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Preferred pronouns: they/them

Chair: Dr. Dawnie Steadman

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After 10+ years as a Military Intelligence Analyst, T.Y. returned home to Tennessee and started their undergraduate studies at Middle Tennessee State University. As a laboratory assistant, they conducted inventories and assessments of skeletal remains and prepared remains for repatriation. T.Y. studied historic archaeology on the Bass Street Project in Nashville and bioarchaeology in Brazil. They assisted on forensic casework as a member of the Forensic Anthropology Search and Recovery (FASR) Team under the direction of Dr. Tiffany Saul and Dr. Hugh Berryman. During their graduate program, they continued working on forensic cases as a member of the Mercyhurst Forensic Search and Recovery Team (M-FSRT). As a veteran, they are passionate about forensic archaeology, having completed three DPAA partner missions through the University of Maryland and Middle Tennessee State University, advancing from student to field assistant, and lastly to teaching assistant.

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T.Y.’s forensic fieldwork has encompassed a wide range of experiences, from search and recovery operations, with accumulated skills of archaeological documentation and field photography, as well as anthropological laboratory analysis and comprehensive case report writing. After completing their MS, as the first NAGPRA Assistant Coordinator (Osteologist) for Auburn University, T.Y. was responsible for database management, conducting skeletal inventories, and finalizing site-specific reports.

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Their research interests involve merging forensic anthropology methods and GIS capabilities to provide statistical pattern analysis to casework and recoveries.