Hello! Hola! Yá’át’ééh!
I share with you these friendly greetings that are so reflective of our diverse culture. New Mexico is very unique in our multi-cultural mix, with a rich history that includes major influences from Native American, Spanish, and Anglo cultures. We take pride and celebrate our cultural differences but are rooted in our common values of family, community, and the land. New Mexico is the cornerstone of Southwestern culture, amazing cuisine, and friendly people.As the Chair of ISFRI 2020, I am pleased to invite you to the combined 9th Annual Congress of the International Society of Forensic Radiology and Imaging and the 15th Anniversary Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Radiographers, May 14-16, 2020. I hope you will join us in La Tierra Encantada, the Land of Enchantment!
More About the Conference
ISFRI 2020 will be hosted by the University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI).
In the early 1960s a pioneering group of medical educators, recruited from across the United States, undertook an audacious experiment. They came together to create a medical school in a fledgling state beset by economic challenges and daunting geographic barriers. Today, New Mexicans are justifiably proud of their School of Medicine, celebrated for its innovations in medical education, with a reputation for making diversity in the physician workforce a priority. Its programs in rural and family medicine are nationally recognized, and its groundbreaking BA/MD Program has provided a new pathway for students from throughout New Mexico to pursue a medical career.
Incorporated into the School of Medicine is the Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI), a state-wide, centralized death investigation agency created in 1972. Currently the OMI serves a population of 2.1 million living in a land area roughly the size of Poland. As a special program of the university, OMI also has strong missions in education and scholarship, providing training for UNM medical students, residents, fellows, and other professionals in the community, and engaging in research in forensic medicine and public health. Founded in 2011, the Center for Forensic Imaging (CFI) at the OMI is currently the only forensic center in the United States using both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for death investigation. The CFI supports education and a wide range of research activities involving UNM faculty as well as national and international collaborators.
The scientific focus of the 2020 meeting will be on the use of imaging in the Investigation of Traumatic Injuries and Forensic Anthropology. Besides these topics, submissions from all fields of forensic imaging are welcome, including case reports.
In addition to the scientific program, there will also be social and entertainment programs to introduce you to our Southwestern lifestyle.
About the Area
Albuquerque, also known locally as the Duke City and abbreviated ABQ, is the largest city in New Mexico. Centrally located in the state, ABQ provides easy access to many unique excursions and diverse experiences of the Southwest.
Along with our strong cultural heritage, arts and outdoor activities, New Mexico also attracts a great deal of technology and science, being home to Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratories, The Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) astronomy observatory and the starting place of a small company called Microsoft.
Albuquerque is located in the middle Rio Grande Valley, near the southern end of the Rocky Mountains. The elevation of the city ranges from 4,900 feet (1,490 m) above sea level near the river to 10,678 feet at the peak of the Sandia Mountains, which form the eastern boundary of the city. Albuquerque's climate is usually sunny and dry. Sunshine defines the region, averaging 278 days a year, so sunglasses are a necessity. Being a high-desert climate, the typical May weather is very pleasant with daytime temperatures in the upper 20’s (Celsius) to the low 10’s at night.
The Albuquerque International Sunport, welcomes nearly five million travelers a year with access to all major airlines. The conference hotel, Hyatt Regency Albuquerque, is located downtown, 9 km northwest of the Sunport (approximately a 20 minute ride). Multiple transportation options are available, including Uber, taxi, shuttle, and the ABQ RIDE bus service. Commuter train service to Santa Fe (New Mexico Rail Runner) is also available from the Alvarado Transportation Center, just 850 m from the conference hotel.
We are looking forward to welcoming you in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bienvenidos!
Sincerely,
Natalie L. Adolphi, Ph.D.
Chair, International Society for Forensic Radiology and Imaging
Director, Center for Forensic Imaging, University of New Mexico School of Medicine