The people who help shape ISHI’s agenda have a front-row view of where forensic science is heading. So, what are they actually looking forward to?
Three of the four ISHI Advisory Committee members are watching artificial intelligence — but for very different reasons.
Shena Latcham is thinking about cold cases — specifically, the friction of reconstructing them.
“I do cold cases that are 30 to 40 years old, and I find myself scrambling to communicate with people that are retired, to rummage through old paper case files, to merge them with digitized case files.”
The problem isn’t just logistics. It’s that in the process of piecing together history, things get missed. “To have that capability available to take all of that information and categorize it and find trends in findings from past investigators and analysts so that I know how to best move the case forward would be an incredible help.”
Dawn Romano is using AI in limited capacity already and sees room for significantly more. “I think we can use a lot more of it and it will greatly increase our efficiency.”
Pam Marshall is watching two tracks in parallel: AI applied to mixture interpretation, and rapid DNA — particularly what compressed turnaround times mean for victims and families. “The idea that sometimes week long processes can be done in an hour and a half, and you can have that resolution very quickly.”
Her caveat holds the weight: “As long as that tool is used in that appropriate way.”
Meradeth Snow’s answer takes a different shape.
She doesn’t name a technology. She names the stories.
“Some of the things that I enjoy the most are the stories that come out. The ability to really see the successes of other individuals is very inspiring for me. That is something that I know I take home with me.”
She describes it as a seed of hope — something to hold onto “during the rough times when things are frustrating or your DNA is just not doing what you want it to do.”
It’s a reminder that ISHI is not only a technical conference. For a lot of people, it’s where the field makes sense again.
Meet the ISHI Advisory Committee
Dawn Romano is the DNA Technical Lead and Forensic Supervisor of the Biology Unit at Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Forensic Services Division.
Shena Latcham is a Forensic Scientist Supervisor in DNA Casework at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory.
Meradeth Snow, Ph.D. is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Montana, specializing in degraded and ancient DNA, NGS, and forensic investigative genetic genealogy.
Pamela Marshall, Ph.D. is Associate Professor and Director of the Forensic Science and Law Program at Duquesne University and a member of Promega’s Forensic Leadership Alliance.