Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States
Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2009-07-29

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 0309142393

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.

Report of a Workshop on the Scope and Nature of Computational Thinking
Report of a Workshop on the Scope and Nature of Computational Thinking

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2010-04-20

Total Pages: 115

ISBN-13: 0309153727

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Report of a Workshop on the Scope and Nature of Computational Thinking presents a number of perspectives on the definition and applicability of computational thinking. For example, one idea expressed during the workshop is that computational thinking is a fundamental analytical skill that everyone can use to help solve problems, design systems, and understand human behavior, making it useful in a number of fields. Supporters of this viewpoint believe that computational thinking is comparable to the linguistic, mathematical and logical reasoning taught to all children. Various efforts have been made to introduce K-12 students to the most basic and essential computational concepts and college curricula have tried to provide a basis for life-long learning of increasingly new and advanced computational concepts and technologies. At both ends of this spectrum, however, most efforts have not focused on fundamental concepts. The book discusses what some of those fundamental concepts might be. Report of a Workshop on the Scope and Nature of Computational Thinking explores the idea that as the use of computational devices is becoming increasingly widespread, computational thinking skills should be promulgated more broadly. The book is an excellent resource for professionals in a wide range of fields including educators and scientists.

Proceedings of the Workshop on Economic Impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms on Fisheries and Aquaculture
Proceedings of the Workshop on Economic Impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms on Fisheries and Aquaculture

Author: Vera L. Trainer

Publisher:

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781927797112

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Section on Ecology of Harmful Algal Blooms in the North Pacific (S-HAB) was established in October 2003, under the direction of the Marine Environmental Quality Committee, to promote the sharing of information among PICES member countries on HAB occurrences in the North Pacific. Since its formation, the Section has studied the characteristics of HAB occurrences and the differences between them in the eastern and western Pacific, including historical changes, and has provided scientific information to PICES member countries and relevant stakeholders. Over the past decades, serious damage caused by HABs has been reported with increasing frequency in the North Pacific. These blooms have adverse economic and social impacts on the aquaculture industry, human health, coastal economies, and wild fisheries. HABs have prompted routine closures of both commercial and recreational shellfish harvesting and have contributed to the deaths of aquaculture finfish, resulting in financial losses in coastal communities. However, the economic impacts generated by these events extend far beyond the industry itself. Obtaining more realistic estimates of HAB economic impacts, and the costs of preventing and managing them, calls for an integrated assessment approach that comprises the following: the economic impact of HABs on the aquaculture industry, the secondary integrated industries, and consumers, on both local and regional scales; some valuation of the costs and benefits of taking any recognized steps to lessen the HAB problem (e.g., reducing coastal pollution and other human-related activities); and weighing the costs and benefits of enhanced monitoring and surveillance that potentially reduces the magnitude of the impacts (e.g., by limiting shellfish harvesting closure windows or alteration in the timing of finfish harvesting). This publication includes presentations made at a workshop on "Economic impacts of harmful algal blooms on fisheries and aquaculture" co-convened by Drs. Chang Hoon Kim (Korea) and Vera Trainer (USA) on October 11, 2013 at the PICES 2013 Annual Meeting in Nanaimo, Canada (see Appendices 1 and 2 for a summary of the workshop and list of participants), and three additional papers on the topic submitted by scientists who were planning but were unable to attend the workshop (Appendix 3). Introduction page 1.