Harry T. Edwards and Constantine Gatsonis, co-chairs of the committee that authored the National Academies' 2009 report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, have been awarded the Innocence Network's 2018 Champion of Justice Award. Judge Edwards accepted the award at the annual conference of the Innocence Network.

The award "was created to honor individuals who go above and beyond in supporting and championing efforts that free the wrongfully convicted, and/or reform the criminal justice system to prevent wrongful convictions. Their work strengthens the integrity of the justice system, is imbued by their sense of fairness and professionalism, and demonstrates a lasting dedication to the fair execution of the law." 

The award pays tribute to the National Academies' report on the 10th anniversary of its publication. (See a timeline of report impacts.) In notifying Edwards and Gatsonis about the award, the Innocence Project thanked the committee for the report, "which has truly transformed the state of forensic science and the involvement of the research community in service of criminal justice reform."