Guidelines for Collections Research

Upon your arrival, please sign the risk agreement form. This is to report visiting researchers to the University of Tennessee. Returning researchers do not need to sign again.
All boxes of donated remains will need to be moved from the collections room (431B) to the FAC Research Laboratory (room 427E) for study using a cart (see below).
Researchers must sign into the collection at the beginning (9 a.m.) and end (5 p.m.) of each day. It is expected that you will attend the full day of research unless otherwise agreed upon with the collection manager. If you plan to arrive later than 9 a.m. or leave earlier than 5 p.m., you must notify the Osteology Collections Manager, Matt Wiesehan, a day in advance (barring emergencies).
You must check out a set of keys to the collections room and lab when you arrive and return them at the end of EACH DAY. Lost keys will incur a $400 fine as all doors will need to be rekeyed. The collection room and FAC Research lab should be locked at all times if no one is present.
The collections room is equipped with movable shelves. Please see the diagram in the lab for how to operate the shelves. Prior to moving the shelves, two safety checks must be conducted:
- Visually examine the open aisle to ensure no people, boxes or other items are in the aisle
- Orally announce (loudly) “moving shelves” or other such warning to ensure everyone in the room is aware that shelves are about to move.
Whenever a ladder is used to move boxes, another person must be in the lab in case of a fall. Emergency call numbers are posted in the lab if there is an injury or other emergency.
Carts are available for you to move the boxes between the collections room and the FAC Research lab. Please use these rather than carrying boxes by hand. Carts must be returned to the collections room at the end of every day. Never leave boxes in the aisles of the collection room to get later – they could be damaged by the moving shelves.
Make sure that your table in the FAC Research lab has at least one layer of foam on the surface prior to laying out skeletal material. We recommend that you work on one individual at a time, but if you need to have multiple individuals out at the same time, make sure the elements you are pulling out have the donation number on them and that you put them back to the right box.
To prevent unnecessary damage to skeletal material, remove all bones above the material you are trying to access in the box. Do not pull elements out from beneath the other bones.
If you need to use adhesive tape or other adhesive material, or mark a landmark on bone, you may do so (in pencil) but you must remove all the markings and tapes or stickers after you are done.
Re-box the skeleton following the instructional pictures on the wall. Pay attention that the ribs and mandible fit in the box. Do not force the bones into the box just to make them fit. They should go back in so that the lid of the box doesn’t put pressure on the skeleton. Do not hesitate to ask the collections manager for help if you cannot make them fit.
Notify someone if you notice anything that needs to be taken care of (broken boxes, loose teeth, elements with wrong donation number, etc.).
Place the boxes neatly back on the shelf in the correct location.
Sweep the table after finishing for the day. There is a small broom and dustpan in the collection room for use after you are finished. Leave the area clean when you leave.
No eating or drinking in the collections room or FAC Research lab.
If there is any change in your research schedule (e.g., early leaving, extension, etc.), please notify Giovanna Vidoli or the Osteology Collections Manager, Matt Wiesehan.
Please assign each donor a unique research number for your project – DO NOT use UT donor ID numbers (e.g., UT17-16D) in any of your work (e.g., papers, theses, dissertations, publications, presented papers and posters, etc.). Many donor families know these numbers, and we want to make sure that all photos remain anonymous.
If you have been approved to take photos of the bones, please ensure that the donor number is not visible in the photograph. If it is, you will need to black box it out or remove it with a photo editor program prior to any publications, theses or presentations. As indicated in your research request, copies of all photos must be given to Giovanna Vidoli for curation at the FAC.
Posting any photos of the lab, the bones or yourselves in the lab on social media is prohibited as is taking photos for our own personal use. Our donors donated their bodies for the purposes of scientific research and training, and we maintain the utmost respect for the donors.