All of our webinars, reports, podcast episodes, and other educational resources are available to the public at no cost.
Funding for the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence has been provided by the National Institute of Justice.
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2023 National Forensic Science Week Murder Mystery Event
← Back to Main Page Overview As part of National Forensic Science Week 2023 (September 18-22, 2023), the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) is offering a murder mystery event! For this year’s murder mystery, we will be reopening a…
2023 National Forensic Science Week Spot the Differences
← Back to Main Page Overview Attention to detail is an essential skill across forensic disciplines. Can you spot the differences between the original and altered images below? How many differences can you find? Game Instructions How to Play (Online): …
2023 National Forensic Science Week Puzzle In the Courtroom Wordsearch
← Back to Main Page ← Back to All Puzzles Page Puzzle Instruction To view and complete the puzzle in a separate window, click the expanding arrows in the tool bar above the puzzle title. To input your answers click…
2023 Graduate Research Symposium and Poster Session
← Back to Main Page Overview This event originally occurred on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 Welcome to the 2023 Forensic Science Graduate Research Symposium and Poster Session hosted by the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE)! In 2022, the FTCOE…
2023 National Forensic Science Week Puzzle In the Courtroom Crossword
← Back to Main Page ← Back to All Puzzles Page Puzzle Instruction To view and complete the puzzle in a separate window, click the expanding arrows in the tool bar above the puzzle title. To input your answers select…
Implementation Workshop: TOF/QTOF Mass Spectrometry for Identification, Screening, and Confirmation in Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry
Overview Wednesday, October 18, 2023 | 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM Eastern Time-of-Flight and Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (TOF/QTOF-MS) systems can be a powerful, versatile analytical technology for forensic science service providers (FSSPs) with proper setup and use. Even for…
2023 National Forensic Science Week Interview Montage
← Back to Main Page Overview In the past, the FTCOE has released written interviews with forensic practitioners in various stages of their career and working in various forensic disciplines. This year, we created a video comprised of multiple interviews with forensic practitioners from seasoned subject matter experts to young professionals early…
2023 National Forensic Science Week Puzzles
← Back to Main Page Overview Each day, the FTCOE will release a crossword and wordsearch puzzle with fun forensic science themes that incorporate some terminology trivia and stress relieving activities for all ages. Find the Terms wordsearches offer a…
2023 National Forensic Science Week Teacher How-To Guides
← Back to Main Page Overview Calling all science teachers! Are you looking for fun, forensic activities and experiments that you can use with your class or share with fellow forensic science enthusiasts? This year for National Forensic Science Week,…
2023 National Forensic Science Week
Overview National Forensic Science Week (September 18-22, 2023) recognizes the contribution that forensic science makes to the criminal justice system. It is an opportunity to celebrate academic programs, forensic professionals, and scientific research in the various forensic disciplines. Throughout the…
Cannabinoid Conundrums Webinar Series Expert Panel
← Back to Webinar Series Page Thursday, August 3, 2023 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EasternDuration: 2 hours Overview In the final installment of this webinar series, it is time to tackle the cannabinoid conundrums. Both public perception of…
Cannabinoid Pharmacology: Three Decades of Controlled Human Cannabinoid Administration Studies
← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on August 1, 2023 Duration: 1 hour Overview Important research findings of three decades of controlled human cannabinoid administration studies conducted at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National…
Vaping in the Weeds: The Merging of the E-cigarette and Cannabis Industries
← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on June 29, 2023 Duration: 1 hour Overview The modern e-cigarette was developed for the vaping of nicotine. The nicotine e-cigarette device and associated e-liquids were federally unregulated until 2016.…
Development of Analytical Methods for Measuring Δ9-THC in Cannabis Products
← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on Tuesday, June 27, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview With the passage of the 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act (Farm Bill), forensic laboratories have been tasked with differentiating seized cannabis samples as…
All Is Not Pot That’s Green: An Overview of THC Isomers
← Back to Webinar Series Page This webinar originally occurred on June 15, 2023Duration: 1 hour Overview THC isomers, also known as THC analogs or semi-synthetic cannabinoids, are a group of compounds structurally related to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) that are often…
Criminal Justice and Public Health Response for Emerging Drug Threats
