Women in STEM Award winner profile: Dr. Heather Edgar

In this video, hear from Dr. Heather Edgar, an associate professor of anthropology at UNM, about her project ”Improving Identification for Missing and Murdered American Indians.”

The work uses pre-existing post mortem CT scans and collects measurements from American Indians who have died in New Mexico over the last 10 years. The goal is to use the measurements to provide a better understanding of the variation in cranial shape for contemporary Native Americans, which will help in identifying individuals and resolving missing persons cases.

Edgar, who also is a forensic anthropologist at the Office of the Medical Investigator, said the award is an opportunity to make a real difference for families in New Mexico and beyond. Read more about her work here.