Dr. John Albanese

I use a biocultural approach for investigating human variation using identified skeletal collections. I have used this approach to develop skeletal identification methods (sex and stature estimation) that are applicable in both bioarchaeological and forensic contexts and to develop theoretical models for dealing with bias in skeletal assemblages. My other research interests include the history of anatomy and physical anthropology in the United States and Canada, and critiquing race and racism in anthropology and forensic science. In 2015, I began a major long-term research applying forensic methods to the study of human and faunal remains from the Mycenaean Period on the island of Kefalonia, Greece. I occasionally assist the Windsor Police in forensic investigations, and I am involved in the investigation of international human rights violations.

Honours Theses/Project Supervised

• A Test of “Race” and Sex Estimation Using Infra-Cranial Data in Frodisc 3.1. Haylee Meloche, 2018
• Using Fundamental Photography Techniques to Replicate Full Length Femur Bones for Stature Estimation. Mitchell Smithson, 2018
• Status of the Race Concept in Physical Anthropology. Lindsay Nedelko, 2017
• Analysis of Various Clay Bite-mark Impressions that Correlate Back to Their  Respective Dentitions. Rachel Athoe, May 2017
• Impact of Research Experience on Measurement Error for Sex and Stature Estimation Using the Hipbone and Femur. Abyan Abdirahman, May 2016
• Determining the Accuracy of Sex and Race Estimation with Cranial Measurements Using Fordisc 3.1.307. Abegail Dagdag, May 2016
• Assessing Reproducibility in Scoring Age-Related Changes in the Acetabulum. Elizabeth Bertucci, May 2016
• A Test of Metric Methods for Sex Determination Using Fragmentary Crania. Brianne Jones, May 2012
• Sex Determination from Fingerprint Ridge Densities Using the Logistic Regression Model. Nishal Patel, May 2012
• Further Assessment of Sexual Dimorphism in Friction Ridge Density. Meredith Lamptey, May 2010
• The Politics of Forensics: A Comparison of Resources Devoted to Investigating Genocide in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Tanya Gagné, May 2009
• A Method for Estimating Stature from Shoe Impressions. Lem Pitters, May 2008
• Human Genetic Variation: A Critique of a Racial Approach. Amber Rose, May 2008
• A Test of Pelvic Age Determination Methods. Courtney Strachan, May 2008
• A Comparison of Measurement Error Methods and the Reproducibility of Femur Neck Measurements When Determining Sex from Skeletal Remains. Rebecca Cole, May 2007
• Analysis of FORDISC 3.0 Using a Sample of First Nations Skeletons. Stephanie Osley, May 2007
• Consistency of Age Determination Using the Auricular Surfaces of the Ilium and Sacrum. Sarah Phillips, May 2007
• Error Associated with Standard Anthropological Measurements of the Femur and Humerus. Sarah Spanton, May 2007
• Plant Growth and How It Is Affected by Decomposition and Disturbances Caused by the Process of Burial. Haley Veres, May 2007
• The Misuse of Race in Genetic Profiling: Twenty-first Century Technology Applied to Nineteenth Century Biology. Essya Nabbali, December 2006
• Determining Sex Using Friction Ridge Density. Philip Osmon, December 2006
• Assessing Intra-Observer and Inter-Observer Error When Estimating Age Using the Suchey-Brooks Method. Meredith Czaniecki, April 2006

Publications and Scholarly Presentations with students as co-authors

• Meloche H, Albanese J. 2018. Challenging Perceptions of Race in Forensic Anthropology: What Forensic Software Tells You it is Doing Versus What it is Actually Doing. Paper presented at the 46th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology, London, Ontario, October 31 to November 3.
• Skalic C, Albanese J, Dagdag AA. 2018. Comparison of Fordisc 3.1 and AncesTrees using Cranial Measurements from an Identified Sample. Paper presented at the 46th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology, London, Ontario, October 31 to November 3.
• Albanese J, Dagdag A, Skalic C, Cardoso HFV. 2018. An Assessment of Ancestry and Sex Estimation Using FORDISC 3.1. Paper presented at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 70th Annual Scientific Meeting, February 19-24, Seattle, Washington.
• Albanese J, Osley SE, Tuck A. 2016. Do group-specific equations provide the best estimates of stature? Forensic Science International 261:154-158.
• Albanese J, Osley SE, Tuck A. 2012. Do century-specific equations provide better estimates of stature? A test of the 19th - 20th century boundary for the stature estimation feature in Fordisc 3.0. Forensic Science International 219:286-288.
• Albanese J, Montes R. 2011. Latent Evidence Detection using a Combination of Near Infrared and High Dynamic Range Photography: An Example Using Bloodstains.  Journal of Forensic Sciences 56:1601-1603.