Biology/Archaeology/Forensic Science: The Human Skeleton With Dr Sophie Newman From The University of Edinburgh

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We are delighted to welcome Dr Sophie Newman, Teaching Fellow in Human Osteoarchaeology at The University of Edinburgh. Sophie will lead an interactive talk for students entitled Archaeology/Forensic Science: The Human Skeleton.

The skeleton has many vital functions within the body, including support, protection of vital organs, and facilitation of movement. While all humans have the same basic template, a product of evolutionary processes and trade-offs, the skeleton has “plasticity” – it is to some degree malleable and adaptable to internal and external environmental influences. How specific traits or features of the human skeleton are expressed may differ due to genetics, age and sex, but also lifestyle factors such as diet, physical activity, and exposure to health stressors. This forms the basis for human skeletal variation, and our ability to form osteological profiles for individuals based on their skeletal remains.

This session will provide a broad introduction to the range of skeletal morphologies exhibited across vertebrate species, and focus on how we can use detailed knowledge of the human skeleton in the fields of archaeology and forensic science. It will cover basic methodological approaches (such as sex and age estimation), and additional ways we can study lifestyle factors from the skeleton on the macroscopic and biomolecular level. It will also consider similarities and differences in how osteological profiles are ultimately used in archaeological and forensic practice.

This exciting event is designed to support STEM students in their current studies and future interests by furthering understanding of principles covered in class through examination of practical, real world applications in Archaeology and Forensic Science.

Lecturer Profile (Please Click): Dr Sophie Newman

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. This means that sessions will continue irrespective of possible school closures.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: S5/S6, Key Stage 5 (and equivalent) STEM students. We also welcome students who are not doing STEM subjects but are interested in Archaeology. Student groups as well as students and teachers joining individually are very welcome.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the topic in advance and questions they have. Students can also think about questions about studying at university level.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Bluejeans (similar to Zoom) and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via a microphone and/or typed comments and questions. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:

Register here