Donate to The Forensic Anthropology Center at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The Forensic Anthropology Center (FAC) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville has many unique resources and capabilities conducive to research partnerships. As demand of the FAC’s services and expertise continues to increase, so does the need for equipment and trained personnel. In this regard, securing private donations as well as furthering industry partnerships is vital to the continued success of the Center.
Personal Financial Donations
The FAC does not charge any fees for body donations nor do we charge researchers to access our facilities. Therefore, we encourage financial contributions to support the research, training and outreach mission of the FAC. Your financial contribution can be used to:
- Support the Body Donation Program: Each body donated costs the FAC approximately $500. These donation-related expenses include fuel (the FAC retrieves donors at no cost to families if they are within 100 miles of Knoxville), vehicles and vehicle maintenance, personal protective equipment (e.g., gloves, aprons, shoe covers), graduate student assistants who help with the donations, and other daily operational costs. Funding is needed to help offset the costs of this extremely important program.
- Fund Faculty and Student Research Support: Provide research funds for students and faculty. The FAC currently has four funds that are utilized to assist with research efforts, including research-related travel expenses, equipment purchases, conference travel and registration fees, and special equipment access. Contributions can be added to these existing funds or may be used to start a separate fund. For more information on how to establish a separate fund, please contact: Michelle Geller at mgeller@utfi.org or at (865) 974-2365.
- William M. Bass Endowment – This contribution by Dr. William Bass began in 1995 to support undergraduate, graduate and faculty research in forensic anthropology. Contributions can be added directly to Endowment.
- Simon Beckett Student Paper Prize– Contributed by world-renown author Simon Beckett, this competitive award is provided to graduate students presenting papers or posters at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences annual conference.
- Walter Leitner Award – Contributed by Mr. Walter Leitner who supports student research as well as human rights work around the world.
- Haslam Postdoctoral Fellowship – Provided by the generosity of Dee and Jimmy Haslam, the Fellowship supports research and salary costs of a post-doctoral Fellow for up to three years to conduct research at the FAC.
- Graduate Student Support: The Body Donation Program is extremely successful and is supported, in part, by graduate assistance lines from the Department of Anthropology. The FAC is in need of dedicated graduate student lines that provide tuition, fees, and salary to the students that keep the FAC operating at full capacity.
- Memorialization: The FAC realizes how important body donation is to the individual as well as the families. We are happy to receive financial gifts on behalf of someone you care about.
The FAC is also creating designated funds designed to address specific long-term needs. Contributions to these funds will support our long-term goals of laboratory accreditation and high-end equipment that will boost our research capabilities. These funds include:
- Accreditation and Certification Fund. This fund would help the FAC become the first fully accredited academic anthropology lab in the nation through a national accreditation agency. This fund would also be used to help underwrite the certification costs incurred by students and faculty who work with forensic evidence in an accredited lab.
- Special Equipment Fund. Through private donations from individuals as well as industry, this fund would assist the FAC in acquiring much-needed equipment that will enhance current research efforts by purchasing, upgrading, maintaining, or receiving corporate gifts in-kind including:
- Histological equipment. Modern equipment would enhance our ability to develop new histological aging techniques and study bone pathology.
- Imaging Equipment, including an x-ray unit, CT scanner and micro-CT scanner as each provides different perspectives of skeletal variation and pathology.
- 3D digitizer and other advanced equipment will allow the FAC to acquire complex data for a more realistic understanding of human sex and ancestry variation as well as how populations change over time (secular change).
- Outreach Fund. The FAC provides dozens of lectures every semester for civic groups and school groups around the country. The Outreach funds would be used to support the High School Forensic Anthropology Program as well as the Summer Internship Program for non-UT students, and our high school internship program we offer every Fall.
Corporate Gifts
Over the last several years, the FAC has formed strategic research partnerships with a number of government agencies and private corporations (see Corporate Research page). In addition to FAC/corporate partnerships, industry can greatly assist the FAC in meeting its infrastructure needs by: providing, purchasing, and/or loaning imaging equipment, histology equipment, and other equipment to assist with research and development.
Make a Donation
Through the University of Tennessee Foundation (UTFI) donors are provided with a number of opportunities to support the FAC including:
- Gifts of cash and/or appreciated securities;
- Estate gifts including bequests, charitable gift annuities, real estate and other types of deferred gifts;
- In-kind gifts of equipment, technology, etc.
For more information on how you can make a donation, please contact:
Christopher Cox
Director of Development
College of Arts and Sciences
Phone: (865)-974-7692 E-mail: ccox65@utk.edu