Strengthening Forensic Science Through Connections with the Analytical Sciences

这次研讨会由化学部门赞助，将讨论2009年国家研究委员会题为“加强美国法医学”的报告中提出的与基础科学和教育有关的问题。具体地说，研讨会将集中在化学测量的设计、方法、仪器、数据处理和数据解释方面，以及准备人们在这一努力中有效的教育和研究基础设施。将提出的一个基本问题是，分析测量，特别是应用于包括法医学在内的社会强制测量任务的化学测量，是否未能跟上需求。要解决的问题包括：(i)当前的分析化学方法本质上太慢；（二）制定和颁布的方法过于死板；（iii）所记录的资料因不作解释而被浪费；（iv）坚固和自动化的方法可以在不牺牲分析性能的情况下取代当前的方法；(5)适当的数据处理和先进的计算方法可以最大限度地减少数据采集时间和降低分析成本。这些重要的一般性问题是现代技术结构的基础，有时是持续科学进步的基础。这些问题将在本次研讨会上进行研究，并特别关注法医学中所代表的痕量化学分析的例子。讲习班还将寻求帮助促进新兴的原位、高密度测量分析科学，特别是那些对复杂样品提供快速、直接测量的分析科学。在处理法医学的实践和教育方面，提议的讲习班将及时和充分地集中在与分析化学-仪器分析和化学计量学-最密切相关的法医学领域产生影响。预计法医和分析科学之间加强的关系应该是相互有益的-法医实践和学术研究之间更密切的联系将加强这两个领域。学生对司法科学的热情可以为提高学生对整个科学的热情和兴趣提供一个载体。研讨会将寻求为法医学教育与现代快速分析化学相结合的项目提出具体建议。测量结果的方法将从研讨会与会者那里得到，并包括在正式的研讨会报告中，这是其最重要的产品。

This workshop, sponsored by the Chemistry Division, will address questions related to basic science and education posed in a 2009 National Research Council report entitled "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States." Specifically, the workshop will focus on aspects relating to the design, methodology, instrumentation, data processing, and data interpretation, for chemical measurements, and to the educational and research infrastructure that prepares people to be effective in this endeavor. A fundamental question that will be raised is whether analytical measurements, especially chemical measurements as applied to societally mandated measurement tasks including forensic science, have failed to keep up with demand. Questions to be addressed include whether (i) current analytical chemistry methods are intrinsically too slow; (ii) developed and promulgated methods are inappropriately rigid; (iii) the data being recorded is wasted by going un-interpreted; (iv) rugged and automated methodologies can replace current methods without sacrificing analytical performance; and (v) appropriate data handling and advanced computational methods can minimize data acquisition time and decrease analysis costs. These important general issues are basic to the fabric of modern technology and sometimes underpinning continued scientific progress. These questions will be examined at this workshop with particular attention to examples taken from trace chemical analysis as represented in forensic science. The workshop will also seek to help catalyze the emerging analytical science of in-situ, high density measurements, especially those which provide rapid, direct measurement on complex samples.In addressing both the practice of, and education in, forensic science, the proposed workshop will be both timely and sufficiently focused to have impact in those areas of forensic science most closely allied to analytical chemistry - instrumental analysis and chemometrics. It is anticipated that a strengthened relationship between forensic and analytical science should be mutually rewarding - closer ties between forensic practice and academic research will strengthen both fields. The enthusiasm of students for forensic science can provide a vehicle to increasing enthusiasm for and interest in science as a whole. The workshop will seek to develop specific suggestions for programs that align education in forensics with modern rapid analytical chemistry. Methods for measuring outcomes will be elicited from workshop attendees and included in the formal workshop report, its most significant product.