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All workshops are being held on Tuesday, October 21st with the excpetion of the ANAB Workshop (see details below). Workshops are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. A spot will be considered reserved once payment is received. Workshops are subject to cancellation. If you register for a full-day workshop, you cannot register for any of the half-day workshops and vice versa. 

All workshop attendees are required to register for Full Meeting Registration or for Tuesday's Daily Registration (at the least).
 
ANAB Internal Auditing to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for Forensic Service Providers Workshop
ANAB - Lisa Brewer

https://anab.ansi.org/training/forensic-internal-auditing-iso-iec-17025/

 

A special discounted cost of $695 for NEAFS Members and Active Applicants. Must be a NEAFS Member or Active Applicant. Full meeting Registration free for ANAB Internal Auditing Workshop attendees. Deadline for registering is 09/19/25.

 

Course Schedule 

10/20/25 9AM-5PM

10/21/25 9AM-5PM

10/22/25 8AM-11AM


Full-Day Workshops 9 am - 5 pm

  • Is Gasoline Present? - Using a statistically based method to graphically display the support for gasoline in an unknown sample (Brenda Christy)

  • Blood and Firearm Traces in Event Reconstruction (Ralph R. Ristenbatt III and Dr. Peter Pizzola)

  • Gun Shot Residue (Pete Diaczuk)

  • Fundamentals and Theories of GCMS Troubleshooting and Maintenance (Agilent)


Cost for Full-Day Workshops
Member/Member of Another Regional Organization: $65 Non-Member: $110 Student Member: $43 Student Non-Member: $65

Half-Day Workshops 9 am - 12:15 pm

  • Ethics for the Forensic Analyst: Protecting Your Reputation and Credibility for Court (Jerry Buting)

  • DNA Rapid Technology Allows Law Enforcement and Crime Labs to Partner on Solving Crime Faster (Thermo Fisher Scientific)

  • Toxicology Tetris: Fitting Toxicology into the Forensic Investigation (Jolene Bierly)
     

Half-Day Workshops 1:45 pm - 5 pm

  • Full Spectrum Light Theory and ALS Techniques (Foster + Freeman)

  • Mastering DNA Testimony: Preparing for the Courtroom (ExpertDNA Solutions - Maria Tsocanos and Jaime Rodrigues)

  • Understanding Measurement Uncertainty for Forensic Scientists (Jeff Salyards, PhD)


Cost for Half-Day Workshops
Member/Member of Another Regional Organization: $33 Non-Member: $55 Student Member: $23 Student Non-Member: $33

There is NO CHARGE associated with the Educators' or Student Forums. However, if you are attending, you must register for the forum. The Student Forum is scheduled to run 6pm - 8pm and the Educators' Forum is scheduled to run 6pm - 8pm.
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More details to come, subject to change.

Internal Auditing to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for Forensic Service Providers

Course Overview:

An integral part of a successful management system is an effective audit program. An audit program is also essential and required to achieve and maintain accreditation. This ISO/IEC 17025 training course provides a detailed review of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and the related ANAB accreditation requirements for forensic service providers (AR 3125) as well as a review of ISO 19011, Guidelines for Auditing Management Systems.

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Participants will be introduced to the principles of auditing, will be provided with an approach for developing, implementing and managing an audit program, will learn the audit process and several audit methods for collecting, verifying and recording objective evidence, and will discuss audit risks. Numerous hands-on audit activities, including developing and using checklists, are incorporated throughout the course to allow participants to begin to leverage their knowledge gained during the course.

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What Attendees will Learn:

  • Gain an understanding of how to evaluate management system conformance to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and the ANAB AR 3125 accreditation requirement

  • Apply ISO 19011 guidance to develop, implement and maintain an effective audit program

  • Learn about audit risks and opportunities

  • Acquire auditing skills using various audit methods for collecting, verifying and recording objective evidence

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Who Should Attend:

New forensic laboratory staff, experienced staff who are transitioning to more quality related activities in the forensic laboratory, personnel that management are considering moving into management or supervisory roles, and persons wanting a detailed refresher on the accreditation requirements and auditing principles.

The analytical process for identifying ignitable liquids is based on fundamental chemical properties; however, the current interpretation of these properties as chromatographic data relies on subjective pattern recognition techniques. The subjectivity of these pattern recognition techniques increases with the presence of complex matrix contribution. To make the fire debris interpretation process more standardized and objective, a novel method is proposed for analyzing fire debris Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) data using quantitative measures of chromatographic features of interest. These features are represented by peak height ratios observed in the Total Ion Chromatograph and Extracted Ion Profiles.  

