Forensic scientist coming to Chadron

Dr. Douglas W. Owsley, division head for the Physical Anthropology Department at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, will deliver a presentation Wednesday, April 27. The lecture, “The Human Skeleton in Forensic Science and Historical Archeology,” will be at 7 p.m. in the Student Center ballroom. It is being sponsored by the Museum of the Fur Trade, Chadron State College and the Nebraska State Historical Society.

Gail DeBuse Potter, director of the Museum of the Fur Trade, said Owsley’s field of work has become popular from its prominence on television crime shows, such as Bones, NCIS and CSI. He is engaged in forensic anthropology case work, assisting state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Cases have included Jeffrey Dahmer’s first victim, recovery and identification of Waco Branch Davidian members, and war dead from Yugoslavia. His work has been the subject of a book, a Discovery Channel documentary, and an ABC “20/20” program. In addition, Owsley received the Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Civilian Service for forensic investigations that helped identify victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

Owsley, a native of Wyoming, holds degrees from the University of Wyoming and the University of Tennessee. His research concerns include ancient Americans skeletons such as Kennewick Man, the 17^th century colonists at Jamestown, Civil War military remains including the crew of the H.L. Hunley submarine, and health and diseases of American Indian populations from the Plains and Southwest.