Overview In a joint effort with the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP), FTCOE develops capabilities that meet the needs of forensic science organizations to improve collaborations across the criminal justice and public…
Labeling with Love or Lethal Consequences for CBD Containing Products
← Back to Webinar Series Page Thursday, May 18, 2023 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EasternDuration: 1 hour Overview In this presentation, Dr. Lawrance Mullen will provide a landscape of the public health impact of cannabidiol (CBD), the importance…
Research Clues to Appreciating a New Era of Cannabinoid Conundrums Webinar Series
Overview Use and abuse of various cannabinoids has seen significant growth over the past several years due to the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the Farm Bill. Proliferation of new cannabinoid products derived from cannabidiol has resulted…
ASCLD All Resources
Overview Through a partnership with the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD), the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence has provided a variety of webinars, podcasts, reports, and tools covering a wide array of topics. Webinars ASCLD Train the Director…
2023 NIJ Forensic Science R&D Symposium
Overview The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) assisted the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in hosting the annual NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development (R&D) Symposium on February 14, 2023 at the 75th Annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)…
Scene Investigation Video Vignettes
Overview In partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP, formerly COSSAP), FTCOE and its partners produced a series of short videos on how law enforcement officers, first responders, and other stakeholders…
Investigation & Certification of Drug Toxicity Death Training
Overview Continuing Education Credits Available 3.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ 0.4 IACET Continuing Education Units 3.75 ABMDI Continuing Education Credits The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) engaged the CDC’s federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) –…
2022 Year in Review
A Message from the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence Another year in the books, and so much has happened! In 2022, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) hosted various virtual events and delivered numerous online resources – including 6…
The Sentinel Role of Forensic Toxicology Laboratories to Identify and Act Upon Diverse Drug Threats by Addressing Toxicology and Economic Demands
Publication Forensic Science International: Synergy, September, 2022 Authors Jeri D. Ropero Miller | RTI International Lawrance D. Mullen | RTI International Paul J. Speaker | West Virginia University Introduction The societal costs from substance abuse are extensive and include treatment…
2022 National Forensic Science Week FTCOE Student Research Poster Session
← Back to Main Page Overview Thursday, September 22, 2022 | Posters will be available at 1:00 PM Eastern Welcome to our virtual poster session! As fall semester begins and in honor of National Forensic Science Week (September 18-24, 2022),…
2022 NIJ Forensic Science Graduate Research Symposium
← Back to Main Page Overview This event originally occurred on September 20, 2022 Duration: 2 hours The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has long hosted an annual Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium in which NIJ grantees present their…
2022 National Forensic Science Week Murder Mystery Event
← Back to Main Page Overview As a part of National Forensic Science Week 2022 (September 18-24, 2022), the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) is offering a murder mystery event! Each day of the week, a new evidence-based clue…
2022 National Forensic Science Week Ask an Expert
← Back to Main Page Overview The FTCOE has conducted a variety of written interviews with forensic professionals in various forensic science disciplines. From digital evidence to trace analysis and medicolegal death investigation to DNA analysis, the FTCOE showcases real-world…
2022 National Forensic Science Week
Overview National Forensic Science Week (September 18-24, 2022) recognizes the contribution that forensic science makes to the criminal justice system. It is an opportunity to celebrate academic programs, forensic professionals, and scientific research in the various forensic disciplines. Throughout the…
Medicolegal Death Investigation Partnerships on Overdose Fatality Reviews
Date July 2022 Overview The main purpose of Overdose Fatality Reviews (OFRs) is to review overdose fatalities and find gaps in services to help save lives. They rely on a multi-agency approach to information sharing to accomplish this goal. Upon…
Project ECHO: Applications for the Medicolegal Death Investigation Community and Other Forensic Disciplines
Date October 2022 Overview Similar to the foundational ECHO model designed for primary care providers, ECHO: Overdose Fatality Investigation Techniques (OD-FIT) is designed to promote the rapid dissemination of medicolegal death investigation-specific knowledge for immediate application to overdose casework.1 The ECHO…
Just Forensic Toxicology and Professional Partnerships
