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Forensic sciences

Director Nancy La Vigne’s Vision

Portrait of NIJ Director Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D.
Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D., was appointed by President Biden in March 2022.

It’s a tremendous honor to have been appointed by President Biden to lead NIJ earlier this year. My charge is to direct the Justice Department’s chief science agency, promoting research, technology development, and evaluation rooted in the social, forensic, and physical sciences.

I believe that scientific evidence has an essential role in promoting a fair, equitable, and effective justice system and improving public safety for...

The Evidence We Leave Behind (Part 2)

June 2022
Gregory Dutton, a physical scientist at NIJ, and science writer Jim Dawson continue their conversation on the microbiome: what it is, how it applies to forensics, and the evolution of its role in forensic science.