About IAFS

The IAFS is a worldwide association of academics and practising professionals from several disciplines in forensic science, that include:

  • Forensic pathologists and death investigators
  • Forensic scientists
  • Professionals working in police, government or private forensic laboratories dealing with fingerprints, DNA, drug analysis, toxicology, firearms, documents, trace evidence, accident reconstruction, etc.
  • Other branches of forensic science, such as forensic psychiatry, forensic anthropology, medical law and bioethics, forensic odontology, forensic scientific research, etc.

The IAFS objectives

  • Continued development of forensic sciences
  • Assist forensic scientists and other professionals to exchange scientific and technical information
  • Organise IAFS meetings every three years

The IAFS history

The IAFS is a not-for-profit, worldwide association, governed by a Council of Past Presidents, elected to organise triennial meetings. Previous Past Presidents and host cities of IAFS are:

  • 1957 F.C. Thomas (Brussels, Belgium)
  • 1957 C.P. Larson
  • 1957-1960 M. Helpern (New York, USA)
  • 1960-1963 F.E. Camps (London, UK)
  • 1963-1966 H. Gormsen (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • 1966-1967 H. Ward Smith
  • 1967-1969 D.M.Lucas (Toronto, Canada)
  • 1969-1972 T.K. Marshall (Edinburgh, UK)
  • 1972-1975 H. Hartmann (Zürich, Switzland)
  • 1975-1978 W.G. Eckert (Wichita, USA)
  • 1978-1981 J. Chr. Giertsen (Bryggen, Norway)
  • 1978-1984 S.S.Kind (Oxford, UK)
  • 1984-1987 J.A.J. Ferris (Vancouver, Canada)
  • 1987-1990 W.J. Tilstone (Adelaide, Australia)
  • 1990-1993 W. Bonte (Düsseldorf, Germany)
  • 1993-1996 T. Takatori (Tokyo, Japan)
  • 1996-1999 B.A. J. Fisher (Los Angeles, USA)
  • 1999-2002 E. Bacchino (Montpellier, France)
  • 2002-2005 S.C. Leung (Hong Kong, China)
  • 2005-2008 Ronald L. Singer (New Orleans, USA)
  • 2008-2011 D.N. Vieira (Madeira, Portugal)
  • 2011-2014 H. Chung (Seoul, South Korea)
  • 2014-2017 M.S. Pollanen (Toronto, Canada)