Original Release Date: June 17, 2022 In episode seven of our Strengthening the Forensic Workforce season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Karen Scott, an Associate Professor, Forensic Toxicology Consultant, and Director of the Master of Science in Forensic Science…
Currently Applied Naming Conventions for Various Subclassifications of Novel Psychoactive Substances
Date May 2022 Overview The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in partnership with its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) at RTI International and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, convened a virtual Medicolegal Death Investigation Data Exchange Working…
2022 Law Enforcement Drug Response Summit Archive
Overview This Arnold Ventures-supported study aimed to develop a better understanding of law enforcement drug response programs in the United States. As a part of that project, the study team fielded the 2021 National Law Enforcement Drug Response Survey, to…
Drug Use Impact on Native People in Minnesota
This webinar originally occurred on May 10, 2022 Duration: 1 hour Overview This presentation will review substance use disorder treatment admissions and impacts on Native people residing in Minnesota. Special attention will be paid to the geographic areas of the…
Reports of Adverse Events Associated with Use of Novel Psychoactive Substances, 2017–2020: A Review
Publication Journal of Analytical Toxicology, April 2022 Authors Amanda L A Mohr | Center for Forensic Science Research and Education Barry K Logan | Center for Forensic Science Research and EducationMelissa F Fogarty | Center for Forensic Science Research and…
Just FEPAC Accreditation and Forensic Chemistry Programs
Original Release Date: May 6, 2022 In episode one of our Strengthening the Forensic Workforce season, Just Science sat down with Dr. José Almirall, a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Director of the National…
2022 NIJ Forensic Science R&D Symposium
Overview The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) assisted the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in hosting the annual NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development (R&D) Symposium on March 1st & 2nd, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern.…
Medical Examiner and Coroner Outsourcing Study – A Qualitative Study and Cost-Benefit Analysis
Date January 2022 Overview Medical examiners and coroners (MECs) are often at the center of highly stressful and emotional situations as a part of their daily job duties. Those events are compounded by continued and escalating high caseloads and inadequate…
2021 Year in Review
A Message from the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence Another year in-the-books and so much has happened! In 2021, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) hosted a wide range of virtual events and offered online resources amidst an ongoing pandemic. With…
Use of Rapid Toxicology Screening Tools in Medical Examiner/Coroner Offices
Date November 2021 Overview All medical examiner/coroner (ME/C) offices must make difficult decisions when allocating resources for timely, complete medicolegal death investigations. In some cases, toxicological analysis of a decedent’s biological specimens (e.g., blood, urine, tissue) can help determine cause…
2021 Forensic Science Research Federal Stakeholders Public Meeting
Overview The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in partnership with the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE), held a Forensic Science Research Federal Stakeholders meeting on November 8, 2021 from 9:00AM…
Death Certification by the Medical Examiner/Coroner in Drug-Related Deaths
← Back to MDI Webinar Series This webinar originally occurred on November 30, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Considering the steadily rising number of overdose deaths in recent years, public health systems rely on the vital role of medicolegal death…
Sam Quinones | International Award-Winning Author – The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth
This webinar originally occurred on October 28, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Sam Quinones is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist and an international award-winning author of four books of narrative nonfiction. Quinones’ latest book, The Least of Us: True Tales…
2021 National Forensic Science Week Murder Mystery Event
← Back to Main Page Overview As a part of National Forensic Science Week 2021 (September 19-25, 2021), the FTCOE is offered a murder mystery event! Each day of the week, a new evidence-based clue was revealed on the website…
2021 National Forensic Science Week Practitioner Interviews
← Back to Main Page Overview The FTCOE has conducted a variety of written interviews with forensic professionals in various stages of their careers. From recent graduates to retired professionals, the FTCOE showcases real-world perspectives on the current state of…
2021 National Forensic Science Week
Overview National Forensic Science Week (September 19-25, 2021) recognizes the contribution that forensic science makes to the criminal justice system. It is an opportunity to celebrate academic programs, forensic professionals, and scientific research in the various forensic disciplines. Throughout the…
2021 National Forensic Science Week FTCOE Student Research Poster Session
