Statement of Purpose, Take 1.

I sent off my first application today. In case all three of you who read this blog were wondering, here's what I came up with to explain what the hell I want to study:

I am interested in studying taphonomy as an integrated process of interacting ecological systems that are driven by biological, physical, and temporal conditions.  Biochemistry and ecological biology in particular inform my approach to forensic anthropology, so though my interest is focused on the breakdown and decay of the dead body I am also curious about how this process interacts with the surrounding environment.  I think of the process of decomposition as the discrete microenvironment or ecosystem of the body that was produced during life losing homeostasis and reintegrating with the surrounding (macro) environment.

Traditionally, forensic investigators have focused on specific facets of the taphonomic process (e.g. entomology, toxicology, anthropology, etc.) with less emphasis on quantifying these processes as an integrated ecological system. Micro systems (chemical changes, bacterial activity, entomological life cycles) focus on the discrete body or portions thereof, while macro-environmental systems such as climate, weather, and animal scavenging transform and engage the surrounding ecosystem as well as the body itself. No one system acts in a vacuum, and the state of the remains reflects the interaction of multiple systems.  I am interested in examining these system interactions and how such crossover affects the forensic record. Recent research in the field has begun to take this quantitative holistic approach, but much work remains to be done.

Though the taphonomic process is by no means confined to our species, and I strongly believe that investigators should be familiar with faunal taphonomy, I am attracted to the field of forensic taphonomy because it represents a junction between science and the American legal system.  I firmly believe in the idea of the “citizen scientist:" that is, the concept that any individual,  even those without formal scientific training, can, with a minimum of instruction, understand and appreciate given scientific concepts and processes and the reasonable interpretation thereof.

Though science plays an essential role in contemporary forensic investigations and legal cases, it sometimes becomes a liability in the courtroom where investigators and jurors may get bogged down in overly technical jargon and an excess of details. The validity of our criminal justice system relies on the assumption that the jury is making an informed decision. Decomposition is fascinating simply from an ecological standpoint, and understanding the taphonomic process may improve our comprehenstion of bioscience in general, but the science is of limited value to the legal community if jurors do not understand and accept the validity of the evidence. Taphonomy is an extremely complex topic, yet it can be presented in very basic terms. Many aspects of taphonomic investigation are not yet commonly presented as evidence in the courtroom, but that will likely change in the near future, and we will need to account for a gap in public appreciation and comprehension of taphonomic science.  Closing this gap presents a valuable opportunity to enhance the public understanding of the basic tenets of the science and to foster legal decisions that are as well-informed as possible.  My experience in theater and visual arts has shown me the power of creative presentation. I am confident that with a little directed effort, we can establish guidelines for presenting evidence that will make taphonomic science fully intelligible to any jury.

That's right, bitches! I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING EVER.