Current PhD, Masters, and Honours Projects

Salina Hisham 
PhD Candidate, Centre for Forensic Anthropology, University of Western Australia

Title: Malaysian Standards for Forensic Age Estimation: Formulation and Validation based on the analyses of Multi-Detector Computed Tomographic Images
 
Supervisors: A/Prof. Daniel Franklin (UWA), E/Prof. Charles Oxnard (UWA), Dr Nurliza Abdullah (Hospital Kuala Lumpur), Dr Mohamad Helmee Mohamad Noor (Hospital Kuala Lumpur)
 
When a skeletal remain is unknown, a biological profile (age, sex, ancestry, and stature) needs to be developed to narrow searches of known missing persons.  Traditional reference standards based on the skeletal analysis of documented human skeletal collections are generally utilised, however, it has been empirically demonstrated that these standards are population specific. Such standards are currently not available for Malaysians due to a lack of skeletal collections. Therefore, this study aims to establish Malaysian standards for forensic age estimation. Bone data are acquired from computed tomographic scans of individuals, representative of the major ethnic groups, both sexes, and from the age of 5 to 90 years old. Anonymised scans with only sex, age and ancestry data retained are acquired from patients and deceased individuals presenting to government hospitals. Morphological observations and measurements of selected
skeletal landmarks are documented from reconstructed images. Standards are statistically formulated following established forensic methods.

Dominic Esterman
B. Sci. (Adv.) Honours, Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Sydney

Supervisors: Dr Sarah Croker (USYD) and Dr Denise Donlon (USYD).
 
Forensic anthropology involves identifying skeletal remains. Australian skeletal collections used in forensic anthropological research are limited, yet teaching collections of Indian origin in anatomy departments have research potential if their biological profiles are reconstructed.
Sex assessment is crucial for biological profiling. The morphology of the pelvis is best for indicating sex, however skulls in collections are often isolated. Furthermore, forensically discovered remains may be incomplete due to taphonomic processes. Thus, accurate methods are needed to sex isolated skulls. Such methods must be metrically objective as US/Australian judiciary systems require empirical and statistically supported evidence.
I aim to develop novel metric methods of sexing Indian-Caucasoid skulls. These could be used to sex remains in national skeletal collections and forensic contexts including medico-legal cases, mass disasters and in war-dead identification. These metric techniques must accurately capture the morphological dimorphism of cranial features and be able to be used by international forensic anthropologists without specialist equipment.

Melandri Vlok
PhD Candidate, University of Otago

Title: The Implications of Human Interaction for the Health of Past Populations in Asia

Supervisor: Prof. Hallie Buckley (University of Otago)
​
This research takes a palaeopathological approach through the examination of human skeletal populations from Asia with considerable and complex human mobility patterns, in order to investigate how aspects of human movement impact pathology prevalence. 

More specifically this research will investigate how human interaction through the processes of migration, trade and/or conflict has resulted in the spread of infectious disease and the rise of nutritional diseases in the past. The purpose of this research is to assess whether the factor of human interaction is considerable enough to influence prevalence rates and deems more focus in palaeopathological literature alongside population density increase, and social transitions which currently present as the focus of many population based studies.

Research will involve assessment of regional changes in the degree of human interaction and disease prevalence over time in prehistoric Vietnam, Mongolia and Japan and historic Japan, as well as generalised modelling of influential factors which may co-vary of which human interaction is one of them.

Cynthia Parayiwa​
PhD Candidate, Australian National University

Title: The impact of maternal exposure to severe tropical cyclones on birth outcomes
 
Supervisors: Dr Alison Behie (ANU)
 
Evolutionary theory plays a crucial role in understanding not only current but future human health under changing climate scenarios. Literature has shed an informative light on the adaptability of human biology to its environment, but crucial empirical work is needed to explore how present-day human health is impacted when an environment is suddenly destabilized by events such as natural disasters. A mixed-method approach will be used to spatially, statistically and qualitatively explore the impact of cyclone disasters on perinatal health in the state of Queensland with research outcomes providing insight into cyclone impact, maternal experiences and perinatal health across the state. 

Natalie Langowski 
PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne

Title: Tracing Dietary and Migratory Behaviors of Past Human Populations in Greater Mtskheta, Georgia.

Supervisors: Dr. Varsha Pilbrow (UoM), Dr Colin Smith (La Trobe University), Prof Antonio Sagona (UoM).

The region of Greater Mtskheta in the Republic of Georgia exhibits evidence of human occupation for the last 6000 years, and abundant archaeological evidence of culture contact with Greece, Rome and Persia from 400BC. This project is using stable isotope analyses of human and faunal remains to investigate the impact of external culture contact and human mobility on local culture development during the Late Bronze to Early Medieval Periods.
 A comparison of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios over time will examine if major cultural changes, such as the Roman invasion, coincided with changes in dietary practices and social organisation in Mtskheta between 1500BC-AD600. Strontium isotope analyses will aid in assessing if artificial cranial modification was introduced to Mtskheta via settlement of Eurasian nomadic tribes during the 4th-5th centuries AD, or if the practice was cultural emulated by local inhabitants.

Academics Q and A's

Heather Battles

'Take the time to get to know your fellow grad students – and not just those in your immediate cohort.' (read more...)

​Elizabeth L. Knox

'I am a Human Osteologist/ Osteoarchaeologist with MOLA...' (read more...)

Nick Malone

'Currently I am trying to balance teaching and family life with the realities of fieldwork in primatology.' (read more...)

Damien Huffer

'Be prepared for this flexibility if you decide to continue an academic or museum career path, and be prepared for setbacks (and plenty of excitement!) along the way...' (read more)

Justyna Miszkiewicz

'There is no single channel to find “the” job.' (read more...)

Student Q and A's

​Hyab Mehari Abraha

'I would like people to know that all research is collaborative, and without my supervisor, my co-supervisors, my department and the Fulbright commission I wouldn't be the kind of scientist I aspire to be.' (read more)