Fieldwork & Scholarly Opportunities in Graduate Human Biology

Students are typically given the chance to:

• Attend regional and national scientific meetings with professors
• Present original research or case overviews at professional meetings
• Assist with or conduct guest lectures to the public
• Assist with or attend professional training seminars in anthropology
• Assist in undergraduate and graduate anatomy and biology lab courses
• Assist with archaeology field schools and contract excavation projects in the Midwest
• Assist with DNA extraction and analysis in the Forensic DNA Laboratory
• Complete curation and research projects in the Osteology Laboratory
• Complete research projects in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory

ABFA ANALYST CERTIFICATION PREPARATION

Beginning in 2025, the American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA) extended certification eligibility to individuals with a master’s degree. In response, the UIndy Human Biology MS Program has strategically aligned its curriculum with the expected competencies required to sit for the Analyst Exam.

Forensics at UIndy (FOUND) Club

FOUND is focused on promoting the forensic sciences to students at UIndy and to encourage student travel to regional and national forensic conferences. Our mission is to encourage public interest and education in the forensic sciences.

 Follow FOUND on Facebook

Skeletal Casework

If your primary interest is in forensic anthropology, you will have the chance to volunteer on casework in the field and in the lab, starting your first semester. Students with other primary interests may be allowed to participate if they have sufficient training and experience. A number of our advanced graduate students have been able to participate in forensic and archaeological projects across the world, including Alaska, Bosnia, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Rwanda, Texas, and South Africa.

Beyond Borders

At least once a year, Professor Krista Latham and UIndy graduate students travel to the Texas borderlands to work with other organizations on a large-scale migrant identification initiative. They have conducted exhumations of undocumented migrants who died after crossing the U.S. border and have participated in search and recovery operations.

the Beyond Borders Humanitarian Forensic Science Team

The short documentary-style film below, created by one of the teams, offers an unflinching but thoughtful firsthand look into the project's intent and its impact on the students, the local community, and the broader issues of the ongoing border crisis.