Forensic Anthropology w/ Heather Garvin

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Dr. Heather Garvin, a board‑certified forensic anthropologist and professor of anatomy at Des Moines University. Heather holds degrees in anthropology, zoology, forensic and biological anthropology, and a PhD in functional anatomy and evolution from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has worked on forensic anthropology cases since 2005 and currently serves as the forensic anthropology consultant for the State of Iowa, providing expertise to state agencies, law enforcement, and federal partners including the FBI .

Heather explains what forensic anthropology looks like in practice, from estimating biological profiles and interpreting trauma to assisting on decomposed, skeletal, or infant abuse cases where bones reveal critical evidence. She discusses the importance of board certification, the realities of working in a niche field, and the balance between teaching full‑time and being on call for casework. Heather reflects on her path into the discipline, her graduate training, the emotional labor of working with death, and the challenges of juggling academic responsibilities with medicolegal demands. She also highlights her research, publications, and outreach work aimed at educating future forensic pathologists and medical examiners about the role of forensic anthropology.

Listen now to learn more about forensic anthropology, skeletal analysis, medicolegal investigations, anatomy education, and how anthropological training supports work within the forensic sciences.