Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
Adopting new technology, particularly new software, can often present unforeseen challenges to business owners who have limited experience with this process. In a laboratory setting, leaders not only need to prepare staff for change, but they need to strategically plan for product implementation up to two years before release. This session helps laboratory leaders understand the importance of the following steps necessary for successful technology adoption: defining their business requirements for the software/hardware both thoroughly and early; assigning a competent leader to the product development team representing the laboratory; and sufficiently testing the product to ensure it meets all requirements prior to release.
This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on February 13, 2025.
(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)
Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
Successful leadership is more than just managing people—it’s about assembling the right team, placing individuals in roles where they thrive, and fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration. This session explores key leadership principles based on the concept of "getting the right people on the bus" and ensuring they are in the right seats. Strategies for identifying talent, aligning team strengths with organizational goals, and creating an environment where individuals feel empowered to contribute their best are discussed. Whether you’re building a new team or refining an existing one, these insights will provide practical takeaways for cultivating high-performing teams that drive success.
This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on March 11, 2025.
(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)
Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
While forensic DNA analysis can identify an individual(s) at a crime scene, it cannot identify the biological source from which that DNA was obtained – e.g. blood, saliva, or semen. Identification of the biological source of DNA can provide important contextual information for forensic investigations as well as evidence in court. Nearly all current methods used for body fluid identification are presumptive. Here we present a new proteomic mass spectrometry method for the confirmatory identification of blood, saliva, and semen.
This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on December 7, 2023.
(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)
Source: US National Institute of Justice (video statements)
It is well-known that bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) on textiles is difficult and subject to many errors or misinterpretations. In this webinar, we probe the reason for this and suggest useful information that a bloodstain pattern analyst may be able to extract from the observed bloodstains. The data set demonstrates the roles of drop volume and impact speed in bloodstain formation on textiles.
This webinar was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on December 12, 2023.
(Opinions or points of view expressed represent the speaker and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Any product or manufacturer discussed is presented for informational purposes only and do not constitute product approval or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Justice.)
Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee question Minister for Water and Flooding Emma Hardy MP as part of their inquiry into reforming the water sector.
Following reports that the UK has suffered its worst ever year for wildfires, the Committee continues to push Defra for solutions on how land and food will be protected.
For more information please visit https://committees.parliament.uk/event/24963/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/
Briefing by Shannon O’Hara, Head of Strategy and Coordination for OCHA Afghanistan, on Afghanistan Earthquake.
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The Head of Strategy and Coordination for OCHA in Afghanistan, Shannon O’Hara, announced that a response plan to the recent earthquakes in Afghanistan “is being finalized and will be launched tomorrow to cover immediate lifesaving needs,” and stressed that “flexibility and speed are critical.”
Upon her return from a field visit to the World Food Programme’s (WFP) hub that’s being established in Mazar Dara, in Kunar Province, O’Hara said the goal of the visit was to “provide key response enablers for scaling up, including an UNHAS helicopter to ensure humanitarian and supplies can reach these areas.”
She told journalists in New York that “the only road in and out is a narrow single lane track carved into the mountainside” which “was blocked by large rocks from landslides and many vehicles trying to get up and down the valley, including large trucks overloaded with humanitarian assistance rushing to get to the most affected areas.”
The OCHA official said, “as we drove towards the epicentre, we saw families walking in the opposite direction, displaced, carrying what little they could. Many were still wearing the same clothes from the night of the earthquake. Mothers and fathers were carrying their children, some with fresh bandages covering their injuries.”
Upon reaching Mazar Dara, she said, “the smell of dead animals from the surrounding villages was overwhelming.”
O’Hara said, “we saw families whose lives had been shattered. Just within a few minutes, the earthquake had destroyed their homes, their farms and their livelihoods, leaving them with absolutely nothing. The conditions on the ground there are dire. Some families are living in crowded tents, while many are sleeping under the open skies, exposed to rain and cold. There was no clean drinking water and no sanitation. With cholera endemic in the region and initial assessments indicating that 92 percent of these communities are practicing open defecation, the potential for a cholera outbreak is alarming.”
She said, “if we don’t act now, these communities may not survive the coming winter. Additional funding is urgently needed. Without immediate support, the weeks ahead risk compounding this tragedy, with preventable disease outbreaks further displacement and additional loss of life.”
On 31 August, a 6+ magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan. The death toll has risen to 1,400, with more than 3,500 injured. Entire communities have been flattened. Humanitarians are on the ground, ramping up their response. The UN’s Emergency Fund (CERF) has released $5million to kickstart the response but more is desperately needed.