← Back to Main Page Overview As fall semesters are getting back into session and in honor of the upcoming National Forensic Science Week (September 19-25, 2021), the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) would like to highlight student research…
Multiple Perspectives on Overdose Fatality Reviews
This webinar originally occurred on July 27, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar provided an overview of overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) with a specific focus on engaging partnerships with coroners, medical examiners, and medicolegal death investigators. The presenters highlighted…
Working Group on Data Exchange in Medicolegal Death Investigation
Working Group on Data Exchange in Medicolegal Death Investigation The National Institute of Justice and its Forensic Technology Center of Excellence convene the Working Group on Data Exchange in Medicolegal Death Investigation in collaboration with and supported by the Centers…
Novel Psychoactive Substance Naming Conventions & Challenges
This webinar originally occurred on July 22, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) present many challenges for the forensic scientist, including the various ways that they are named and how those names are used – both scientifically…
Just Seized Drugs and Toxicology Portfolio
Original Release Date: June 4, 2021 In episode one of our 2021 NIJ R&D and Beyond mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Frances Scott, a physical scientist in the Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences at the National…
Just a Guide to Sexual Assault Response Reform
Original Release Date: April 30, 2021 In episode three of our 2021 Sexual Assault Awareness Month mini season, Just Science sat down with Dr. Patricia Melton, co-director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Training and Technical Assistance program, to…
Just a Survivor’s Perspective and Reflection
Original Release Date: April 16, 2021 In episode one of our 2021 Sexual Assault Awareness Month mini season, Just Science sat down with author, non-profit founder, and sexual assault survivor Natasha Alexenko to discuss her book, A Survivor’s Journey, and the importance…
2021 NIJ Forensic Science R&D Symposium
Overview The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) assisted the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in hosting the annual NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development (R&D) Symposium on February 16, 2021 from 10:00 AM Eastern to 5:40 PM Eastern. NIJ…
Just Polysubstance Use and the Importance of Data Trends
Original Release Date: March 26, 2021 In episode ten of the 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season, Just Science interviews Josh Yohannan, a forensic chemist and expert in emerging drug trends, about polysubstance use in the opioid overdose epidemic. Polysubstance use dramatically increases the potential for overdose…
Just Addressing the Stigma of Substance Abuse Disorder
Original Release Date: March 19, 2021 In episode nine of the 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season, Just Science interviews Clarence Jordan, the Vice President of Wellness and Recovery at Beacon Health Options, to discuss stigma and its impact to programs designed to support those…
Just the DEA National Forensic Laboratory Information System
Original Release Date: March 12, 2021 In episode eight of the 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season, Just Science interviews DeMia Pressley from the DEA’s Diversion Control Division to discuss the importance of information sharing across law enforcement and public health agencies through…
Just Building Policy From The Ground Up
Original Release Date: March 5, 2021 In episode seven of the 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season, Just Science interviews Dr. Alex Kral, an infectious disease epidemiologist at RTI International, about innovative policy solutions to improve outcomes for people with substance use disorder. Community-based research takes place…
FLN-TWG: LC-MS-Based Forensic Toxicology Screening
← Back to FLN-TWG Main Page Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG) The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in partnership with the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) at RTI International, formed the Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group…
Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG)
Supporting NIJ’s Mission to Improve Knowledge and Understanding The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in partnership with the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) at RTI International, formed the Forensic Laboratory Needs Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG). The FLN-TWG supports NIJ’s…
Just Alternative Crisis Response: One Community’s Experience
Original Release Date: February 26, 2021 In episode six of the 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season, Just Science interviews Tim Black of the White Bird Clinic in Eugene, Oregon about the CAHOOTS program, a community-based public safety model that provides…
The ROI from Reducing Turnaround Time for Processing DUI: Drug Cases
Date February 2021 Overview From the opioid crisis to legalization of marijuana to the continuing evolution in the abuse of drugs, the societal costs from substance abuse is extensive. This includes societal costs from treatment, healthcare, lost productivity, death, and…
Just Partnerships To Enhance Overdose Fatality Review
