headshot of Amy Michael

Amy Michael

Associate Professor
Phone: (603) 862-1864
Office: Huddleston Hall, Durham, NH 03824
Websites:
Curriculum Vitae
Amy Michael is a biological anthropologist and Director of the Forensic Anthropology Identification and Recovery Lab (F.A.I.R. Lab) at UNH. She is interested in gender identity and diversity in forensic casework, human bone and tooth histology, search and recovery methods in northern New England, and collaborative approaches to resolving unidentified cold cases. With training in bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology and historical archaeology, Amy has worked on archaeological field projects in the United States, Belize and Albania. She is increasingly working with experts outside of anthropology (e.g., anatomists, psychologists, professional writers/researchers, and genealogists) to investigate challenging cases with long postmortem intervals, gender diverse decedents, and/or few remaining skeletal elements for analysis.

Courses Taught

  • ANTH 415: Human Evolution, Fossils & DNA
  • ANTH 550: Intro to Forensic Anth
  • ANTH 660: Human Osteology
  • ANTH 665W: Cold Cases
  • ANTH 697: Special Topics/Cold Cases
  • ANTH 699H: Honors Senior Thesis
  • ANTH 797: AdvTop/Race and Racism

Education

  • Ph.D., Anthropology, Michigan State University
  • M.A., Anthropology, Michigan State University
  • B.A., Anthropology, University of Iowa

Research Interests

  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Bone and tooth histology
  • Dental anthropology
  • Dental Health & Hygiene
  • Effects of drugs and alcohol on skeletal microstructure
  • Forensic anthropology
  • Forensic Science
  • Maya bioarchaeology
  • Microscopy
  • Pathology
  • Skeletal Diseases
  • Skeletal trauma
  • Skull-photo superimposition and image comparison

Selected Publications

  • Michael, A. R., Blatt, S. H., Bengtson, J. D., Maronie, A., Unwin, S., & Sanchez, J. (2025). Identifying “Ina Jane Doe”: The Forensic Anthropologists’ Role in Revising and Correcting Narratives in a Cold Case. Humans, 6(1), 1. doi:10.3390/humans6010001

  • Blatt, S. H., Isa, M. I., Michael, A. R., Flaherty, T. M., Smith, A., Unwin, S., & Howard, S. (2025). Introducing Contextual Observations in Support of All Gender Expressions (COSAGE): A Crowdsourced Guide for Documenting Assigned Sex at Birth and Gender Expression in Human Identification Efforts.. Am J Biol Anthropol, 188(4), e70180. doi:10.1002/ajpa.70180

  • Garcia-Putnam, A., Michael, A. R., Duff, G., Maronie, A., McCrane, S. M., & Morrill, M. (2024). Embodied Poverty: Bioarchaeology of the Brentwood Poor Farm, Brentwood, New Hampshire (1841–1868). American Antiquity, 89(3), 459-474. doi:10.1017/aaq.2024.35

  • Adams, D. M., Blatt, S. H., Flaherty, T. M., Haug, J. D., Isa, M. I., Michael, A. R., & Smith, A. C. (2023). Shifting the Forensic Anthropological Paradigm to Incorporate the Transgender and Gender Diverse Community. Humans, 3(3), 142-165. doi:10.3390/humans3030013

  • Michael, A., Blatt, S., Schofield, T., & Effingham, J. (2022). Engaging Undergraduate Students in Forensic Anthropology Research During Times of Restricted Lab Access: The Efficacy and Importance of Student-Led Surveys. Teaching and Learning Anthropology, 5(2). doi:10.5070/t35257557

  • Michael, A., Fitzpatrick, L., Sorg, M., Poltak, S., Burgess, K., & Moreau, A. (2022). Recovery of Human Remains from a Vehicle Submerged for 43 Years Using a Marine Venturi Vacuum System. Forensic Anthropology. doi:10.5744/fa.2022.0007

  • Blatt, S. H., Michael, A. R., Isa, M. I., & Redgrave, A. (2022). Bye-bye binary: collaborative, gender-expansive strategies for identification of Trans Does. In AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Vol. 177 (pp. 18-19). Retrieved from https://www.webofscience.com/

  • Michael, A. R., Blatt, S. H., Isa, M., Redgrave, A., & Ubelaker, D. H. (2022). Identification of a decedent in a 103-year-old homicide case using forensic anthropology and genetic genealogy. FORENSIC SCIENCES RESEARCH. doi:10.1080/20961790.2022.2034717

  • O'Gorman, J., Bengtson, J. D., & Michael, A. R. (2020). Ancient history and new beginnings: necrogeography and migration in the North American midcontinent. WORLD ARCHAEOLOGY, 52(1), 16-34. doi:10.1080/00438243.2019.1736138

  • Michael, A. R., & Bengtson, J. D. (2016). Chronic alcoholism and bone remodeling processes: Caveats and considerations for the forensic anthropologist.. J Forensic Leg Med, 38, 87-92. doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2015.11.022

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  • Most Cited Publications