Forensic Sciences

The Department of Applied Forensic Sciences at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania offers specialized services in the field of Forensic Anthropology that are of utility to law enforcement, medicolegal and jurisprudence agencies throughout the United States. The Forensic Anthropology Division is under the immediate supervision of Dennis C. Dirkmaat, Ph.D., a board certified forensic anthropologist.

Dr. Steven A. Symes, another board certified forensic anthropologist, is a faculty member who also examines numerous cases, many of which include his specialty in sharp force bone trauma.

Dr. Symes and Dr. Dirkmaat are both board certified forensic anthropologist. Combined they have nearly 50 years of experience working on over 3000 forensic cases. They commonly work together on these cases to produce comprehensive and detailed forensic reports of their findings that are jointly signed by both professionals.

Dr. Stephen D. Ousley, an assistant professor, is a renowned physical anthropologist and an expert in human variation. Luis Cabo-Perez, MS is the Laboratory Director and Director of Student Research. Frank Vento, an adjunct professor at Mercyhurst Department of Geology and Anthropology/Archaeology, offers assistance in locating clandestine graves using GPR.

The department offers four primary services:

1. The application of archaeological data recovery techniques in the search for and documented recovery of crime scenes including buried bodies, surface scatters, fatal fires, and mass fatality scenes.
2. The identification, analysis and interpretation of human skeletal remains from forensic cases.
3. Training opportunities with top of the line equipment and experienced professionals.
4. The analysis of human skeletal trauma.