It’s no secret why the CSI television series is so popular – people are fascinated by forensics. Some are so fascinated that they choose to make a career of recovering and analyzing badly desiccated or skeletonized human remains. One such person is Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Ernest Walker, who will speak of his discoveries when he delivers the Law Foundation Chair in Police Studies Annual Lecture on Thurs. Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the U of R’s Education Auditorium.

In his talk entitled “The Testimony of Bones and Teeth,” Walker will discuss how analyzing the dead is all in a day’s work. Walker, who works at the Forensic Identification Laboratory in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Saskatchewan, says forensic anthropology involves a number of analytical procedures to discover the secrets of the dead. These procedures include collecting information about the deceased’s gender, age at death, race, stature, cause of death, elapsed time since death, and other characteristics that can aid in personal identification.

Walker will explain that crime scene management and logistical considerations are increasingly important components of forensic investigations. He will draw on individual case studies to establish context and to discuss critical findings related to subsequent legal proceedings. He will also display photos of his work.

This lecture is open to the public at no cost. Parking is available in the “M” area in Lot 15. For more information, contact Lynn at 585-4782.