Forensic Soil Survey to AAFS Membership

I am Dr. Gwyneth Gordon, an Assistant Research Professor at Arizona State University, an Associate Member of the General Section of the AAFS, and a member of the Geological Materials Task Group of the Trace Materials Subcommittee of the Organization of Scientific Area Committee (OSAC) at NIST.

I am surveying forensic analysts, law enforcement, and the legal community about the current frequency of soil collection for forensic analysis, the methods used for analysis, and what future needs the legal and forensic community may have for this evidence type. Participation is encouraged even if you have never collected or analyzed soil or geological evidence. The survey results will be used in a future AAFS presentation and in peer-reviewed article(s) and may be communicated to law enforcement or government agencies for planning purposes.

This voluntary survey should take about 15 minutes to complete and can be completed anonymously. Optional contact information can be provided but is not required.

If you have any questions about your rights as a subject/participant in this research, or if you feel you have been placed at risk, you can contact the Chair of the Human Subjects Institutional Review Board, through the ASU Office of Research Integrity and Assurance, at (480) 965-6788. Please reference IRB study #00016934. 

To participate in this survey or to find out more, please go to this website https://forms.gle/N6c2qdBWxPPgh2pd7.

I can be reached at gwyneth.gordonasu.edu or at (480) 993-6600.