Request for Speakers for 2021 TNI Winter Meeting

Date Posted: 10-4-2020

TNI is currently planning to convert the 2021 Forum on Environmental Accreditation, originally scheduled to be held in San Antonio, Texas from January 11-14, 2021, into a Virtual Meeting to be held the week of January 25, 2021. As part of this Virtual Meeting, TNI is planning several special sessions to address a number of topics. The plan would be to have 5-6 speakers give 15-30 minute presentations in a remote setting for a specific session. See below for a list of special sessions. If you are interested in presenting on one of these topics, please send an email to the TNI Executive Director, Jerry Parr, at [email protected] with a title of your presentation and brief abstract. 


TNI SPECIAL SESSIONS: 2021 FORUM

Assessment Forum: Accreditation Issues with Emerging Contaminants
TNI is seeking speakers from laboratories and ABs give 30-minute talks on issues encountered with seeking accreditation, performing assessments, etc. for new contaminants such as PFAS

Value of Accreditation
TNI is seeking speakers to give 15-minute talks expanding on one of these topics:

  • The processes leading to the result can be reconstructed because there is sufficient documentation for the sample, calibration, QC results, and SOP s used,
  • The reference materials, reference standards, and reagents are all traceable,
  • Competency of analysts is demonstrated by training records, PT results, and Demonstration of Capability results,
  • Samples are handled correctly and can be traced from receipt to reported result,
  • Quality control results document data quality,
  • The result is reported correctly and has met requirements relating to quantitation limits and data flagging.
  • The requested methodology was followed in generating the data.

How TNI Accreditation Improved my Laboratory
TNI is seeking speakers from accredited laboratories who can share their experiences obtaining TNI accreditation and the impacts they saw on their laboratory.

Operating a Laboratory During a Pandemic
TNI is seeking speakers from laboratories and laboratory vendors on their experiences dealing with COVID during 2020 on how the virus impacted laboratory operations.

Success Stories with Remote Assessments
Due to COVID, many Accreditation Bodies have begun using remote assessments.  TNI is seeking speakers from Accreditation Bodies, third-party assessors and laboratories on how these remote assessments worked and whether or not they should continue to be used event if things return to normal.

Implementing the New EPA MDL and TNI LOD/LOQ Requirements
TNI is seeking speakers from Accreditation Bodies, third-party assessors and laboratories in the 2016 TNI standard that relate to implementing the new requirements for Limit of Detection and Limit of Quantitation for chemical testing.

Implementing the New TNI Calibration Requirements for Chemistry
TNI is seeking speakers from Accreditation Bodies, third-party assessor and laboratories in the 2016 TNI standard that relate to implementing the new requirements for instrument calibration for chemical testing.

Effectively Managing Your PT Program
TNI is seeking speakers from laboratories and PT Providers on topics such as scheduling, LOQ reporting, handling samples, Corrective Actions, etc. for proficiency testing.