Training Courses
Currently Available Training Courses
All courses will take place on the SIU Carbondale campus.
Human Remains Detection & Live Find Canine Training Course: Level I (March 17–18, 2020)
This two-day intensive workshop is designed to expose experienced K9 teams to the continuum of advanced decomposition. This is the first time the CFAR has made their facility available for canine training. This workshop is focused on HRD, however limited enrollment is available for live find K9 teams. Field exercises include exposure to whole body human remains in various stages of advanced decomposition, including unprocessed human skeletal remains.
Scenarios are modeled after those frequently encountered in search missions and may include: (a) whole body exposure; (b) rubble pile search; (c) abandoned building search; (d) wildfire simulation; and/or (e) industrial barrel search. Scenarios to be determined based on specific weather and other conditions on dates of course.
Field exercises will be supplemented by two “lunch and learn” lecture modules. Lectures include: Understanding the Importance of Region-Specific Decomposition Models: Decomposition in Southern Illinois and Legal Qualifications and Documenting your Experience and Training.
Information about registration can be found on the Canine Workshop PDF.
Introduction to Human Osteology
(Dates to be announced)
This course was designed to introduce participants ato skeletal anatomy, human osteology, and basic comparative (human/non-human) osteology. Participants will be given the opportunity to practically apply lecture material by performing in-depth analysis of whole and fragmentary human skeletal material and dentition. Students will also be exposed to skeletal changes associated with typical human variation, age related pathological change, and surgical implants. This course is ideal for students and law enforcement professionals seeking training in the identification of whole and fragmentary human skeletal remains. No previous knowledge is required.
For full details, please see CFAR Summer Short Courses PDF.
Advanced Human Osteology: Introduction to Report Preparation and Courtroom Testimony
(Dates to be announced)
This course was designed to introduce participants to professional report writing and courtroom testimony in forensic anthropological perspective. Participants will be given the opportunity to perform a complete skeletal analysis (biological profile, trauma, pathology, taphonomy) using modern human skeletal remains curated in the CFAR osteological collection. These skeletons may present degenerative, pathological, surgical, or traumatic change. Analyses will be performed in the context of a forensic case scenario. Following analysis, participants will be guided in the preparation of a complete osteological report and be given the opportunity to defend their findings in SIU’s School of Law courtroom. Acquired skills include: advanced application of forensic anthropology methods, description of traumatic and pathological osseous change, estimation of postmortem interval, photography, report formatting, and courtroom testimony. This course is designed for students who have previous experience in human osteology and skeletal analysis and wish to apply these skills to the practical aspects of the discipline.
For full details, please see CFAR Summer Short Courses PDF.