Forensic Anthropology

As defined by The American Board of Forensic Anthropology, forensic anthropology is “the application of physical anthropology to the legal process”. Forensic anthropologists utilize archaeological techniques to read and interpret the human skeleton. They undergo extensive training and research to consult on cases that call them to utilize archaeological recovery techniques and laboratory-based analysis of remains. It is a multi-disciplinary field, as forensic anthropologists can work with university faculty for research, government agencies for historical site surveys and excavations, and most commonly with medical examiners for forensic cases and courtroom presentations. It takes the expertise of forensic anthropology to present courtroom testimonies, as it is seen as the last effort to educate the court and “speak for the dead” by answering the medicolegal questions that are pertinent to a case.

​For more information, email Amanda M. Agnew, PhD at mandy.agnew@osumc.edu.

Forensic Engineering

Forensic engineering is a field that utilizes the background expertise of mechanical, civil, chemical, or computer engineering to investigate failures or other performance problems to the legal process. Engineering principles are applied to reverse engineer an event that is the potential cause for failure. Forensic engineers are often consulted for cases when they are needed to analyze a situation or event that would provide clarity in a civil or criminal case where there is property damage or human injury. They provide expert testimonies that are formulated from extensive research and investigation of the scene, as well as re-creation of an event in a laboratory.

​For more information, email John H. Bolte IV, PhD at john.bolte@osumc.edu.
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Forensic Research
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Forensic Education
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Forensic Anthropology
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Forensic Engineering
Click here to learn more about the history of forensic anthropology.

​Sources

Intro Paragraph about Forensic Anthropology
American Board of Forensic Anthropology. (2018). FAQ: Students. Retrieved from
http://theabfa.org/faq/students/#1
PBS. (2014). Forensic Anthropology. Retrieved from
https://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/technique/forensic-anthropology/

Intro Paragraph about Forensic Engineering
American Society of Civil Engineers. (2019) Forensic Engineering Division. Retrieved from
https://www.asce.org/forensic-engineering/forensic-engineering-division/
Forensic Science Careers. Forensic Engineer Education. Retrieved from
http://www.forensicsciencecareers.net/forensic-engineering/education.html
Market Business News. (2019). What is forensic engineering? Definition and examples.
Retrieved from https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/forensic-engineering/
Phaidon Holdings Ltd. (2017). Forensic Engineering Jobs. Retrieved from
https://www.phaidoninternational.com/lvi-associates/forensic-engineering-jobs

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