Original Release Date: February 19, 2021 In episode five of the 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season, Just Science interviews Dr. Mallory O’Brien, Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, to discuss how partnerships can enhance Overdose Fatality Reviews. The National Violent Death…
Just the Story of the Healthy Grandfamilies Project
Original Release Date: February 12, 2021 In episode four of the 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season, Just Science sat down with Bonnie Dunn, Co-Director of the West Virginia Healthy Grandfamilies Project, to discuss a free initiative that provides information and resources to grandparents who…
Just The Importance of Identifying Emerging Drug Threats
Original Release Date: February 5, 2021 In episode three of the 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season, Just Science sat down with Amanda Mohr and Dr. Alex Krotulski from the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education to discuss the analytical and interpretative challenges associated with emerging…
Structural Characterization of Emerging Synthetic Drugs by Mass Spectrometry
This webinar originally occurred on March 5, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview The main focus of this webinar is on the use of isotope labeling, multi-stage mass spectrometry (MSn), ion spectroscopy, and accurate mass measurements with high resolution mass spectrometry…
Just the Intersection of Opioids and Illicit Stimulants Part 2
Original Release Date: January 29, 2021 This week, in episode two of our 2021 Illicit Substance Use Response season Just Science continues the conversation with Dr. Jon Zibbell as he discusses the American history of drug epidemics, what we can learn from past stimulant crises, and the…
Preemptive Approach to Combatting and Characterizing Emerging Synthetic Opioids
This webinar originally occurred on February 8, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview This webinar described how preemptive synthesis and characterization of potent psychoactive substances from the literature can aid forensic scientists in the identification of unknowns appearing in samples emerging…
Novel Synthetic Opioids in Oral Fluid: Analytical Methods and Prevalence
This webinar originally occurred on February 11, 2021 Duration: 1 hour Overview Opioid use has risen dramatically, creating public safety concerns. Synthetic opioids can be hundreds of times more potent than heroin and can produce severe intoxications and even fatalities…
2020 Year in Review
A Message from the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence 2020 was a big year for the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence. With five podcast seasons, a full research and development symposium, our first virtual conference, eight reports, and over thirty…
2020 SWAFS Virtual Conference
Overview In October 2020, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) helped the Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists (SWAFS) host their first virtual conference. This event, which saw over 1,400 unique attendees across three days, covered a multitude of topics…
Just Analyzing Beverages for Cannabinoids
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: April 3, 2020 In episode three of our 2020 NIJ R&D season, Just Science interviews Dr. Carl Wolf from the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals about 40 plus ways NOT to…
2020 NIJ Forensic Science R&D Symposium
Overview The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) assisted the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in hosting the annual NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development (R&D) Symposium on February 18th, 2020 at the 72nd Annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences…
The hidden costs of the opioid crisis and the implications for financial management in the public sector
Publication Forensic Science International: Synergy, September 2019 Authors Jeri D. Ropero-Miller | RTI International Paul J. Speaker | John Chambers College of Business & Economics Abstract The November 2017 release of the Council of Economic Advisers’ White House report on…
ASCLD Train the Director – Toxicology: Instrumentation, Methodology, and Workflows
← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on February 6, 2020 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Legacy workflows in toxicology generally involve a drug class screen followed by a gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC/MS-MS) confirmation…
2019 National Institute of Justice Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium
Date February 2019 Overview The 2019 National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Forensic Science Research and Development (R&D) Symposium is intended to promote collaboration and enhance knowledge transfer of NIJ-funded research. The NIJ Forensic Science R&D Program funds both basic or…
NPS Discovery Toolkit
Overview Welcome to the NPS Discovery toolkit developed for RTI’s Center for Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) and the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) at the Fredric Rieders Family Foundation. The purpose of the toolkit is…
UNODC Early Warning Alert System: Forensic Tools for New Psychoactive Substances
← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on December 3, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Early Warning Advisory (EWA) on new psychoactive substances (NPS) was launched in June 2013 as…
