Professor
Director, Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS)
Ph.D., University of Toronto, 1969
Email: dr4n6@txstate.edu
Phone: 512-245-2472
Office: ELA 273A
Web site: http://www.jerrymelbye.com

Research:
Forensic Anthropology and Paleopathology

Dr. Jerry Melbye completed his Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology at the University of Toronto. Some of his accomplishments since then include: Professor of Physical Anthropology and Forensic Science; Director of the Forensic Science Program; Associate Chair of Anthropology; Executive Committee of the American Association of Physical Anthropology; Chair of the Anthropology, Medical and Odontology Section of the Canadian Society of Forensic Science; Secretary of the Physical Anthropology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS); Chair of the Physical Anthropology Section (AAFS); Member of the Executive Committee (AAFS); Secretary of the Physical Anthropology Section (AAFS); Member of the Nominations Committee (AAFS); Chair of the Forensic Anthropology Section of the International Association of Forensic Sciences; President of the Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology; and Member of the Review Panel for Investigations in the former Yugoslavia (United Nations); Consultant for the Forensic Pathology Branch of the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario; Member of the Advisory Board of the Center of Forensic Sciences (Ontario).

He designed the first B.S. program in Forensic Science in Canada, and acted as a consultant on the establishment of three other university Forensic Science Programs.  He also created the first B.S. program in Physical Anthropology, and the first course in Forensic Anthropology in Canada.  Since coming to Texas State University in 2004, he has developed four (4) new undergraduate courses in Forensic Anthropology, and has also created three (3) new courses for the M.A. program.  Dr. Melbye has been nationally recognized as one of 55 persons worldwide to have obtained the status of Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.  He works on homicides pro bono for all levels of law enforcement (FBI, Texas Rangers, County Sheriff’s, etc.).  Dr. Melbye has received many awards over the years for his unfailing dedication to undergraduate and graduate education.  He is currently the Director of the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) and has been successful in creating the largest, safest and most secure outdoor Forensic Anthropology Research Facility in the world.  The facility, which will be an integral part of a graduate program in forensic anthropology at Texas State, will train scientists and assist law enforcement officials in establishing the time of death and the nature of death when bodies are found. It will also provide training in the identification of skeletal and dental remains. Workshops for law enforcement at the facility will include crime scene training, human identification, cadaver dog training and numerous other workshops.

Currently, he is Professor of Anthropology at Texas State University San Marcos; Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), Professor Emeritus of the University of Toronto, a Member of Homicide Investigators of Texas, a Member of the International Association for Identification, and a Member of DMORT-6 (Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team).



Undergraduate Courses:
ANTH 3380: Forensic Anthropology
ANTH 3381: Forensic Osteology
ANTH 4382: Forensic Techniques
ANTH 4383: Forensic Identification
ANTH 4381: Paleopathology

Graduate Courses:
ANTH 5375: Techniques in Forensic Anthropology
ANTH 5378: The Skeleton in Forensic Medicine