Work and Shadowing Experience

FACES Lab

Advanced Osteology

  • I have developed the ability to identify individual skeletal elements, including side, orientation, and anatomical landmarks, even when bones are fragmentary or incomplete.

Bone and Species Identification

  • I have gained experience distinguishing bone from non-bone material and human from nonhuman bone by examining texture, structure, size, and shape, a key first step in determining whether remains are forensically relevant.

Biological Profile Estimation

  • I have estimated sex, age, and population affinity from skeletal remains, assessing features such as the pelvis and skull for sex, epiphyseal fusion and joint wear for age, and cranial traits for population affinity.

Skeletal Trauma Analysis

  • I have analyzed bone for antemortem trauma, shown by signs of healing, and perimortem trauma, shown by fracture patterns in fresh bone with no healing response.

Postmortem Damage Analysis

  • I have learned to recognize postmortem changes such as weathering, animal scavenging, and breakage in dry bone so they are not mistaken for trauma.

Forensic Anthropology Software

  • I have used FORDISC, MaMD Analytical, and MorphoPASSE to apply statistical classification to skeletal measurements and trait scores when estimating sex and population affinity.

As a Self-Directed Learner in LSU’s FACES Lab, I learn and practice the methods forensic anthropologists use for human bone identification and biological profile estimation, managing my own training and progress as I go. This work has shown me that analysis is only half the job, because findings must also be communicated with precision. Describing remains in scientific terms means choosing words carefully, separating what the evidence shows from what it only suggests, and expressing estimates of sex, age, and population affinity with appropriate uncertainty. In a courtroom, a judge or jury relies on that clarity to understand the evidence, so I practice explaining my observations plainly and accurately, as if presenting to someone with no anthropological training.

Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory

Pathology

  • I have learned to distinguish normal from abnormal tissue and to describe lesions by their appearance, location, and extent to understand what disease process may be present.

Tissue Extraction

  • I have gained experience removing organs and tissue sections during necropsy, handling each carefully so the samples stay intact and usable for further testing.

Cutting and Dissection Skills

  • I have developed precise, controlled use of scalpels, scissors, and other dissection instruments to open body cavities and separate tissues without damaging the structures underneath.

Comparative Anatomy

  • I have observed how anatomical structures differ across species, which deepens my understanding of the human body.

Diagnostic Reasoning

  • I have practiced connecting gross findings to possible causes of death or disease, learning how pathologists reason from observation toward a diagnosis.

Biosafety

  • I have followed protective equipment, safe handling, and disposal procedures when working around biological hazards.

At the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, I attend, shadow, and take part in animal necropsies under the supervision of Dr. Del Piero at the LSU Vet Med School. Observing and assisting in these examinations has taught me how closely pathologists examine each organ system and how much their conclusions depend on careful observation.Necropsies of large animals such as horses and cows are a true group effort. The carcasses are heavy and difficult to maneuver, and the work involves sharp instruments and biological hazards, so the team must communicate constantly about positioning, who is cutting, and where everyone is standing. It has also shown me that communication is central to diagnostic work. Findings are only useful if they are recorded and explained clearly, because veterinarians, owners, and public health officials rely on those reports to make decisions about treatment, herd management, and disease control.

Nursing Assistant

In development.

Mason Lab

In development.