The National Science Foundation Fundamental Research and Forensic Science

1. The National Science Foundation Fundamental Research and Forensic Science • Rebecca Ferrell, Ph.D. • Program Director, Biological Anthropology • Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences • Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate • Forensic Science Research Federal Stakeholders Meeting, NIJ/OJP, February 12, 2018

2. NSF Mission The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense…"

3. NSF by the numbers 223 Nobel Prize winners 12,000 awards funded $7.5B FY 2017 appropriation 2,000 NSF-funded institutions Fund research in all S&E disciplines funds research, education and related activities 93% 300,000 NSF-supported researchers Fund STEM education & workforce 50,000 proposals

4. NSF champions research and education across all fields of science and engineering Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Mathematical & Physical Sciences Computer & Information Science & Engineering Engineering Geosciences (including Polar Programs) Integrative Activities International Science & Engineering Education & Human Resources Biological Sciences

5. NSF big ideas for future investment RESEARCH IDEAS Windows on the Universe: The Era of Multi-messenger Astrophysics The Quantum Leap: Leading the Next Quantum Revolution Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Shaping the Future Understanding the Rules of Life: Predicting Phenotype Navigating the New Arctic Harnessing Data for 21st Century Science and Engineering PROCESS IDEAS Mid-scale Research Infrastructure NSF 2050: Seeding Innovation NSF INCLUDES: Enhancing Science and Engineering through Diversity Growing Convergent Research at NSF

6. Shaping work at the human-technology frontier

7. Harnessing data for 21st century science and engineering

8. Understanding the rules of life Predicting phenotype

9. Growing convergent research at NSF

10. NSF INCLUDES Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science

11. NSF and Forensic Science • National Academies/National Research Council report (2009) • NSTC Subcommittee on Forensic Science (2009-12) • NSF Director testimony – Senate hearings on NSF and forensic science (2012) • Proposed Senate Legislation (2013-14) Leahy and Rockefeller Bills • OSTP working group (2013) • National Commission on Forensic Science (2013-17)

12. NSF awards mentioning “forensic science” NSF and Forensic Science Credit: Paul Morris, NSF Integrative Activities

13. NSF investments relevant to forensic science

14. Forensic science research by NSF directorate 5% 13% 26% 11% 14% Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Mathematical & Physical Sciences Computer & Information Science & Engineering Engineering Geosciences (including Polar Programs) 22% 9% Education & Human Resources Biological Sciences

15. Dear Colleague Letters(direct or potential relevance to forensic science) • NSF 11-066 Dear Colleague Letter: NSF-NIST Interaction in Basic and Applied Scientific Research in BIO, ENG & MPS • NSF 13-007 Dear Colleague Letter: National Science Foundation and National Institute of Justice Collaboration in the Social, Behavioral and Forensic Sciences • NSF 13-120 Dear Colleague Letter: Forensic Science - Opportunity for Breakthroughs in Fundamental and Basic Research and Education (with NIJ) • NSF 14-066 Dear Colleague Letter - I/UCRCs in Areas Relevant to the Forensic Sciences (with NIJ)

16. Examples of research topics by NSF directorate ENG SBE EHR Forensic biology, chemistry, biometrics; technology and applications Cybertraining; Undergraduate research experiences Age-at-death estimation Phenotypic variation Cognitive bias Visual Perception Forensic Examiner and Jury Behavior CISE MPS Cybercrime detection Pattern matching Human behaviors and security Image and video analysis Methods for trace evidence analysis Inverse problem Mixture models MRI Research Instrumentation

17. Forensic Science Research Evaluation Workshop; AAAS-Washington, D.C.; May 26-27, 2015 • Improve capability within the forensic science community for greater scientific rigor in analytical methods • Experimental design and statistics • Interpretation and assessment • Policy implications and dissemination • Ways to most effectively evaluate the forensic science literature NSF award 1533843/Bartick

18. Variation in Human Hair Morphology Within and Among Human Populations • Microscopic investigation of variability in human scalp hair features that lays the groundwork for future research linking hair form and color with their underlying genetics. • Use of recent technological advances in optical microscopy to identify variation in curl patterns, cross sectional dimensions, cuticle thickness, and orientation of cortical structures within and along the length of the hair shaft. NSF award 1453571/Jablonski

19. Perceptual Categorization in Real-World Expertise Supplemental slides To understand how fundamental perceptual and cognitive mechanisms are tuned and modified by experience and expertise. Relevant for forensic science disciplines that involve a human expert and/or pattern matching. • Latent fingerprint examiners and novices. • What is the normal range of variation in perceptual expertise? • Are there predictive markers of perceptual expertise? NSF award 1257098/Palmeri

20. Memory and Jury Deliberation: The Benefits and Cost of Collective Remembering Supplemental slides To understand how group dynamics and conversation can affect group and individual memory and recall. Relevant for juries. • Mock jurors. • Do previous research findings on other groups hold true for juries? • Are there ways to mitigate biases generated by “collective remembering” in a jury setting? NSF award 1423727/Hirst & Stone

21. DNA Examiners: Judgement and Influence To investigate whether task-irrelevant contextual information can affect scientific decision making. Specifically, does a DNA examiner’s decision about how to test an object for DNA depend on contextual cues such as comments made by police investigators? • Real DNA examiners and mock jurors. • Does contextual information from a simulated criminal case affect DNA analysis outcomes? • Does this information affect how examiners testify, how well jurors understand, and what jurors decide? NSF award 1356899/Koehler

