Saint Mary's

Tanya Peckmann - Associate Professor, Anthropology

 knows that our bones tell the story of our lives.

A forensic anthropology consultant to the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service, Dr. Peckmann is called on to weigh in when human remains are found in Nova Scotia, helping police solve crimes and identify victims—often using nothing more than their skeletons.

Dr. Peckmann’s most recent work was a collaboration with the RCMP on a tissue-depth database of Mi’kmaq people, which will help police put together more accurate 3D facial reconstructions to solve missing-persons cases in Indigenous communities.

Her students are making no less of an impact, working alongside investigators and human-rights organizations internationally, and developing their skills and meeting with specialists and experts in Nova Scotia, across Canada, and around the world.