Forensic Epidemiology: Monitoring Fatal Drug Overdose Trends
← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on February 11, 2020 Duration: 1 hour Overview Given the vital role of medical examiners and coroners (ME/C) in recognizing emerging trends in drug overdose deaths, partnering epidemiologists with ME/C offices can…
Best Practices in Novel Psychoactive Substances Testing for Laboratory Practitioners
Date September 2019 Overview New psychoactive substances (NPS) have always presented a challenge to analytical laboratories tasked with identifying drugs in biological and nonbiological material. The pace at which new compounds appeared on the illicit drug market increased exponentially in…
Improving National Laboratory Capability and Capacity to Measure Human Exposure to Synthetic Opioids
← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on September 3, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview The CDC laboratory at the National Center for Environmental Health is collaborating with public, private, and academic laboratories to respond to the opioid overdose…
Opioids & Emerging Drug Threats – Integrating Public Safety and Health Data for a Forensic Response Webinar Series
Overview Building on the momentum of the National Opioid and Emerging Drug Threats Policy and Practice Forum held earlier this year in Washington, D.C., the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) will assist the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in…
The Opioid Epidemic: An Update from the Coroner/ME Perspective
This webinar originally occurred on July 24, 2019Duration: 50 minutes Overview Between 2016 and 2017, overdose deaths increased from 63,632 to 70,237. Of these, 47,600 overdose deaths involved opioids. In 2017, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and the District of…
Understanding the Impact of Drug Background Levels in Forensic Laboratories
← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on August 13, 2019 Duration: 2 hours Overview As drugs become increasingly potent and analytical instrumentation becomes more sensitive, the need to understand and monitor drug background levels is becoming imperative. Background…
Using ODMAP to Harness Data and Accelerate Action
← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on July 16, 2019 Duration: 1 hour Overview The Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) provides near real-time suspected overdose surveillance data across jurisdictions to support public safety and to mobilize an…
Just Screening Blood and Urine
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: June 13, 2019 In episode five of our 2019 NIJ R&D season, Just Science interviews Dr. Rebecca Wagner, a researcher at the Virginia Department of Forensic Sciences in Richmond, about a comparison of…
Emerging Research in Toxicology & Drugs
← Back to Series This webinar originally occurred on April 23, 2019 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview Forensic science research and development plays a key role in the advancement of the practice of forensic science, as noted by the 2009 National…
Paper Microfluidic Devices for Fieldable Forensic Testing
This webinar originally occurred on October 3, 2018 Duration: 1 hour Overview A suite of paper microfluidic devices for detecting explosives, drugs and serology has now been developed. These devices are not much larger than a postage stamp and can…
Novel Forensic Chemistry Research from Early-Career Scientists
This webinar originally occurred on September 19, 2018 Duration: 1.5 hours Overview National Forensic Science Week recognizes the contribution that forensic science makes to the criminal justice system. Throughout the week, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) will be…
Making a Forensic Scientist: A Recipe for Success
This webinar originally occurred on September 21, 2018 Duration: 2 hours Overview This webinar will discuss the challenges facing forensic science today and provide advice for entry-level practitioners on skills needed to succeed as a forensic scientist. National Forensic Science…
Just Opioid Financial Burden on Crime Labs
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: July 11, 2018 In episode twelve of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science speaks to Dr. Paul Speaker, from West Virginia University, about the economic burden our justice system has from…
Webinar: Identifying Seized Drugs using Mass Spectral Library Searching
This webinar originally occurred on August 7th, 2018 Duration: 1 hour Overview The rapid spread of designer drugs has introduced significant identification challenges to the forensic science community. This webinar discusses how Mass Spectrometry and the “Hybrid Search” can be…
Just Classifying Emerging Compounds
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: July 2, 2018 In episode eleven of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science visits Atlanta for the 45th Annual ASCLD symposium to visit with Dr. Barry Logan, Sr. Vice President of…
Just Fentanyl Lab Fads with ASCLD
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: June 25, 2018 In episode ten of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science visits Atlanta for the 45th Annual ASCLD symposium to talk with the Orange County, California Laboratory Director, and…
Just Solving the Opioid Crisis
