Description

Behind the Investigation:  Exploring Roles, Realities & Responsibilities in Medicolegal Death Investigation
Developed by Dr. Shelby Scott, MSc., PhD, in partnership with CSFS.

Time: Jan 18, 2027 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada), 60 minutes total
“Forensics in the Real World: Forensic Anthropology”

When human remains are unidentified, incomplete, or have been altered by decomposition or environmental conditions, forensic anthropology can help to make sense of the evidence. This webinar examines how forensic anthropologists apply their expertise in real-world death investigations, work alongside other professionals, and contribute to the identification of the deceased. It will also discuss the educational and practical experience required to pursue forensic anthropology in Canada.

Speaker: Dr. Shelby Scott, MSc, PhD
Forensic Anthropologist (Consultant to the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Service)
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Toronto

Dr. Shelby Scott is a Forensic Anthropologist and Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Toronto. She serves as a consultant to the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Service, where she actively contributes to forensic investigations. Her practical experience includes casework consultations in Ontario and eastern Canada, under both coronial and medical examiner frameworks. She has also contributed to international efforts through the Committee of Missing Persons (CMP).

In the academic sphere, Dr. Scott has developed and teaches a variety of undergraduate courses at the Institute of Forensic Sciences and Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. She provides mentorship to undergraduate and graduate students in both research and professional capacities and is actively engaged in community outreach and professional education, offering lectures and practical workshops to audiences including the RCMP, Innocence Canada, and other, various medicolegal stakeholders. She has developed and carried out research in Canada, the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa, and publishes regularly. Her current research efforts focus on epigenetic variation, secular change, and the use of epigenetic traits for use in identification across forensic, historical, and archaeological contexts.