The Research and Development Standing Committee (RDSC) acts as the strategic advisor to ENFSI on matters of Research and Development in a broad sense.

The aims of the RDSC are to:
  • Provide leadership and focus on matters of Research and Development to ENFSI
  • Improve knowledge transfer between individual stakeholder groups such as end users (CSI, police and magistrates), forensic researchers and forensic practitioners
  • Improve the funding of ENFSI research topics through documentation of project sponsoring opportunities, the production of vision and strategic documents and coordination with the European Commission and other potential sponsors
These aims shall be achieved through:
  • Developing and maintaining ENFSI’s Research and Development Strategy to meet the priorities of the ENFSI community – particularly towards the goals of the EFSA2020 effort.
  • Carrying out the activities in order to implement ENFSI’s Research and Development Strategy.
  • Providing information to ENFSI members on relevant research and development topics.
  • Identifying potential funding sources (e.g. EU-programs) and coordinating with those who provide these funds.
  • Stimulating initiatives in areas of strategic importance e.g. those that may be common to a number of ENFSI members or Expert Working Groups.
  • Facilitating joint research between Forensic Laboratories and Law Enforcement Agencies internationally.
  • Supporting and facilitating communication between all actors involved in forensics and its end users to affect the transfer of knowledge.
  • Supporting and facilitating education and training activities between all actors involved in forensics and its end users to affect optimal collaboration, both in the streets and in the lab.
  • Maintaining web-based pages on research and development, in particular the ENFSI Collaborative Projects Portal and the ENFSI RDSC subsites, both hosted on Europol’s Platform for Experts.
  • Supporting the organisers of EAFS Triennial Meetings and other open ENFSI activities in the area of forensics-related research and development.
The current RDSC committee members are
  • Bart Nys (NICC, Belgium) – Member, Chairman
  • Chris Porter (Metropolitan Police, UK) – Board liaison
  • Christa Dern (BKA, Germany) – Member
  • Lisa Burke (Metropolitan Police, UK) – Member
  • Didier Meuwly (NFI, Netherlands) – Member
  • Brid McBride (FSI, Ireland) – Member
  • Jose Lopez (Policia, Spain) – Member
  • Laura Aalberg (NBI, Finland) – Member