Michigan State University Forensic Anthropology Laboratory

Author: cvisaac

  • Recognizing the Positives from a Difficult Semester

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    Happy New Year from all of us at the Michigan State University Forensic Anthropology Lab. While we look toward 2021 with hope that it will be brighter, we are taking a moment to reflect on our successes and progress during the Fall 2020 semester. As a lab, we recognize our work from every semester to…

  • Ancestry Estimation Reflection

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    Introduction In this blog post, we hope to bring public awareness and engagement to a current debate in the field of forensic anthropology— the use of ancestry estimation. The biological profile is a list of identifying, demographic parameters estimated from the skeleton by forensic anthropologists. Ancestry is one of its most contemplated aspects. Along with…

  • Student Spotlight: Kelly Kamnikar

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    Introducing PhD candidate, Kelly Kamnikar! Fifth year student, Kelly Kamnikar, is currently finishing her dissertation here at Michigan State University. Her dissertation research aims to estimate ancestry for Hispanic individuals to even finer levels of resolution, specifically for southeastern Mexico and Guatemala. With cranial variation being influenced by the environment, history, culture, and genetics, these…

  • Dr. Angela Soler

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in ,

    We are very excited to feature our next MSUFAL alumna, Dr. Angela Soler, D-ABFA! Dr. Angela Soler is a board certified Forensic Anthropologist with the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) working in the Forensic Anthropology Unit (FAU). Working within a medical examiner’s office, Dr. Soler says that her experience and education…

  • New MSUFAL Lab Director, Dr. Carolyn Isaac

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    The MSU Forensic Anthropology Laboratory is pleased to announce Dr. Carolyn Isaac as our new Lab Director. An alumna of the MSUFAL, Dr. Isaac returned last fall as one of our three forensic anthropologists and has been a cornerstone of the team since Day 1. Dr. Isaac’s interest in the field can be traced back…

  • Looking Ahead with 20/20 Hindsight

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    Happy fall from the MSU Forensic Anthropology Lab! I am Dr. Carolyn Isaac, one of the three faculty forensic anthropologists and the director of MSUFAL. I am so happy to be getting back into the swing of things after bringing a tiny human into the world in May and being home with her and, thanks…

  • Dr. Jennifer Vollner

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    Greetings from the depths of self-isolation and quarantine! We are back again with our final interview of the academic year with MSU alumna Dr. Jennifer Vollner, D-ABFA. Dr. Vollner is a forensic anthropologist for the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) in Tucson, AZ. Her duties include assisting the medical examiners with skeletal…

  • Is MSUFAL working remotely or remotely working?

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    As we embark into uncharted territory due to COVID-19, the MSUFAL has made a few adjustments to our daily operations. Labs, faculty, and graduate students around the world are dealing with a lot of changes and uncertainty right now. So, we thought we would focus this week’s blog on how our lab is handling these…

  • Dr. Julie Fleischman

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    We are very excited to feature our next MSUFAL alumna, Dr. Julie Fleischman, D-ABFA! Dr. Fleischman is a board certified Forensic Anthropologist at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (HCIFS). The HCIFS is the Medical Examiner’s Office and Crime Laboratory in Houston, Texas where Dr. Fleischman serves as a direct consultant to the Institute’s…

  • MSUFAL on the road: American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting Recap

    —

    by

    cvisaac
    in

    The MSUFAL team recently traveled to the annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences meeting. The conference was held from February 17th to the 22nd in Anaheim, California and welcomes professionals and students from many areas of forensic sciences (e.g. Anthropology, Criminal Justice, and Toxicology). Attending this conference every year is important for sharing our current…