Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory

Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory George Mason's Forensic Science Research & Training Laboratory (FSRTL) advances forensic taphonomy and anthropology.

This page also highlights research from the Yim Bio & Forensic Anthro Lab. 🌿💀🔬

❗️All human remains shown are casts/models

Last week, our affiliated faculty represented FSRTL at the Mid-Atlantic Cold Case Homicide Investigators Association (MA...
08/10/2026

Last week, our affiliated faculty represented FSRTL at the Mid-Atlantic Cold Case Homicide Investigators Association (MACCHIA) meeting in Annapolis, Maryland. 📍

During their presentation, they shared ongoing research at the FSRTL, highlighted the use of remote detection technologies for locating clandestine graves, and discussed real-world case studies demonstrating how these tools can support forensic investigations.

We are grateful for opportunities like these to connect with investigators, forensic professionals, and agency partners while sharing the latest developments from our research program. 🤝🦴

📡 Today is the day!Today marks the start of our newest ground-penetrating radar (GPR) research project in collaboration ...
08/07/2026

📡 Today is the day!

Today marks the start of our newest ground-penetrating radar (GPR) research project in collaboration with Indiana University Of PA and IUP Anthropology Program.

To ensure meaningful comparisons, we created standardized simulated burials with consistent burial dimensions and protocols at both research sites. Over the coming months, we will repeatedly scan these graves to monitor how GPR signatures change over time under different environmental and soil conditions.

By collecting comparable longitudinal datasets from multiple locations, we hope to better understand how site conditions influence GPR performance and improve the interpretation of clandestine grave searches.

We’re excited to kick off this collaboration and look forward to sharing updates as the project progresses! 🦴📡

Sometimes research means spending the entire day with a shovel in hand. 🪏🌳A huge thank you to the incredible volunteers ...
08/05/2026

Sometimes research means spending the entire day with a shovel in hand. 🪏🌳

A huge thank you to the incredible volunteers who joined us to help excavate three mock graves for an upcoming collaboration with Indiana University of Pennsylvania IUP Anthropology Program. By the end of the day, everyone was exhausted but proud of what we accomplished together. 💪

Later this week, two pig carcasses will be placed in these graves to launch a new, multi-site research project investigating how ground-penetrating radar (GPR) can be used to monitor buried remains over time.

This project will help us compare and contrast how graves change beneath the surface at two different locations and evaluate the applicability of GPR for forensic searches and clandestine grave investigations in different environments. 📡🦴

We’re excited to share that our very own Prof. Emily Rancourt, Steve Burmeister, and affiliated faculty member Mary Weld...
07/30/2026

We’re excited to share that our very own Prof. Emily Rancourt, Steve Burmeister, and affiliated faculty member Mary Weldon will be presenting at the Mid-Atlantic Cold Case Homicide Investigators Association (MACCHIA) conference next week! 🦴🚁

Their presentation will explore how ongoing research and emerging technologies at the FSRTL can support the detection of clandestine graves and contribute to cold case investigations. Topics will include the integration of forensic anthropology, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), 3D documentation, and multidisciplinary collaboration to improve search strategies and investigative outcomes.

We’re proud to see the expertise of our faculty contributing to professional training and advancing forensic science in partnership with law enforcement!

Dr. Yim will be speaking at the Loudoun County Public Library this fall!If you’re interested in forensic anthropology, h...
07/29/2026

Dr. Yim will be speaking at the Loudoun County Public Library this fall!

If you’re interested in forensic anthropology, human decomposition research, or what happens behind the scenes at the FSRTL, we’d love for you to join us for this upcoming public presentation.

This free program is open to anyone interested in learning more about forensic science, and there will be time for questions and discussion.

🔗 Learn more here: https://loudoun.libnet.info/event/17031242⁠

See you there! 👋

07/22/2026

How do forensic anthropologists turn decomposition observations into an estimate of time since death?

The approach usually begins with Total Body Score (TBS), a way to quantify the extent of decomposition.

TBS can be combined with Accumulated Degree Days (ADD): a measure that incorporates both time and temperature, to model decomposition progress.

Besides the original model, there are a few modifications: the goal is to find the best equation to describe the relationship. But which method performs best using real-world data from FSRTL?

🌿 Another donor placement day at the FSRTL.Summer may be a time for vacations, but not at the FSRTL. ☀️Our students rema...
07/21/2026

🌿 Another donor placement day at the FSRTL.

Summer may be a time for vacations, but not at the FSRTL. ☀️

Our students remain committed to gaining hands-on experience in every stage of our research. From documentation and evidence collection to donor placement and longitudinal field observations, they continue to show up with curiosity, professionalism, and enthusiasm. Watching them grow into the next generation of forensic scientists makes us incredibly proud. 🦴📸🔬

07/20/2026

📢 New publication!

Our case study on iatrogenic (medically induced) rib trauma is now available in Early View at Forensic Anthropology Journal!

During the analysis of one of our donated skeletal collections, we identified multiple rib fractures and used fracture morphology, documented medical history, a review of the medical literature, and differential diagnosis to evaluate their likely cause. This case highlights the importance of integrating multiple lines of evidence when interpreting skeletal trauma and recognizing medically induced changes that may otherwise be mistaken for traumatic injury.

🎉 This publication also marks an exciting milestone as the first student-led publication from the FSRTL! We're incredibly proud of our students and look forward to seeing many more research projects come to fruition.

🔗 Read the paper here: https://doi.org/10.5744/fa.2026.0005

07/15/2026

One of the ways we estimate postmortem interval (PMI) is to quantify decomposition using a numeric scale.

One of the most widely used approaches is Total Body Score (TBS), introduced by Megyesi et al. (2005).

TBS assigns scores to the head, torso, and limbs based on observed decomposition changes. These scores are then combined into a single value that can be used in PMI estimation models.

At FSRTL, our student researchers are trained to document TBS during every field observation, and we have been tracking how TBS progresses across all of our donors since the facility opened. These longitudinal observations help us better understand decomposition patterns in the Mid-Atlantic region and evaluate how well existing PMI estimation methods perform.

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