 

This workshop focuses on applying the results of a study which included the chromatographic features of interest in 150 gasoline samples and 64 chromatographic peak height ratios. Statistical analysis was conducted to determine the variation observed for each of these ratios in the gasoline samples and to determine the frequency of these features in negative matrix samples. This information was evaluated to determine relative significance, as represented by the assigned points for each of these features. When summed and used as plot values, these cumulative scores graphically display the totality of data supporting a potential gasoline identification. The graphical display, referred to as a sufficiency graph, also identifies the “gray” area where analysts are more likely to form differing opinions. 

Is Gasoline Present? - Using a statistically based method to graphically display the support for gasoline in an unknown sample

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The methodologies introduced are a step toward a documentation process that ensures greater transparency in fire debris examinations and comparisons. The methods generate a quantitative sufficiency graph for consistent data interpretation and documentation.  

 

Attendees at this workshop will gain an understanding of the study conducted to establish these statistical features and will be introduced to the processes of applying these to case samples.  As much as possible, each attendee should bring a laptop computer with Microsoft Excel, Agilent Chemstation or other GC-MS data processing software, hardcopies and electronic datafiles from known gasoline samples acquired using existing laboratory methodologies, and electronic datafiles from samples containing gasoline and matrix mixtures.

Blood and Firearm Traces in Event Reconstruction

This full-day workshop will introduce participants to basic concepts in the examination and analysis of blood and firearm traces. Terminology, deposition mechanisms, and the utility and limitations of blood deposits and configurations in casework will be discussed. Projectile defects, projectile trajectories, gunshot residue patterns, shotgun pellet patterns, and other aspects of shooting events will be presented. Integration of blood and firearm traces into the reconstruction of events will be also be explored. The instructors will utilize a blend of lectures, casework, exercises, and practical demonstrations to facilitate concepts and problem-solving techniques for participants

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Gunshot Residue

This full day workshop will focus on gunpowder residue patterns on garments. This can be very useful in determining the distance from the muzzle of the firearm to the target. Sometimes the winner of a gunfight will claim that the decedent was so close when the shot was fired that there was no choice but to shoot. Meanwhile (in this hypothetical), there appears to be no evidence of propellant on the garment, suggesting there was more distance between the two people than was claimed by victor.

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There will be practical exercises interspersed among the lecture material during this workshop so attendees can experience first-hand how patterns are visualized and interpreted.

GC troubleshooting & Mass Spec Acquisition Parameter Optimization, Source Cleaning Tips, and What Really Happens When  You Tune

The GCMS workshop will focus on the fundamental aspects of operational theory, troubleshooting, and maintenance of GC (Split/Splitless) inlets and MS EI sources. Column selection and inlet and flow path troubleshooting, and maintenance will be discussed. The workshop format will be PowerPoint based but will have hands on labs involving split/splitless inlet modules and MS EI sources. The MS workshop will also cover the fundamental aspects of MS operational theory, optimizing acquisition parameters for spectral fidelity and method stability. Attendees will have the opportunity to perform hands-on dis-assembly and reassembly of an EI source, discuss best practices for cleaning the source, and logical troubleshooting and maintenance of MS and vacuum system. An in-depth discussion of the tuning process and what’s occurring during the tuning process will be presented. Initial plans are to have a standalone MS system in the room for discussion and troubleshooting tips. The amount of individual hands-on participation will depend on the size of the class.

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Full Spectrum Light Theory and ALS Techniques

Crime scenes hold hidden truths—but with the right tools and techniques, even the most concealed evidence can be brought to light. This workshop begins with an in-depth exploration of advanced evidence detection methods using ultraviolet (UV), visible, and infrared (IR) light. Attendees will learn practical approaches for visualizing biological fluids, latent fingerprints, gunshot residue, blood, and trace evidence—even on challenging surfaces. Participants will then transition into a collaborative, scenario-based challenge—working together to process mock evidence, interpret findings, and reconstruct the events leading to a homicide. The objective: identify the perpetrator before time runs out. Designed to be both educational and engaging for forensic professionals, this session blends hands-on application with real-world complexity in a fun, fast-paced environment.

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Mastering DNA Testimony: Preparing for the Courtroom

"Mastering DNA Testimony: Preparing for the Courtroom" is designed to equip DNA analysts with the essential skills and knowledge needed to deliver clear, confident, and credible testimony. Participants will gain a broad understanding of the legal landscape surrounding DNA evidence, with insights into current trends, advancements in technology, and key considerations when presenting scientific findings in court. The session will cover best practices for preparing testimony, communicating scientific concepts effectively to judges and juries, and collaborating with legal teams. Analysts will also explore common pitfalls, challenges during testimony, and the importance of maintaining scientific integrity under pressure. Whether testifying for the prosecution or defense, this presentation will provide valuable insights to ensure DNA analysts are prepared to present their findings with confidence and clarity in the courtroom.

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