Qualifications for forensic science and conservation

In DistList Instance: 24:34 Thursday, January 13, 2011, I wrote

>...  Then when I looked at her credentials I
>found that she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic
>Sciences. This seemed impressive until I went to their web site and
>found that membership requires the standing of a current member and
>passing a 100 multiple choice exam; that is hardly rigorous nor does
>it cover complex issues of science.  This is followed by a take home
>exam of certain situations to solve and an oral interview.

Sorry, when I went to Ms. Lines website and clicked on her
associations the first one sent me to what I thought was the AAFS
website but was instead that of the Certified Diplomate, American
Board of Forensic Document Examiners

    <URL:http://www.abfde.org/htdocs/certification/
        QualificationsandRequirementsforCerts.pdf>

That is where the 100 question test comes from etc., but then you
have to agree that the requirements for affiliate or associate
membership of AAFS are hardly what one would call rigorous:

    <URL:http://www.aafs.org/
        upgrade-trainee-affiliate-or-associate-member>

My point being, and I understand that many people are members of
forensic organizations by the fact of their demonstrating ability by
holding jobs, that conservators do have to pass quite difficult and
extensive courses and examinations to earn their degrees and then do
a year or two under the personal observation of a practicing
conservator.

Essentially I am asking if document examination should not be one
additional skill conservators should be looking into taking on to
promote themselves?  Students learn certainly how to examine paper,
the type of fiber, fillers, evidence of prior treatment, type of
media, etc.  I did not mean to demean such examiners or the field or
their associations, though I do find it strange that Ms. Lines is
now among those who have "proven" President Obama's birth
certificate if false (see:

    <URL:http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2008-12-29/
        keyes-v-lingle-hawaii-sandra-ramsey-lines-analysis
        -forensic-document-examiner-obama-colb-ron-polarik-daily
        -kos-obama-campaign-factcheckorg-colb-not-reliable/>)

    **** Moderator's comments: The above URLs have been wrapped for
    email. There should be no newlines.

Niccolo Caldararo
Director and Chief Conservator
Conservation Art Service


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:35
                 Distributed: Friday, January 21, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-24-35-006
                                  ***