Luis Martinez, like many scientists, did not set out to be a leader in public engagement with science. For him, this aspect of his career arose largely through a research project that attracted the interest of the Los Angeles Times. This attention from a national newspaper led to other interviews, and eventually he was recruited by one of his professional associations, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), to be on their communication committee. Through ASM, he helped with communication training workshops for graduate students, realizing along the way that he had more experience to share than he’d realized.

In response to a Department of Justice request for public comment on advancing forensic science, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, along with the American Chemical Society, Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, has submitted comments that highlight the need for a transparent and independent review of forensic science techniques to ensure that “rigorous science is used in convicting the guilty and exonerating the innocent.”