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: June 18, 2018 In episode nine of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science discusses the Opioid Epidemic with RTI International’s Dr. Gary Zarkin and Dr. Jeri Ropero-Miller. Solving the United State’s…
Three Part Online Workshop Series: Best Practices Guidance for Advancing Research Initiatives and Combatting the Synthetic Drug Epidemic
Overview The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) is a world-leading center in novel drug identification and interpretation. The CFSRE is working in association with NIJ’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE), led by RTI International, to deliver…
Just Chasing the E-Cig Dragon
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: June 12, 2018 In episode eight of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science discusses research in the area of e-cigarettes with Dr. Michelle Peace. Vaping, the act of inhaling vapor from…
Just Alcohol and Witness Recall
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: June 4, 2018 In episode seven of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science discusses with Dr. Nadja Schreiber Compo, an associate professor at Florida International University, her research on the effects…
Just the State of Pathology
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: May 29, 2018 In episode six of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science speaks with Dr. Randy Hanzlick of the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office in Atlanta explores the field of…
Just Doobious Driving
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: May 21, 2018 In episode five of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science interviews Jennifer Knudsen, Colorado’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor, and Glenn Davis, the Highway Safety Manager for the Colorado Department…
Just Liver Die
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: May 14, 2018 In episode four of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science interviews Dr. Carl Wolf, from the Medical College of Virginia Commonwealth University to discuss his NIJ funded research,…
Just Electronic Dance Music Festivals
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: May 7, 2018 In episode three of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science interviews Alex Krotulski, a research scientist, and Amanda Mohr, a Forensic Scientist 2, at the Center for Forensic…
Conference Proceedings: 2018 Research and Development Symposium
Date April 2018 Overview The 2018 National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Forensic Science Research and Development (R&D) Symposium is intended to promote collaboration and enhance knowledge transfer of NIJ-funded research. The NIJ Forensic Science R&D Program funds both basic or…
Just Drug Courts
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: April 30, 2018 In episode two of our 2018 Drugs Season, Just Science interviews Preeti Menon, the Senior Associate Director at the Justice Programs Office, a center in the School of…
Just Field Identification Drug Officer
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: April 23, 2018 In episode one we kick off our 2018 Drugs Season. Topics will range from legalization of marijuana in relation to police officers, the opioid epidemic, Electronic Dance Music…
2018 NIJ R&D Symposium Series Controlled Substances & Toxicology
← Back to Series Overview Morning Session II: Controlled Substances & Toxicology The NIJ Research and Development (R&D) Program funds both basic or applied R&D projects that will: (1) increase the body of knowledge to guide and inform forensic science…
Regional Fentanyl Trends, Safety & Field Testing Technology
← Back to Series Overview Regional fentanyl trends in Phoenix and Pittsburgh will be discussed along with safety concerns with unknown white powders. Handheld field testing technology will also be discussed including RAMAN and IMS. This webinar will discuss trends…
Collaboration in the Fight Against Fentanyl
← Back to Series Overview This webinar will identify partnerships and innovative efforts in the whole of government approach to identify and interdict fentanyl analogs, as well as to heighten awareness and strengthen legal mechanisms for dealing with the illicit…
The NC Statewide Medical Examiner System Laboratory Approach
← Back to Series Overview This webinar will focus on the North Carolina Medical Examiner System and the toxicology laboratory that serves the system. Included will be information on the changing landscape of death certification and changes to the laboratory…
2018 NIJ Forensic Science R&D Symposium
Overview The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) assisted the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in hosting the annual NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development (R&D) Symposium on February 20th, 2018 at the 70th Annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences…
The Opioid Overdose Epidemic in America: CDC Response
← Back to Series Overview In this Webinar, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will present an overview of the opioid overdose epidemic and its public health burden, followed by a description of the multi-faceted public health approach.…
The Industry’s Role in Responding to the Opioid Crisis
