishments which advance the field 

of questioned document examination, and outstanding service to the ASQDE over a long period of time.

For those who knew and interacted with Peter, we all have a common thread to our stories when we 

first met him. He was the first to welcome you to the field and always showed a sincere interest in your 

background. At the same time, he was modest about his own background, even though he was the 

world’s leading typewriter expert. Peter literally grew up surrounded by typewriters – he was 11 years 

old when he started working in his parents shop where they rented, repaired and restored typewriters. 

Peter was an inspiration to forensic document examiners for five decades and his tenacity and 

dedication to strengthening our profession will always be remembered. 
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John Joseph (“Jack”) Godfrey

Written by David Marks, Chair of OSAC’s Speaker Recognition Subcommittee

The human language technology (HLT) community has lost a giant. Ernest 

Hemingway said that, “Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the 

details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from 

another.” Jack Godfrey’s obituary offers such details ranging from his birth in 

Queens, New York to his passing at the age of 78 in Broussard, Louisiana; from 

his Jesuit seminary training to his Ph.D. in Linguistics from Georgetown 

University; from his accomplishments as an avid fisherman to his talents as a 

woodworker; from his love of crossword puzzles to his passion for travel; and 

from his loving roles as husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle to his 

professional leadership in the HLT community. Jack’s life details are revealed 

in the full life that he lived and in the great many people whose life he 

touched along the way. But while these facts accurately represent aspects of Jacks’ life, they do not truly 

convey the full account of his energy, his drive to accomplish, and his commitment to include and inspire 

others to contribute with equal passion.

Those HLT colleagues who were fortune enough to work with Jack will appreciate the devotion with 

which he shaped the future of HLT throughout his career. Through his direction of the U.S. Department 

of Defense's HLT Group at the National Security Agency and his active role in OSAC (and its predecessor, 

SWG-Speaker), Jack demonstrated the energy and conviction to build a community enthusiastic about 

advancement of the technology. His enduring support of the NIST Speaker Recognition Evaluations 

propelled the entire HLT community toward continuous improvement. In professional interactions, Jack 

was the contemplative sage who had a way of challenging his colleagues in a gentlemanly way. During 

lively discussions, he would sit back and listen thoughtfully, and when he ultimately would offer his 

guidance, the dialog often subsided, as if his comments were the final authority on the subject. The high 

regard for Jack’s judgment was unmistakable.

In remembering his life, OSAC offers its heartfelt condolences to Jack’s wife, Nina, and the rest of his 

family, to his friends and esteemed colleagues, and to the members of the community they built 

together. Jack’s quick wit, the kindness and wisdom he shared with all who knew him, and his 

unwavering dedication to his profession will be sorely missed.
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OSAC in the News

Implementing Blind Proficiency Testing in Forensic Laboratories: 

Motivation, Obstacles, and Recommendations

This Forensic Science International: Synergy article identifies some

obstacles to implementing blind proficiency testing in forensic 

contexts and proposes ways to overcome them, including increasing 

engagement with OSAC in the standards development process. 

NIST Launches an Updated Organization of Scientific Area 

Committees for Forensic Science

Read about OSAC’s structural and process changes that will enable it 

to make high-quality, science-based standards available to forensic laboratories more quickly. This 

article was also shared in Evidence Technology Magazine, BiometricUpdate.com, FINDBiometrics, and 

the ISHI Blog. 

AAFS Publishes New Probabilistic Genotyping Standard

Initially drafted by OSAC’s Biology/DNA Interpretation and Reporting Subcommittee, this Forensic 

Magazine article discusses the publication of ANSI/ASB Standard 018, Standard for Validation of 

Probabilistic Genotyping Systems, First Edition, 2020. 

Upcoming OSAC/Major Events

DECEMBER 7-9:

Virtual meetings for Chemistry: Seized Drugs & Toxicology SAC

and subcommittees 

Virtual meetings for Chemistry: Trace Evidence SAC 

and subcommittees

FEBRUARY 14-19, 2021:

2021 AAFS Annual Scientific Meeting (virtual)

MAY 3-7, 2021:

Meetings for Scene Examination SAC and subcommittees 

Meetings for Physics/Pattern Interpretation SAC and subcommittees 

JUNE 7-11, 2021

Meetings for Digital/Multimedia SAC and subcommittees 

Meetings for Medicine SAC and subcommittees 
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JUNE 28 – JULY 2, 2021

Meetings for Biology SAC and subcommittees

Meetings for Chemistry: Seized Drugs & Toxicology SAC and subcommittees 

Meetings for Chemistry: Trace Evidence SAC and subcommittees 

NIST Activities

FORENSICS@NIST2020

At this virtual event on November 5 and 6, NIST scientists presented advanced methods in metrology, 

computer science, and statistics aimed at strengthening forensic science. In case you missed it, the 

presentations from this virtual event will be available soon. 

NIST to Help Labs Achieve Accurate THC, CBD Measurements

Learn about the programs our colleagues at NIST have developed to help labs accurately measure key 

chemical compounds in marijuana, hemp and other cannabis products.