William M. Bass and the Development of Forensic Anthropology in Tennessee

Twenty-two years of human identification cases have been analyzed with respect to the development of a forensic anthropology curriculum at the University of Tennessee under William M. Bass. Relationships forged with the State Medical Examiner and lecture programs for national, state and local law enforcement agencies and arson investigators have provided the necessary exposure that ensured the growth of Dr. Bass's caseload and program. Postmortem indicators for assessing time-since-death have been Bass's target research domain. The development of a donated body program with curation of those skeletons promises to keep his research perspective fueled. Finally, the formal establishment of the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee ensures the continued academic commitment to forensic anthropology.