← Back to Series Overview This webinar will describe the role that the reference material manufacturer plays by providing the tools needed to respond to the current opioid epidemic. Whether by rapidly providing authentic reference standards of novel emerging drugs…
Making The Case For Prevention: Fighting The Opioid Epidemic
← Back to Series Overview This webinar focuses on universal and primary prevention efforts to address prescription drug misuse and abuse; and the use of innovative analytic techniques to evaluate their effectiveness. The current response to the opioid epidemic has…
Just Case Studies: A Mother’s Tale – Part 2
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: September 18, 2017 In the fourth episode of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Mike Weber, an investigator with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office in the Crimes Against Children…
Just Case Studies: A Mother’s Tale – Part 1
← Back to Just Science Podcast Original Release Date: September 18, 2017 In the third episode of our Case Studies season, Just Science sat down with Mike Weber, an investigator with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office in the Crimes…
Opioids and Death Investigation: A “Perfect Storm”
← Back to Series Overview The scope of the opioid epidemic presents unprecedented challenges to the medical examiner and coroner community. This webinar will explore the intersection of the opioid epidemic with the work of America’s medical examiners and coroners.…
Strategies & Considerations for Trace Detection of Fentalogs
← Back to Series Overview This webinar provides strategies & considerations for the trace detection of fentanyl and its analogs. The focus will be on TD-DART-MS and IMS analysis as well as understanding the fate of fentanyl residues that are…
OPIOID CRISIS – A PUBLIC HEALTH ENEMY WEBINAR SERIES
Overview Rates of opioid use and misuse have reached epidemic proportions and are impacting many aspects of both criminal justice and forensic sciences programs. Opioid addiction is the driving force behind this increase in use with more than 2.5 million…
Opioid Substances: A Threat to Animal Welfare & Safety
← Back to Series Overview The opioid crisis has impacted animal welfare and safety several ways. This webinar will review risks to pets of opioid abusers and working K9s and will make recommendations to help keep K9s safe, including risk…
Dreamland – Sam Quinones Explores America’s Opiate Epidemic
← Back to Series Overview Sam Quinones is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist and author of three books of narrative nonfiction. His latest book is Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic (Bloomsbury, 2015), for which he traveled across…
Fentalogs – Pharmacology, Toxicology & Analytical Approaches
← Back to Series Overview We will review the chemistry of fentanyl, its analogs and precursors, their pharmacology and relative potency, and approaches to identifying novel fentanyl analogs in forensic toxicology casework. Fentanyl and its analogs, sometimes called “The Fentalogs”,…
Opioids and the Drain on Laboratory Resources
← Back to Series Overview This webinar uses data from Project FORESIGHT to examine the effects of the opioid crisis on the demands for laboratory resources and the direct and indirect effects on the work of forensic laboratories. The dramatic…
Identify Synthetic Opioids using Ambient Ionization TOF-MS
← Back to Series Overview This webinar will present the results of the evaluation of Direct Sample Analysis Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry to provide rapid identification of eighteen fentanyl analogs and related synthetic opioid. As of March 2016, the Drug Enforcement…
Reports of Adverse Events Associated with Use of Novel Psychoactive Substances, 2013–2016: A Review
Date April 2017 Overview Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) represent significant analytical and interpretive challenges to forensic and clinical toxicologists. Timely access to case reports and reports of adverse incidents of impairment or toxicity is imperative to clinical diagnosis and treatment,…
2016 National Institute of Justice Forensic Science Research and Development Symposium
Date July 2016 Overview The 2016 NIJ Research and Development Symposium is intended to promote collaboration and enhance knowledge transfer of NIJ-funded research. The NIJ Research and Development (R&D) Program funds both basic or applied R&D projects that will (1)…
2015 NIJ Forensic Science R&D Symposium
Overview The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) assisted the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in hosting the annual NIJ Forensic Science Research and Development (R&D) Symposium on February 17, 2015 at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) meeting…
A Landscape Study of Mobile Evidential Breath Alcohol Instruments
Date December 2016 Overview This report provides a landscape of select mobile evidential breath alcohol instruments and factors impacting their implementation and use. Specifically, this report provides decision-makers and potential end users with the following: 1) an overview of the technology…
The Abuse of E-Cigs, the Impact On Criminal Justice
Overview E-cigarettes are used as alternatives to traditional cigarettes, for recreational activity, and as a delivery device for other licit or illicit drugs. This forum discussed the problem to public health/criminal justice, how e-cigs work, and other research. They are…