Dr. Katherine M. Brown, Assistant Professor of Criminal justice at Tarleton State University, was appointed to a second term as a Forensic Sciences Foundation (FSF) trustee and re-elected as FSF vice chair Feb. 10, 2026, during the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) 2026 Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA.
“It is such a privilege to be a part of so many who work hard to promote forensic sciences education, research and training in all disciplines of the forensic sciences,” Brown said. “Our awards, grants and scholarships are vital to the field, and I am so happy to support the work of the foundation.”
Founded in 1969, the Forensic Sciences Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to studying the application of science to the resolution of social and legal issues. The foundation serves as the educational, scientific and research arm of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
At Tarleton State, Brown serves in the department of criminal justice, where she teaches at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. She is also a faculty affiliate in the Institute on Violence Against Women and Human Trafficking.
Brown previously served as co-principal investigator on the National Institute of Justice grant, “Assessing an Innovative Response to Intimate Partner Violence Related Strangulation” (NIJ-2018-VA-CX-0005).
In addition to her work on crimes against women and children, her research interests include fatal and non-fatal strangulation, child abduction, murder investigation, crime scene assessment and investigation, serial murder, homicide, technology-facilitated crimes against children, forensic evidence, and other solvability factors affecting murder investigations.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in government with a minor in sociology from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in criminal justice and criminology and a Doctor of Philosophy in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. Her recent publications have appeared in several books and the Journal of Forensic Sciences.
Brown is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and currently serves as the 2026–27 FSF vice chair. She was also appointed to a three-year term as an FSF trustee and to the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Standards Board (ASB) Crime Scene Investigation Consensus Body, which develops, reviews and votes on standards, best practice recommendations and technical reports in forensic science.
Her contributions to the field have been recognized with the AAFS General Section Paul W. Kehres Meritorious Service Award (2022) and the John R. Hunt Award (2023). She also serves as a consultant to Child Abduction Response Teams (CARTs) across the United States.
The American Academy of Forensic Sciences is a multidisciplinary professional organization that provides leadership to advance science and its application to the legal system. Since 1948, AAFS has served a broad membership of more than 6,000 professionals representing all 50 states and 71 countries. The organization promotes professionalism, integrity, competency and education; fosters research; improves practice; and encourages collaboration in the forensic sciences.