Bill Bass had an idea. A big idea. One that would change the face of forensics forever.
When Bass came to UT’s anthropology department in 1971, that idea had already taken root in his mind. His goal was to have the means and resources to estimate the time since death for deceased individuals—something on which very little research was available.
For more than 35 years, the Forensic Anthropology Center has been accepting donations of bodies to be placed at the outdoor research facility. More than 100 donations are received every year, the remains of which become part of the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection.
A building lies in ruins, its smoky shell all that remains. As firefighters turn their attention from battling the blaze to figuring out what caused it, their first call goes out to . . . an electrical engineer? It might seem an odd place to start, but when that engineer is UT’s David Icove, it makes perfect sense.
For three decades, the Forensic Anthropology Center has been on the forefront of forensic anthropology, turning out research and helping train law enforcement officials from around the country.
Dr. Bill Bass, forensic anthropologist, will speak at a preseason tailgate party at the Atlanta Brewing Company on Aug. 1.