News
April 2013, Body of Evidence - Mass Graves at Body Farm.
University of TN is using donated corpses in the new mass grave project begun at the Body Farm. This research has international aspirations. Click here to read more...
April 2013, Projects such as the Body Farm pay off Academically.
Stellar programs such as the Body Farm boost the university’s stature. Research on mass graves being conducted at the Body Farm. Click here to read more ...
January 2013, Dr. Giovanna Vidoli joins FAC.
Dr. Vidoli will join the FAC in February as the new Assistant Research Professor.
December 2012, ABC Interview
ABC affiliate KMGH-TV/KZCO-LD in Denver interviewed the Forensic Anthropology Center for a story on a new Facility at Colorado Mesa University, Colorado. ABC Nightly News picked up the story as well. Click here to view the video clip.
June 2012, National Geographic Article on Increase in American Head Sizes
According to new forensic research by Dr. Richard Jantz and Dr. Lee Meadows-Jantz, the skulls of white Americans have become slightly larger. Read the NatGeo article...
June 2012, Forensic Firsts on the Smithsonian Channel
Forensic Firsts, Season 1, will begin airing on the Smithsonian Channel on June 17, 2012. See preview clips and behind the scene footage...
May 2012, UT 'body farm' still fascinating, productive place
Dan Smith writes about Dawnie Steadman who is the director of the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee. She works at “The Body Farm.” Read the Mountain Press article...
May 2012, American head shapes have been changing, but why?
Compare Daniel Webster and Mitt Romney and you will see a trend that can be identified going back to the mid-1800s. U.S. skulls of white Americans have gotten bigger, taller and narrower as seen from the front according to research by Richard and Lee Jantz, a husband-and-wife team of forensic anthropologists at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Read the World Science article...
December 2011, Missing Woman Identified
A recovery team from the Forensic Anthropology Center assisted in the recovery and identification of Ms. Gail Palmgren,
who had been missing for seven months, in early December.
Read the MSNBC article...
Read the Times Free Press Article...
December 2011, UTK Students Attend Forensic Science Academy
The FAC would like to congratulate Ms. Christine Pink and Ms. Rebecca Taylor for successfully completing the 2011 Forensic Science Academy, which is offered through the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. They were among a class of six doctoral candidates from across the United States to participate in the four month long program. Ms. Suzanne Johnson completed the program in 2010. Pictured below from left to right: Dr. Bob Mann, Ms. Rebecca Taylor, Ms. Christine Pink, Mr. Adam Kolatorowicz, Ms. Meghan-Tomasita Cosgriff-Hernandez, Dr. Tom Holland, Ms. Jennifer Brynes, and Ms. Megan Ingvoldstad. Photo courtesy of Dr. Bob Mann.
November 2011, Cold Case Closer to being Solved
A 19 year old cold case is closer to being solved with the help of University of Tennessee forensic artist Joanna Hughes. Read more...
September 2011, New Building Opened!
Dr. Bass is holding a plaque commemorating the opening of the new building named in his honor. The ribbon cutting ceremony for the Bass Building took place on September 27, 2011. This will be the new home of the daily activities of the Forensic Anthropology Center. Read more... Also visit the WM Bass Building page.
The most downloaded article from the American Journal of Physical Anthropology in 2010 is Dr. Richard Jantz article:
As of August 1, 2011 - The Forensic Anthropology Center welcomes its new director Dr. Dawnie Wolfe Steadman, PhD, D-ABFA
April 14, 2011, Simon Beckett Student Paper Prize
Simon Beckett, a well-known author, journalist and crime writer, has been a generous donor to the FAC program. His David Hunter series has been very popular in the UK and Germany, and the recent book, Whispers of the Dead, is set in Knoxville and surrounding areas of the Smoky Mountains. This prize was established to recognize Beckett's contributions to our program. Learn More...
March 2011, Forensic Anthropology Postdoctoral Opportunity
The University of Tennessee Department of Anthropology announces a newly established Postdoctoral Fellowship program. The Haslam Postdoctoral Fellowship provides support for a motivated scholar to plan and execute research using our resources, primarily the anthropological research facility and/or the extensive collection of donated and documented skeletons of modern Americans. Appointments are normally for two years. The current holder of the Fellowship is Bridget Algee-Hewitt.
February 10, 2011, Anthropologist Details Bizarre Forensic Cases
William Bass, renowned forensic anthropologist, author, and the founder of the "Body Farm" discussed four of the most interesting cases throughout his career. Read article...
February 2011, Dr. Death Reveals Tools of the Trade
Dr. William Bass gave a presentation on forensic body study to a crowded Cox Auditorium Tuesday evening, February 8, 2011. Read article...
January 2011, AAAS Fellowship Awarded to Dr. Richard Jantz
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world. AAAS was founded in 1848 and its mission is to "advance science and serve society". Dr. Jantz was one of eight UT faculty named as AAAS fellows. Dr. Jantz was recognized for his distinguished contributions to biological anthropology through database and software development, and as director of the Forensic Anthropology Center. Read article...
December 2010, Authorities hope new info will help ID woman
Calhoun County Sheriff's Office and the State Law Enforcement Division have consulted with the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee to help identify a woman found in a remote wooded area. "Forensic experts have examined the skeletal remains and have determined the following: the victim is likely a female between the ages of 25 and 40 and of Hispanic origin." Read article...
November 2010, UT Bone Collection Wins Award.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, provided specimens and expertise to an exhibition within the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History which has been awarded one of the Secretary’s of Research Prizes for 2010.
The award goes to museum curator and UT alumnus, Doug Owsley and his colleague, Kari Bruwelheide. The exhibition, "Written in Bone," examines history through 17th-century bone biographies, including those of colonists teetering on the edge of survival at Jamestown, Virginia, and those living in the wealthy and well-established settlement of St. Mary's City, Md. The exhibition includes selected specimens from the William M. Bass donated skeletal collection which better reflects the present-day American population. All of the 800-plus skeletons in the still-growing collection were generous donations to science. The exhibition and hands-on lab remain favorites with museum guests and will remain in place through January 6, 2013.
October 2010
The efforts of the FAC and the local law enforcement has led to the positive identification of a 1999 cold case. Approximately five years ago, the FAC started an initiative to re-evaluate un-identified remains in hopes to close some long standing cold cases, which has led to the re-opening of several cases and lots of new leads.
October 2010
The Forensic Anthropology Center was notified that the investigation they assisted in helped solve a 1969 Cold Case. Staff at the FAC assisted in the exhumation and re-evaluation of remains in October 2009, which led to a conviction in the case. Read article...
September 22, 2010
The Osteology Lab was featured in the "Knowsy Knoxville" column of the News Sentinel.
August 20, 2010
Dr. Arpad Vass authored "Dust to Dust: The Brief, Eventful Afterlife of a Human Corpse," which was featured in the Scientific American magazine.
June 2010
Dr. Arpad Vass was featured in the Forensic Magazine's article "Labrador: New Alpha Dog in Human Remains Detection?" Dr. Vass’s research has led to the development of a handheld device that can be used to detect clandestine graves. Read article...
May 2010
The FAC was an integral part of the NDMS National Field Training Exercise held in Knoxville, TN. This training was the first national training involving representatives from the different agencies within the National Disaster Management Service system.
March 2010
Dr. Lee Meadows Jantz and Rebecca Taylor were deployed to Haiti to help with the ongoing efforts to recover Earthquake victims.
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Contact Information
Forensic Anthropology Center
Department of Anthropology
250 South Stadium Hall
Knoxville, TN USA
37996-0760
Phone: 865-974-4408
Fax: 865-974-2686
Email: fac@utk.edu