Analysis software makes algorithmic decisions that shape how DNA genotype data is interpreted. The AI tools entering forensic workflows require a type of oversight the field is still working out. And analysts who work sexual assault cases rarely hear the investigation described from every angle, including the survivor’s. Three new sessions at ISHI 37 address each of these realities.
DNA Profile Analysis in a Validated Process for Efficiency and Interpretation
Sunday, October 25, 2026 | 8:30 am to 5:00 pm | Rhode Island Convention Center
The genotype calls in a DNA profile reflect decisions the analysis software made. How peaks are filtered. How stutter is modeled. How the number of contributors is estimated. These algorithmic choices shape what the analyst sees and what they interpret. Analysts may work with these tools every day without the structured opportunity to examine how different platforms handle the same data, or what those algorithmic differences mean for the calls that follow.
This full-day workshop offers that examination, and offers a fresh perspective on DNA profile analysis, focusing on enhancing efficiency and accuracy of the analysis process, and the integration of probabilistic genotyping.
Key topics include:
- How DNA profiles are generated – fundamental principles
- Comparing algorithmic variations across different analysis software and how this affects outputs
- Exploring operator tools within FaSTR™ DNA for effective analysis
- Understanding stutter modelling and its role in interpretation and determination of the number of contributors
- Software-automated (FaSTR™ DNA) estimation of the number of contributors to a profile
- Incorporation and use of machine learning in analysis software (FaSTR™ DNA)
- Developing optimized workflows – from analysis to interpretation and beyond
- Validating analysis software for reliable results and laboratory specific requirements
Human Intelligence in the Age of AI: Meaningful Oversight, Trust, and Legal Scrutiny in Forensic Science
Monday, October 26, 2026 | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm | Rhode Island Convention Center
Forensic laboratories are steadily exploring and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their workflows. “AI in forensic science,” however, is not a single, uniform concept. The risks, benefits, and responsibilities associated with AI depend heavily on how, where, and why it is used. Without a clear understanding of context, claims of oversight, reliability, or even usefulness quickly breakdown, particularly under legal scrutiny.
This workshop focuses on the role of human intelligence in ensuring that AI is applied appropriately, interpreted correctly, and defended confidently in court. We will examine how different AI use cases (e.g., screening, prioritization, report generation, or decision assistance) create different expectations for human involvement and accountability. Participants will explore what meaningful human oversight looks like across different use case contexts, and how it can degrade into a superficial “check-the-box” review if human factors are not carefully considered.
Through applied scenarios and discussion, we will address practical questions facing forensic practitioners today: When is human judgment truly independent of the tool? How do cognitive biases and automation effects shape interpretation of AI outputs? What level of understanding is required to explain and defend AI-assisted conclusions? And critically, how can the forensic science community ensure the use of AI is just, fair, and meets the demands placed on it by the law?
The Connective Thread: A Multidisciplinary Conversation on the Role of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | 10:35 am to 11:50 am | Rhode Island Convention Center
Sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) are a critical yet often misunderstood cornerstone of the sexual assault response team. Their role extends far beyond the medical forensic examination — touching every stage of a survivor’s journey and influencing the outcomes of criminal investigations and prosecutions. But what does that role look like through the eyes of those who work alongside them?
Led by an experienced SANE, this year’s ISHI panel brings together a unique and powerful group of voices: a sexual assault survivor, a forensic analyst, a detective, and a prosecutor — each offering their firsthand perspective on what it means to work with a SANE. Under the facilitation of a practitioner who has lived this work from the exam room to the courtroom, panelists will explore how trust, communication, and collaboration across disciplines shape not only the quality of evidence collected, but the experience of the survivor at the center of it all.
SANEs are often described as the connective thread between healing and justice. That description is easier to understand after hearing from everyone the thread runs through.
Register for ISHI 2026
ISHI 37 takes place October 25 to 29, 2026, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Early registration is open through August 22 and saves $200.