22. Advanced Raman Spectroscopic Methods for the Identification of Trace Evidence Supplemental slides To develop methods for the evaluation of trace evidence and the examination of questioned documents by surface-enhanced Raman scattering. • Non-destructive methods development. • Development of searchable spectral library of substances of forensic interest such as organic dyes and pigments, pharmaceuticals, and drugs of abuse. NSF grant 1402750/Lombardi

23. The Industry University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) Program • INDUSTRY + ACADEMIA + GOVERNMENT • Industry partners pay a center membership fee to work with university researchers on pre-competitive research • NSF provides funding for administrative costs • Shared intellectual property across the center • Supports research, research infrastructure, education, and innovation • Over 70 active I/UCRCs in Engineering and Computer Science; now expanding to other areas: Geology, The Brain, and FORENSIC SCIENCE

24. IUCRC portfolio (2015) 1:42* $1 in member contributions leverage $41 additional dollars in research funding 75 Active Centers 225 Research sites 6 Officiallyrecognized international sites 1,586 Center trained students hired by members 876 Unique members *including other NSF programs and “spin-off” opportunities

25. What value does an IUCRC Offer? I-U Cooperative Research Domain Center Faculty Research Center Pre-Competitive Research Industry Member Sector-Competitive Research Value to Universities • New research and education dimensions • Student recruitment and placement • Leveraging for new funding • Ready partners for translation • Means to achieve institutional mission Value to Industry Members • High value research projects • Investment leveraging • Access to all Center intellectual property • Pre-publication research access • Sector networking • Access to students, faculty, facilities

26. Center for Advanced Research in Forensic Science (CARFS)jointly supported by NSF and NIJ

27. Topical areas: chemistry, molecular biology, entomology, digital forensics, anthropology, psychology

28. CARFS Academic Leadership Team Jose Almirall, CARFS Director Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Director Emeritus of IFRI Florida International University almirall@fiu.edu - 305-348-3917 Adam Hall, CARFS Associate Director Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Director, Core Mass Spectrometry Facility Northeastern University a.hall@northeastern.edu– 617-872-9070 Dr. Michael Chambers, University of South Alabama Dr. Moses Schanfield, George Washington University Dr. Jeff Tomberline, Texas A&M University Dr. AaroneTarone, Texas A&M University Dr. Adeel Jamal, Assistant Director of the FIU Research Site

29. Innovation through Partnerships CARFS IAB Members (2017)

30. CARFS updates • NSF awarded FIU and USA as research sites in July 2017 with NU, GWU and TAMU as affiliate sites • The FIU research site (NU and GWU affiliates) has recruited 11 members @ $ 25.k/member • The USA research site (TAMU affiliate) has recruited 8 members @ $ 25.k/ member • First IAB meeting was held in Miami, FL on the FIU campus with 64 people in attendance (24 IAB representatives, 4 potential IAB members, 11 faculty members in person and 6 faculty by conference call, 6 graduate students, 4 university administrators, 4 NIJ/NSF program managers and 1 NSF evaluator)

31. CARFS Updates • 20 research projects were presented seeking a total of more than $ 600.k in funding requests. • 19 projects were selected (8 at FIU, 2 at NU, 1 at GW, 1 joint project between NU and FIU, 5 at USA and 2 at TAMU). Funding was distributed as follows: • $ 280,000. plus $ 20,000. (in-kind) to FIU/NU/GW Site to fund 12 projects • $ 205,000. plus in-kind to fund USA/TAMU Site • Total Funding for 19 projects was $ 485,000. (plus at least $ 20,000 in-kind) • Maximum overhead permitted is 10% ($ 48,500.) • Total amount awarded to research faculty: $ 436,500.

32. Funding distribution at FIU

33. Funding distribution at NU, GWU and total for FIU research site

34. Funding distribution at USA/TAMU

35. Additional funding requests • CARFS Director has requested Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), Research Experience for Teachers (RET) for summer 2018. • CARFS Director will collaborate with Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) and the University Van Amsterdam (UVA) to submit an international site for CARFS affiliation in 2019. • Collaborations with CADMIM (Microfluidic Engineering IUCRC) have started up with an aim to submit joint proposals in the future.

36. CARFS announcements • CARFS will be hosting a Poster Session and Reception during the upcoming AAFS Conference in Seattle (Wed., Feb. 21 at 6:30 PM in the Grand Ballroom B of the Seattle Sheraton Hotel) • The midyear CARFS IAB meeting will be held in Mobile, AL on the USA campus March 5-7, 2018. Research updates will be presented by all faculty. • CARFS will display a poster during the NIJ poster session during the Pittcon Meeting in Orlando on Thursday, March 1, 2018 in the afternoon. • For more information, visit: forensicresearch.org

37. Summary • NSF supports basic research across all areas of science and engineering, except medical sciences. • For many years, NSF has supported basic research that informs (or has the potential to inform) the forensic science disciplines. • Starting in 2009, NSF’s forensic research efforts have been more visible. • Two DCLs have been published to encourage research communities to work on research questions with forensic science impact. • The Center for Advanced Research in Forensic Science, an Industry University Cooperative Research Center, is now in its first year of research projects.

38. Acknowledgements • NIJ Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences • Kelsey Cook; MPS/CHE Program Director • Brian Borstein and Mark Hurwitz, Law and Social Sciences PDs • Prakash Balan, Andre Marshall, Dmitri Perkins, IUCRC PDs • NSF Office of Legislative and Public Affairs • SBE and BCS Leadership and Communications Staff