The 17th Annual Death-Scene Archaeology Short Course:
Field Methods in the Location, Recovery, and Interpretation of Human Remains from Outdoor Contexts

This 5-day short course will expose participants to state-of-the-art techniques in the location, archaeological recovery, and taphonomic interpretation of human remains from outdoor and fire-related forensic scenes. Comprehensive lectures by experts in a variety of forensic fields of inquiry will be supplemented with extensive hands-on opportunities in the collection of a wide range of scene evidence.

Date: June 2-6, 2008
Location: Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA
Price: $750 (10% discount available for multiple courses)

2007 Syllabus [pdf] | Past Short Course Pictures

The 8th Annual Forensic Anthropology Short Course in Human Identification:
Laboratory Methods in the Identification of Human Skeletal Remains

Laboratory methods utilized in the comprehensive analysis of human skeletal remains recovered in forensic contexts will be detailed in this 5-day short course. Lectures will include: determination of chronological age, sex, ancestry, and stature; bone modification agents, including perimortem (blunt, sharp, and burning trauma), postmortem (taphonomic agents), and antemortem trauma; and appropriate biological statistical analyses. Forensic case specimens will be used to illustrate concepts discussed in class.

Date: June 9 - 13, 2008
Location: Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA
Price: $750 (10% discount available for multiple courses)

2007 Syllabus [pdf]| Past Short Course Pictures

The 5th Annual Traumatized Bone Short Course:
Bone Trauma and Pseudo-Trauma in Suspected Violent Deaths

Bone trauma analysis is one of the newest and fastest growing areas in forensic anthropology. This 5-day short course will detail all areas of this sub-discipline including ballistic, blunt force, sharp force, and burning trauma. Keys to differentiating perimortem from postmortem and antemortem trauma will be presented. Classroom lectures by leading experts on bone trauma will be supplemented with multiple and varied hands-on opportunities.

Date: June 16 - 20, 2008
Location: Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA
Price: $750 (10% discount available for multiple courses)

2007 Syllabus [pdf]

The 5th Annual Post-Bomb Blast Recovery Short Course:
Documentation and Recovery of Human and Physical Evidence at the Terrorism Crime Scene

This five-day course will expose students to the intricacies of processing a small mass fatality scene. The first half of the course will entail the discussion and application of effective search strategies and mapping techniques in the processing of a car bombing scene. The second half of the course will deal with effective temporary morgue setups and detail the roles of individual documentation and identification stations.

Date: June 23 - 27, 2008
Location: Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA
Price: $750 (10% discount available for multiple courses)

2007 Syllabus [pdf]