CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

Submissions open September 2 - October 3, 2025

The ASCLD Symposium is the only event built exclusively for forensic laboratory leaders. Each year, directors, assistant directors, and supervisors from across the U.S. and around the world gather to learn, collaborate, and shape the future of forensic science.

Presenting at the Symposium is your opportunity to:

Share your expertise with the nation's top decision-makers
Showcase your lessons learned, new research, and innovative approaches
Elevate your visibility as a thought leader in the forensic community

Abstracts are due by October 3, 2025. No late submissions will be accepted.

Submit Your Abstract

Session Formats

We're seeking engaging, practical, and innovative sessions in a variety of formats:

Workshops - 4 or 8 hours, hands-on, skill-building
Lectures - breakout and general/plenary sessions
Panels - moderated discussions with multiple experts
Case Studies - real-world lessons learned
Interactive - Ask the Expert or Campfire/Bonfire
- Small-group collaborations
Deep Dives - extended (2+ hour) breakout sessions for advanced exploration
Labs - immersive, hands on training

What Attendees Want to See

Feedback from 2025 highlights what resonated most:

Leadership and Growth - servant leadership, courageous conversations, team strategies
Legal and Testimony - Smith v. Arizona updates, testimony preparation
Wellness and Resilience - stress management, vicarious trauma, peer support
Quality and Accreditation - blind proficiency testing, QIR practices, reaccreditation
Technology and Innovation - 3D firearms, rapid DNA, backlog reduction
Crisis and Recovery - mass casualty training, data loss and recovery
Global Collaboration - humanitarian DNA, international partnerships

Bring forward more of these in your 2026 proposals

Topic Areas

Strong proposals connect to at least one of these themes:

Advocacy, Grants, and Financial resources
Back to Basics (refresher on frontline lab work and the latest tools and practices your staff are using every day)
Breaking Barriers (sessions that challenge norms, push boundaries, and introduce bold ideas to move forensic science forward)
Career and professional development
DEI
Hard science (DNA, toxicology, ballistics, digital, trace, latent prints, firearms, crime scene)
Innovation
Leadership
Leading Through Uncertain Times (practical strategies for guiding teams and labs through change, crisis, and evolving landcapes)
Legal Matters
Lessons Learns
Technology and AI

Balance Matters

To create a strong, diverse program, keep in mind:

Covered too much in 2025:
- DNA heavy talks
- Repetitive Smith v. Arizona sessions
- Motivational-only leadership
- Vendor-heavy content
Not covered enough:
- Comparative sciences
- Crime scene investigation
- Digital evidence and AI
- Toxicology
- Workforce development
- Practical accreditation examples
- Management/operations
- Legal perspectives beyond Smith v. Arizona

Share the Stage

Fresh voices and new perspectives make the Symposium thrive. If you know a colleague - or even an expert outside forensic science - who could inspire this audience, invite them to submit.

Submit Your Abstract