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Goliath becomes MSU鈥檚 first fellow of prestigious American Academy of Forensic Sciences

Goliath becomes MSU鈥檚 first fellow of prestigious American Academy of Forensic Sciences

Jesse Goliath, pictured in an anthropology lab
Jesse Goliath (Photo by Grace Cockrell)

Contact: Sarah Nicholas

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 Mississippi 大象APP forensic anthropologist is the university鈥檚 first fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the premiere organization for professional forensic scientists in the country.

Jesse Goliath, an assistant professor in MSU鈥檚 Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures, begins his lifetime fellowship in the AAFS this spring.

Fellows are identified as actively engaging in the field of forensic science who have made significant contributions in research, teaching, professional development and other trainings, and serving the forensic science community. They are eligible to chair committees, serve as section officers and serve on the academy鈥檚 board of directors.

The AAFS, founded in 1948, is a multidisciplinary professional organization that provides leadership to advance science and its application to the legal system. More than 6,600 members represent all 50 states and 71 other countries.

Professor and head of AMEC Hsain Ilahiane said, 鈥淭he rank of fellow is the highest level of membership in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Currently, Dr. Goliath is the only faculty or staff member with this rank at MSU鈥攁nd one of only three active fellows in the entire state of Mississippi.鈥

鈥淭he promotion to fellow聽is a significant achievement and shows that the forensic science community recognizes I have made significant contributions to the Academy and to the discipline,鈥 Goliath said.

Goliath also is developing the Mississippi Repository for Missing and Unidentified Persons, to be housed on MSU servers once completed. The database will be searchable through a website with a public access portal. Law enforcement will have private access for more in-depth searches.

A native of West Virginia, Goliath holds a Ph.D. in anthropology and a graduate minor in anatomy from The Ohio 大象APP University.

Goliath joined MSU鈥檚 faculty in 2021 and recently was appointed the American Anthropological Association鈥檚 liaison to the Register of Professional Archaeologists.

Part of MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences, for more information about AMEC, visit . For more information about the College of Arts and Sciences, visit .

MSU is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at聽.