MILAN, Italy –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, in partnership with the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology, also known as LABANOF, hosted the fourth Scientific Summit at the University of Milan, Sept. 17–20, 2025.
Fewer than 81,000 U.S. service members remain unaccounted for from past conflicts, the majority from World War II. Many of those losses are tied to European battlefields, making this summit both geographically and historically significant.
For the first time, the summit was held in Europe, where DPAA and LABANOF brought together experts from 16 countries to advance knowledge, refine methodologies, and strengthen global cooperation in POW/MIA accounting.
“Our common mission is rooted in compassion, guided by science, and driven by a shared commitment to bring answers to families and communities who have endured loss and uncertainty,” said Dr. John Byrd, DPAA Scientific Analysis director. “The challenges before us—whether in forensic science or governance—demand collaboration across borders, disciplines, and perspectives.”
By moving the Scientific Summit to Europe, DPAA broadened its network of international partners to include leading forensic institutions across the continent. Building on past summits that fostered collaboration with partners such as Japan, South Korea, and Australia, the four-day gathering opened with a call for global cooperation from European colleagues to advance science and the recovery of missing personnel.
The summit united scientists, researchers, and practitioners to share expertise and innovations that help identify and return the missing to their families.
“Ukraine is at war. Tens of thousands of our citizens are missing. And our mission will not be accomplished until the last victim of this war is buried with honor,” said Dr. Vitalii Levchenko, head of the Centre for Identification, Main Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination in Ukraine. “This summit showed that there is much work to be done when the fighting is over. And we must adopt best practices in honoring our heroes.”
DPAA and the University of Milan formalized their collaboration in 2021 with a Memorandum of Understanding and are now working toward renewing and updating that agreement. The MOU promotes information exchange and joint initiatives like the 2025 Scientific Summit, combining academic expertise with DPAA’s mission to recover and identify missing U.S. service members with scientific rigor and care.
Dr. Carl Stephan, University of Queensland forensic anthropologist, explained during his presentation he previously supported DPAA’s accounting and repatriation mission while serving on-site from 2008 to 2013 as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Fellow.
“Since 2020, I have rendered additional expertise and assistance, including specialist training programs and casework consultancy, to the DPAA via the University of Queensland as an external partner and through an inter-agency agreement between DPAA, SNA International and UQ,” said Stephan.
Byrd said each summit builds momentum in advancing science and accounting for the missing, with the most important outcome being the forging of new relationships within the scientific community. Previous summits have already produced positive results, including fostering collaboration among international experts and leading to research partnerships in DNA and stable isotope testing.
“This summit is already generating plans for further collaboration in the search for missing persons and the scientific research that makes those searches successful,” said Byrd.
DPAA anticipates the summit will become a recurring event, rotating annually between Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. This alternating model is designed to sustain scientific momentum and strengthen the international partnerships critical to resolving POW/MIA cases.
“We were honored and delighted to have co-hosted this summit with DPAA,” said Dr. Cristina Cattaneo, LABANOF Director and University of Milan Forensic Medicine Professor. She said the event was more than just a scientific meeting, describing it as a moment of connection, collaboration, and sharing across borders.
“I’ve personally been able to see how science, when guided with respect and humanity, can serve memory, justice and human rights,” Cattaneo said. “On behalf of my team, I want to thank everyone for these amazing and enlightening four days.”