Pre-IAFS Workshop: Excavation and Recovery of Human Remains

Background

The 23nd Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS) in conjunction with the 26th Australian & New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS) will be held at the International Convention Centre Sydney, Australia from Monday 20th - Friday 24th November 2023 (https:// iafs2023.com.au/). The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) in conjunction with other external colleagues is planning to run a pre-conference workshop entitled: Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Excavation and Recovery of Human Remains from Single and Multiple Clandestine Graves. In order to assist in the planning of this workshop and gauge levels of interest, VIFM is seeking expressions of interest from forensic practitioners and post-graduate students interested in participating in this pre-conference workshop.

Workshop Description

This five-day pre-IAFS conference workshop will be held at The Australian Facility of Taphonomic Research (AFTER) located in Western Sydney, New South Wales. AFTER is currently the only body donation facility dedicated to the study of forensic taphonomy in Australia and supports a number of projects involving buried remains. The workshop will provide participants with practical experience in the excavation, recovery, documentation, and post-recovery management of human remains and associated evidence buried within a series of single and mass graves. Participants will be provided with a broad overview of different techniques used to search and locate clandestine graves and will then work in rotating groups to undertake excavation, recovery and post-recovery. The deceased have been buried for varying times (between 4 and 7 years) and at different depths, in hand and machine-dug graves. Therefore, it is anticipated that participants will gain experience working with human remains in different states of preservation.

Who Should Attend

This workshop is open to forensic practitioners and post-graduate students from a range of disciplines including (but not limited to) forensic pathology, anthropology, archaeology, molecular biology, entomology, and crime scene who would like the opportunity to develop skills in the documentation and excavation of single and multiple clandestine graves.

Workshop Objectives

Upon completing this workshop participants will: • Gain an appreciation and understanding of the logistics involved in recovering human remains; • Gain practical experience recovering differentially preserved human remains and associated evidence; • Appreciate different excavation and documentation techniques adapted to single and multiple graves; • Gain an understanding of taphonomic challenges, site formation processes, and differential preservation; • Gain an understanding of basic problem-solving when access to complete resources required for recovery is limited;

• Gain knowledge of a temporary mortuary including the need for sampling as part of the identification process.

Workshop dates

Monday 13th-Friday 17th November 2023

Workshop costs

• Daily transport from the accommodation to the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER)

• Lectures and practical experience in the field

• Catering (lunch day 1)

• Management fee (as required by IAFS) • AFTER Facility Fee (as required by AFTER) In addition to the workshop fee of $1900 AUS per person, additional costs for each participant will include:

• Accommodation (NB: accommodation will be organised but the costs will be the responsibility of the participant) (approx. $100 AUS per day for a single room for 5 nights)

• Food (breakfast, lunch and dinner – with the exception of lunch on day 1)

• Washing (as required)

How to Register an Expression of Interest: Please send a CV (no more than 3 pages) and a brief paragraph summarising why you would like to participate and what you would like to achieve through attending the workshop. Please send this information to: short.courses@vifm.org