FSA and SGA Sponsored Annual Trip

Every spring, FSA attends the annual conference held by AAFS. The theme for the meeting varies year to year, based on current events and important news. Past examples include:

• 2008 - Washington, DC - "The Forensic Sciences - An International Treasure"
• 2007 - San Antonio - "Forensic Science in a Global Community: Issues and Advances"
• 2006 - Seattle - “Mass Disasters: Natural and Man Made”
• 2005 - New Orleans - “21st Century Crime - 21st Century Forensic Science”
• 2004 – Dallas - “Truth and Justice in the Balance: Forensic Scientists as the Counterpoise”
• 2003 – Chicago - “The Role of Forensic Science in the Investigation of Terrorism and Terrorist Acts”

This year, the conference will be held in Denver, CO from February 16-21, 2009. The theme for the 2009 conference will be announced shortly.

Twenty members from FSA attended the 2008 Conference in Washington, DC. We can only take a small number of people due to the limited funding provided by SGA.

Members are encouraged to attend the conference for many reasons: education, networking, and exposure to the forensic science field in a "real life" setting which will enable the student to correlate what they learn at UCF to what technology and procedures are currently being used in the field.

At the conference lectures are given in many disciplines: Criminalistics, Engineering Sciences, General, Jurisprudence, Odontology, Pathology/Biology, Physical Anthropology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, Questioned Documents and Toxicology. The lectures encompass recently completed or ongoing research and/or case studies that can be educational to the forensic scientist.

Student Affiliate members of AAFS will receive invitations to award ceremonies and other events at the conference and are strongly encouraged to attend. These invitations will come from AAFS directly.

FSA Members will fill out an application and and submit it to FSA officers when the selection process begins along with a non-refundable deposit. Many factors are weighed to determine who would benefit the most by attending the conference; some factors include expected graduation date, classes completed which will enable the student to understand/grasp what is covered in the lectures, date the application is received, club participation, etc.

Student Government has been kind enough to assist FSA for a number of years to assist with funding for the trip. Along with their assistance, the remainder of the trip will be paid by fund-raising efforts and out-of-pocket money by attending members.

Those who will not receive FSA/SGA funding are welcome to join us at the conference if they are able. SGA also grants individual students funding for conferences. Please visit sga.ucf.edu for more information. The form to fill out is the Conference Registration & Travel (CRT) form. You will fill it out as an individual. We wish that FSA could sponsor everyone that wanted to attend, however it is just not financially feasible.

Visit AAFS.org for more information on AAFS, other related events, and other forensic science links.