Dr. Salyards is a Principal Analyst with Compass Scientific Consulting LLC specializing in:

• Continuing Education for Legal, Medical, Law Enforcement, & Educational Professionals
• Forensic Science Case Review
• Expert Testimony

He has 32 years of combined experience in scientific leadership, investigations, forensic consulting and teaching. Most recently, he served for 5 years as the Executive Director of the Defense Forensic Science Center (DFSC) where he led a 350+ person team, with a yearly operating budget of over $65M. This Forensic Science Center of Excellence has mission responsibilities that include submissions from Law Enforcement Agencies, Deployed Laboratories in support of Expeditionary Combatant Commanders, as well as Training, and RDT&E. Prior to this position, he served as the Chief Scientist for the US Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory. He is a former Director of the Defense Computer Forensic Laboratory and AFOSI Special Agent. He served as the Deputy for Operations and Assistant Professor at the Air Force Academy Chemistry Department and was honored with the Outstanding Academy Educator Award. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from Montana State University, a Master of Forensic Sciences from The George Washington University, and has completed a Fellowship in Forensic Medicine from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.

Dr Salyards has served on the following national-level organizations:

• Board of Directors for the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board
• Department of Justice National Steering Committee for Regional Computer Forensic Laboratories
• Council of Federal Forensic Laboratory Directors
• White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Subcommittee on Forensic Science
• American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Board of Directors
• Forensic Education Programs Accreditation Commission
• National Commission on Forensic Science

He currently serves as Strategic Advisory Board Member for the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence at Iowa State University, and as a Member of the Forensic Science Standards Board for the Office of Scientific Area Committees with NIST, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. He is also a retired commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. He has been married for 29 years and has three daughters.