The National Science Foundation - PowerPoint Presentation

1. The National Science FoundationFundamental Research and Forensic ScienceRebecca Ferrell, Ph.D.Program Director, Biological AnthropologyDivision of Behavioral and Cognitive SciencesSocial, Behavioral and Economic Sciences DirectorateForensic Science Research Federal Stakeholders Meeting, NIJ/OJP, February 12, 2018

2. NSF MissionThe 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$7.5BFY 2017 appropriation93%funds research, education and related activities50,000proposals12,000awards funded2,000NSF-fundedinstitutions300,000NSF-supportedresearchers223Nobel PrizewinnersFund research in all S&E disciplinesFund STEM education & workforce

4. NSF champions research and education across all fields of science and engineeringBiological SciencesEngineeringMathematical & Physical SciencesComputer & Information Science & EngineeringGeosciences (including Polar Programs)Integrative ActivitiesEducation &Human ResourcesSocial, Behavioral & Economic SciencesInternational Science & Engineering

5. NSF big ideas for future investmentRESEARCH IDEASWindows on the Universe:The Era of Multi-messenger AstrophysicsThe Quantum Leap:Leading the Next Quantum RevolutionNavigating the New ArcticUnderstanding the Rules of Life:Predicting PhenotypePROCESS IDEASMid-scale Research Infrastructure Growing Convergent Research at NSFNSF 2050: Seeding InnovationNSF INCLUDES: Enhancing Science and Engineering through DiversityHarnessing Data for 21st Century Science and EngineeringWork at theHuman-TechnologyFrontier: Shaping the Future

6. Shaping work at the human-technology frontier

7. Harnessing data for 21st century science and engineering

8. Understanding the rules of lifePredicting phenotype

9. Growing convergent research at NSF

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

11. 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 BillsOSTP working group (2013)National Commission on Forensic Science (2013-17)NSF and Forensic Science

12. NSF and Forensic ScienceCredit: Paul Morris, NSF Integrative Activities12NSF awards mentioning “forensic science”

13. NSF investments relevant to forensic scienceFY14FY15Training$22 million (n=22)$10 million (n=22)Research and equipment (potential relevance)$5.5 million (n=32)$7 million (n=40)Research and equipment (direct relevance)$7.4 million (n=32)$2.8 million (n=31)

14. Forensic science research by NSF directorateBiological Sciences9%EngineeringMathematical & Physical SciencesComputer & Information Science & EngineeringGeosciences (including Polar Programs)Education &Human ResourcesSocial, Behavioral & Economic Sciences11%13%26%5%14%22%

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 & MPSNSF 13-007 Dear Colleague Letter: National Science Foundation and National Institute of Justice Collaboration in the Social, Behavioral and Forensic SciencesNSF 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 directorateCISECybercrime detectionPattern matchingHuman behaviors and securityImage and video analysisMPSMethods for trace evidence analysisInverse problemMixture modelsAge-at-death estimationPhenotypic variationCognitive biasVisual PerceptionForensic Examiner and Jury BehaviorSBEForensic biology, chemistry, biometrics; technology and applicationsENGEHRCybertraining;Undergraduate research experiencesMRIResearch Instrumentation

17. Forensic Science Research Evaluation Workshop; AAAS-Washington, D.C.; May 26-27, 2015Improve capability within the forensic science community for greater scientific rigor in analytical methods Experimental design and statisticsInterpretation and assessmentPolicy implications and disseminationWays to most effectively evaluate the forensic science literatureNSF award 1533843/Bartick

18. Variation in Human Hair Morphology Within and Among Human PopulationsMicroscopic 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 ExpertiseTo 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/PalmeriSupplemental slides

20. Memory and Jury Deliberation: The Benefits and Cost of Collective RememberingTo 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 & StoneSupplemental slides

21. DNA Examiners: Judgement and InfluenceTo 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 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/LombardiSupplemental slides

23. The Industry University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) ProgramINDUSTRY + ACADEMIA + GOVERNMENTIndustry partners pay a center membership fee to work with university researchers on pre-competitive researchNSF provides funding for administrative costsShared intellectual property across the centerSupports research, research infrastructure, education, and innovationOver 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 funding876Unique members75Active Centers225Research sites6Officially recognized international sites1,586Center trained students hired by members*including other NSF programs and “spin-off” opportunities

25. What value does an IUCRC Offer?Value to Industry MembersHigh value research projects Investment leveragingAccess to all Center intellectual propertyPre-publication research accessSector networkingAccess to students, faculty, facilitiesCenter Pre-Competitive ResearchIndustry MemberSector-Competitive ResearchCenterFaculty ResearchI-U Cooperative Research DomainValue to UniversitiesNew research and education dimensionsStudent recruitment and placement Leveraging for new fundingReady partners for translationMeans to achieve institutional mission

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 TeamJose Almirall, CARFS DirectorProfessor of Chemistry and BiochemistryDirector Emeritus of IFRIFlorida International Universityalmirall@fiu.edu - 305-348-3917Adam Hall, CARFS Associate DirectorProfessor of Chemistry and Chemical BiologyDirector, Core Mass Spectrometry FacilityNortheastern Universitya.hall@northeastern.edu – 617-872-9070Dr. Michael Chambers, University of South AlabamaDr. Moses Schanfield, George Washington UniversityDr. Jeff Tomberline, Texas A&M UniversityDr. Aarone Tarone, Texas A&M UniversityDr. Adeel Jamal, Assistant Director of the FIU Research Site

29. CARFS IAB Members (2017)Innovation through Partnerships

30. CARFS updatesNSF awarded FIU and USA as research sites in July 2017 with NU, GWU and TAMU as affiliate sitesThe FIU research site (NU and GWU affiliates) has recruited 11 members @ $ 25.k/memberThe 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. 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 SiteTotal 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.CARFS Updates

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 requestsCARFS 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 announcementsCARFS 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. SummaryNSF 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. AcknowledgementsNIJ Office of Investigative and Forensic SciencesKelsey Cook; MPS/CHE Program DirectorBrian Borstein and Mark Hurwitz, Law and Social Sciences PDsPrakash Balan, Andre Marshall, Dmitri Perkins, IUCRC PDsNSF Office of Legislative and Public AffairsSBE and BCS Leadership and Communications Staff