Forensic Analysis of  Human Skeletal Remains Course 

This is a two-day course focused on the identification  of human skeletal remains in a field-based setting.  Day 1 will consist of hands-on instruction in a  classroom where participants will handle skeletal  remains in a working forensic anthropology  laboratory. Basic human osteology and human/nonhuman bone identification will be reviewed, as well as  a special focus on basic trauma analysis (e.g., blunt  force, sharp force, gunshot wound, burning).  Day 2 is field based where participants will work in  teams to excavate mock burials using proper  archaeological equipment and documentation  methods. Care will be taken to interpret each mock  burial in forensic and environmental context. 

Topics of  discussion and training will include:

• Basic elements of the biological profile (estimation  of age, sex, stature, etc.) 
• Human/non-human bone identification
• Interpretation of traumatic injury to the skeleton 
• Postmortem interval (“time since death”) effects  on the human skeleton
• Northern New England specific environmental  alterations to bone 
• Excavation methods/identifying remains in the  field.

What students are saying about the course:

•  “Dr. Michael and her team are extremely  knowledgeable!”
•  “Exceptional knowledge and experience.” 
•  “Great class!”

ABOUT GSPCC

Granite State Police Career Counseling (GSPCC) provides progressive and comprehensive law enforcement training through collaborative learning. GSPCC's instructors are seasoned classroom professionals with law enforcement backgrounds who are formally educated in their respective teaching and training fields.

About the Instructor:

Dr. Amy Michael is a biological anthropologist  and the Director of Forensic Anthropology  Identification and Recovery (FAIR) Lab at the  University of New Hampshire. Her interests  include collaborative and novel approaches to  resolving cold cases, forensic search and  recovery methods, and interpretation of skeletal  and dental microstructure in forensic cases. She  received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from  Michigan State University in 2016 and has  worked on archaeological projects in the U.S.,  Albania, and Belize. To date, Dr. Michael has  been involved in 100+ forensic cases ranging  from human/non-human bone identification to  full exhumations and complex field recoveries.  She has worked at UNH since 2018 and has  partnered with New Hampshire State Police,  DNA Doe Project, historical societies, and more  to analyze unidentified human remains.

Cost: $325 per student