Sue Black OBE BSc PhD DSc, Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology lets us into the real world of forensic anthropology.

Few disciplines have suffered as much from the intrusion of popular media culture as forensic anthropology. From the smiling skull uncovered for Taggart or reconstructed for Morse to the heroines of Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell. Every now and again we have to even stand up to Amanda Burton and good old Quincy. The public have now been admitted into our isolated academic world and sometimes it is difficult to live up to their expectations.

So what is forensic anthropology? One curmudgeonly Sergeant was overheard to comment - 'What the bl***y h*ll do we want an anthropologist for? There are no tribes still to be found in Glasgow!' Some would say that the statement is up for debate but it is the frequent misconception that forensic anthropology must deal with long lost peoples from unknown civilisations, isolated somewhere up an equatorial rain forest. The other misconception is that it is a subject that just deals with dry old bones. Both are equally misinformed.

The word forensic is derived from the Latin 'forensis' meaning 'pertaining to the court' and anthropology literally means the study of man. Therefore by definition, forensic anthropology is the study of man for the purposes of informing the court. Whilst the discipline operates to assist the investigative forces its ultimate lord and master is the courts of justice. The practitioners of this subject are expert witnesses whose testimony in court carries considerable weight and therefore their training must be intensive and lengthy.

Within the UK, forensic anthropologists assist the investigative forces in the identification of the deceased. The victim may recently have passed from this world and be a relatively intact corpse or it may show significant decomposition or indeed be skeletal or fragmented in its presentation. The forensic anthropologist must be able to carry out their work regardless of the manner in which the body is presented. Our prime function is not to determine the cause or manner of the death as that is the remit of the forensic pathologist, ours is to determine the identity of the deceased. The remit of the job has expanded in the last 10-15 years as we are more frequently asked to assist the international community in the investigation of war crimes, abuses of human rights and humanitarian repatriation. The mass graves of Rwanda, Yugoslavia and Iraq require our assistance as much as the disasters of the World Trade Centre, Bali bombing and the Madrid train crash. Wherever the deceased require to be identified so this has become synonymous with the world of forensic anthropology.

But as security has become a matter of not only personal but also national and international importance so forensic anthropology has expanded into the realms of identity verification in the living. Whether this is in the analysis of CCTV images or research into company personnel security systems so the diversification of the subject has taken a new direction for the new millennium.

How does somebody become a forensic anthropologist? This is not an easy question to answer as it differs from country to country. At the University of Dundee a student will study for 4 years to obtain a BSc in forensic anthropology whilst studying biomedical and anatomical studies in some detail. They will then undertake a one year Masters degree in human identification that widens the area of exposure to include all aspects of identification from both the living and deceased. At this time, students have the potential to work as interns with the Centre for International Forensic Assistance should any investigations be ongoing. Students then return to undertake a PhD and during that time they are mentored by staff on active forensic investigations. 8 years may seem like a long time to undergo training but when it is realised that the opinion of a forensic anthropologist can be sufficient to sway a jury to convict within the UK and pass a life sentence it can equally persuade a jury to serve the death penalty in countries such as Iraq.

This is not a profession for the weak or the mildly interested. There is no such thing as a typical day and there is no such thing as an easy job. One case may find you in the wilds of Scotland excavating an abandoned quarry for the skeletal remains of a mother and child who have been missing for 27 years with no more to worry you than the midges. But it may equally find you in the depths of Sierra Leone being surrounded by armed guards whose sole aim is to prevent the rebels from capturing you as a hostage. Glamorous? Oh dear me no! Nobody looks good in a scene of crime paper suit. Demanding? Unquestionably. 12 hour shifts for 6 weeks without break. Interesting? Absolutely no doubt. No two cases or two days are every the same. Addictive? Without question. Each and every case is the challenge that demands to be conquered. Would I encourage my daughters to follow in my footsteps? Don't be silly!

Sue Black OBE BSc PhD DSc, Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology