AAFS 2025: Heidi Eldridge Talks About Communications in Forensic Science

The American Academy of Forensic Science (AAFS) Conference, which took place in Baltimore, Maryland, earlier this year, dedicated much of the conference program to discussions about the use of technology. Although technology has certainly played a major role in numerous forensic science disciplines over the past few years in spurring new advancements and changes in how investigations are conducted, the forensic discipline of latent prints has not seen these types of advancements in technology.

Instead, latent print technology has only encountered minor improvements in tools and algorithms. However, Heidi Eldridge, who is a Certified Latent Print Examiner, said to Spectroscopy that the focus in her field is on presenting clearer and more accurate communication of findings.

In this interview clip, Eldridge discusses this shift in priorities, as well as addresses initiatives at the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science that aim to standardize language and expectations across forensic disciplines to enhance consistency and clarity for stakeholders, who often struggle to understand the basis of forensic science and its results.

Eldridge has had an extensive career in forensic science. She started her pursuit of a forensic science career at Duke University, where she received her MS in Biology (1). She then went on to obtain her Ph.D. in Forensic Science from the University of Lausanne (1). She has spent over 11 years in forensic laboratories and seven years as a researcher at RTI International (1). She chairs the Friction Ridge Consensus Body of the ASB, serves on multiple boards, and is a Certified Latent Print Examiner (1). Eldridge is a Fellow of the AAFS and a peer reviewer for several forensic journals (1).

In a couple previous interview segments, Eldridge discussed one of her talks and the current challenges that are directly impacting the forensic science industry (2,3). This interview segment shifts away from the technology that is impacting forensic sciences and instead focuses on a broader issue in the industry.

This interview segment is part of our coverage of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Conference. To view all our coverage from AAFS, click here.

References

1. George Washington University, Heidi Eldridge. GWU.edu. Available at: https://forensicsciences.columbian.gwu.edu/heidi-eldridge (accessed 2025-03-17).
2. Wetzel, W. What You Missed at AAFS 2025. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/what-you-missed-at-aafs-2025 (accessed 2025-03-17).
3. Wetzel, W. AAFS 2025: Heidi Eldridge Talks About Funding Issues in Forensic Science. Spectroscopy. Available at: [Link Coming]. Available at: (accessed 2025-03-17).