Membership Requirements

• Be of good character with no adult felony convictions and currently working in good standing in the forensic science field.
• Possess a 4-year Baccalaureate Degree or 10 years’ experience working in a forensic discipline.
• Have completed two years full-time forensic laboratory experience to include completion of a documented training program in a forensic discipline or certification by a recognized certifying body in which competency testing is part of the certification process or proof of successful completion of professionally designed and administered proficiency exams. If employed at a laboratory accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard, this fulfills the proficiency testing requirement.
• Working full-time in a forensic laboratory performing, or having performed, examinations and interpretations of physical evidence or working full-time in forensic science education at an accredited college or university.  (A forensic science laboratory is defined as one that has, as its primary function, service to the criminal and/or civil justice system by the examination and interpretation of physical evidence. Forensic science education is defined as one that has as its primary function, education in the examination and interpretation of physical evidence..
• Two letters of sponsorship from either:

1. Two current voting (regular or Emeritus) MAFS members who have agreed to sponsor your applications.  Both sponsors must be a primary member of the MAFS section to which you are applying.
2. One voting MAFS member and a reference from your employing agency.
   

For Associate Membership:

• Be of good character with no adult felony convictions and currently working in good standing in the forensic science field.
• Two letters of sponsorship from either:

1. Two current voting (regular or Emeritus) MAFS members who have agreed to sponsor your applications.  Both sponsors must be a primary member of the MAFS section to which you are applying.
2. One voting MAFS member and a reference from your employing agency.

Additionally, Associate Members must meet one of the following:

• Working in good standing in a scientific discipline and occasionally called upon to do forensic analysis in that discipline.
• Working in good standing as an educator or criminal justice professional with an interest in forensic science or crime scene investigation.
• The Membership Committee will evaluate each Associate applicant on a case by case basis to determine whether the applicant’s area of expertise qualifies as a relevant forensic science field.

For Emeritus Membership:

• Have been a regular member at least ten years prior to application and are retired from all full-time employment or have reached the age of sixty-five.
  

For Student Membership:

• Be a student engaged in science studies with forensic science being considered as a career goal.  Such membership must be renewed annually by reapplying.