DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY

RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS

Biological and forensic anthropology, skeletal biology, growth and development, human variation; Native North America.

BIOGRAPHY

I am a biological anthropologist and board certified (ABFA) forensic anthropologist whose research focuses on human skeletal variation.

My background in forensic applications of anthropology stems from graduate training at the C. A. Pound Human Identification Lab at the University of Florida and post-doctoral experience as a Visiting Scientist in Forensic Anthropology at the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office. Presently, I serve as the Forensic Anthropologist for Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office and numerous Coroner’s offices throughout Illinois.

A substantial portion of my data collection, analysis and funding thus far has come from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History where I have spent ample time conducting research since 2001. These projects include a majority of my dissertation data collection on variation in Native North American growth and development and have expanded to projects including methodological analysis of the lower limb and functional and dismemberment considerations of the knee.

As a Research Associate at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, I have collaborated with undergraduate and graduate students on repatriation projects consisting of analyzing and cataloguing Native American human remains in accordance with NAGPRA guidelines.

 

RECENT COURSES TAUGHT

Anth 213 - Human Origins

Anth 306 - Evolution of Life Histories

Anth 309 – Human Osteology

Anth 314 - Human Growth and Development

Anth 316 - Forensic Anthropology

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Waxenbaum EB, Goliath JR, Borgelt, TS. Vulnerabilities for Marginalized Groups in the United States Forensic Anthropology Education System: Paths to Engagement and Belonging. Humans 2023, 3(2), 126-136; https://doi.org/10.3390/humans3020011

Waxenbaum EB, Grauer AL. In review. Forensic Anthropology Casework at the Cook County Illinois Medical Examiner’s Office, Chicago, IL, 2012-2022. Journal of Forensic Sciences.

Waxenbaum EB, Feiler ME. 2021. Influence of climatic stress on nonmetric sexually dimorphic features of the skull and pelvis. American Journal of Human Biology 2021;e23559. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.23559

Waxenbaum EB, Warren MW, Holliday TW, Byrd JE, Cole TM. 2019. Ecogeographical patterning in fetal limb proportions. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 169:93-103.

Waxenbaum EB, Sirak KA. 2016. Developmental patterns of bilateral asymmetry in Ancestral Puebloans. American Journal of Human Biology. 28:421-430.

Waxenbaum EB, Stock MS. 2016. Metric assessment of the human bicondylar angle. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 160:334-340.

Waxenbaum EB, Hunt DR, Falsetti AB. 2010. Intercondylar eminences and their effect on the maximum length measure of the tibia. Journal of Forensic Sciences 55(1):145-148.

 

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Waxenbaum EB, Grauer AL. 2022. Forensic Anthropology Casework at the Cook County Illinois Medical Examiner’s Office, 2012-2020. Annual meeting of the Academy of Forensic Sciences. February 21-25; Seattle, WA.

Feiler, ME, Waxenbaum EB, Schrader SA, Byrrell CL, Hoogland M. 2021. Variation in the sexual dimorphism of nonmetric skeletal traits due to settlement style: a study of hunter-gatherer, rural, and urban populations. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. April 7; Baltimore, MD; Virtual.

Waxenbaum EB. 2021. Group-specific label use in anthropology: a review of the Journal
of Forensic Sciences, 2010-2019. Annual Meeting of the Academy of Forensic Sciences. February 17; Virtual.

Feiler, ME, Waxenbaum EB, Schrader SA, Byrrell CL, Hoogland M. 2020. Variation in sexual dimorphism across differing Köppen-Geiger climate classifications. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. April 15-18; Los Angeles, CA.

Feiler ME, Waxenbaum EB. 2019. Variation in sexual dimorphism due to climatic stress. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. March 27-30; Cleveland, OH.

Waxenbaum EB, Diaz-Albertini L. 2018. Testing the accuracy of the correlation between the condyles of the distal femur and proximal tibia: A validation study. Annual Meeting of the Academy of Forensic Sciences. February 19-23; Seattle, WA.

Waxenbaum EB, Sirak KA. 2017. Developmental limb element asymmetry across three Native North American populations. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. April 19-22; New Orleans, LA.

Waxenbaum EB, Tipton JK. 2014. The influence of thermal stress on sexual dimorphism. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. April 8-12; Alberta, Calgary Canada.

Waxenbaum EB, Erickson B. 2013. Fluctuating and Directional Asymmetry: skeletal evidence for life history theory and human evolutionary ecological variation in an archaeological South Dakota Arikara population. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. April 9-13; Knoxville, TN.

Waxenbaum EB, Siddall KG. 2013. Metric versus nonmetric: accuracy in sex assessment using the greater sciatic notch. Annual Meeting of the Academy of Forensic Sciences. February 18-23; Washington, DC.

Waxenbaum EB, Sirak K. 2012. An analysis of limb element asymmetry in an Ancestral Puebloan population. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, April 10-14; Portland, OR.

Waxenbaum EB, Siddall KG. 2011. Sexual dimorphism of the greater sciatic notch in a circumpolar population. Annual Meeting of American Association of Physical Anthropology. April 13-16; Minneapolis, MN.

Siddall KG, Waxenbaum EB. 2011. The Greater Sciatic Notch Index as a Designator of Sex: Implications for LB1/7 (Homo floresiensis). Annual Meeting of the Paleoanthropology Association. April 12-13; Minneapolis, MN.

Waxenbaum EB, Linney K. 2011. The condyle connection: forensic implications for the association between the condyles of the femur and tibia. Annual Meeting of the Academy of Forensic Sciences, February
21-26; Chicago, IL.

Waxenbaum EB, Stock MK, Hunt DR. 2010. Metric assessment of the human bicondylar angle. Proceedings of the 79th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists; April 14-17; Albuquerque, NM.

Waxenbaum EB, Falsetti. 2009. Developmental and ecogeographic limb variation among
subadults of three Native North American populations. Proceedings of the 78th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists; March 31-April 4; Chicago, IL.

Shea BT, Waxenbaum, EB. 2009. Invited abstract. Microevolution of size, shape and timing changes in human pygmies. Proceedings of the 78th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists; March 31-April 4; Chicago, IL.

Waxenbaum EB, Shea BT. 2008. Skeletal variation among African pygmies. Annual Meeting of the Midwest Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology Association; November 8; Allendale,
MI.

Waxenbaum EB, Falsetti AB. 2008. Morphological limb variation in three eco-geographically distinct Native North American populations. Proceedings of the 77th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists; April 7-13; Columbus, OH.

Waxenbaum EB, Falsetti AB, Hunt DR. 2007. Morphological variation of the human knee: Implications for sex and ancestral designations. Proceedings of the 59th Annual Meeting of American Academy of Forensic Sciences; February 19-24; San Antonio, TX.

Waxenbaum EB, Hunt DR, Falsetti AB. 2006. To measure or not to measure: An analysis of maximum length of the tibia. Proceedings of the 58th Annual Meeting of American Academy of Forensic Sciences; February 20-25; Seattle, WA. p. 305-6.

Waxenbaum EB. 2005. A methodological quandary: Aging juvenile human remains. Proceedings of the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists; April 6-9; Milwaukee, WI.

Waxenbaum EB. 2005. An analysis of a ‘royal’ cemetery: How can status be assessed? Proceedings of the 69th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology; April 1; Salt Lake City, UT.