Laboratory Director
Laboratory Director
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Christopher W. Schmidt
Christopher W. Schmidt
Dr. Schmidt received his Ph.D. in 1998 from Purdue University. His dissertation focused on dietary transitions in pre-colonial peoples of Indiana. Today, he is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Indianapolis, where he has taught since earning his doctorate. His training and interests in anthropology are broad, and he has published in several sub-areas of anthropology including, pre-colonial and colonial archaeology, dental anthropology, bioarchaeology, paleoanthropology, and forensic anthropology. In addition, he maintains an interest in paleontology; he has excavated Pleistocene megafauna and published paleontological works.
Recent publications:
Schmidt, C.W., D’Anastasio, R., Remy, A. J. (2025). Dietary Variation Among Herculaneum’s Victims of Mt. Vesuvius via Dental Microwear Texture Analysis. American Journal of Biological Anthropology. 186(2), e70000.
Schmidt, C.W. (n.d.). Funerary Veneration of Violated People in the Context of Costly Signaling Bioarchaeology International. In Press. Available in early view.
Schmidt, CW. (2021). Long ‘on’ the Tooth: Dental Evidence of Diet. London: Academic Press.
Schmidt, C.W. and McDaniel, A. (2023) Applying Colorimetry to the Study of Low Temperature Thermal Changes in Bone. In: S. Ellingham, J. Adserias Garriga, D. Ubelaker, S. Casado-Zapico, eds., The Forensic Analysis of Burned Human Remains. New York: Wiley.
Zoeller, G., Drew, B., Schmidt, C.W., Peterson, R., Wilson, J.J. (2021). A Paleodemographic Assessment of Mortality and Fertility Rates during the Second Demographic Transition in Rural Central Indiana. American Journal of Human Biology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.23571.
Williams, F.L, Schmidt, C.W., Droke J.L., Neruda, P., Willman, J.C., Becam, G., de Lumley, M.A. (2021). Reconstructing the diet of Kůlna 1 from the Moravian karst (Czech Republic). Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology. 4: 20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41982-021-00099-0.
Schmidt C.W. (2021). 12Fl73. Middle/Late Archaic Trophy-Taking from the Indiana aspect of the Falls of the Ohio River Region. In, Pollack D, Bader A (Eds.) Falls of the Ohio Archaeology. Kentucky Heritage Council.
Current Graduate Students
Current Graduate Students
Amy Swenson
Thesis: Dental Metrics Among Medieval Italians
Reganne O'Connor
Thesis: Bioarchaeology
Brandi McDonald
Thesis: Double Burning Experiment
Jessica Dorsett
Thesis: Etruscan Dental Pathology
Nathan Reynolds
Paleoanthropology, evolution of feet
Trifon Theodosopoulos, Thesis: Skeletal Pathology
Kelsie Adler, Thesis: DMTA
Lexi Martinez Thesis: Historic Skeletons at the Field Museum
Samantha Foppe Thesis: Historic Cemetery Pathology
Katherine Velasquez Thesis: Burned bone analysis
Current Collaborators
Current Collaborators
Ruggero D'Anastasio, Herculaneum DMTA and Bioarchaeology
Frank Williams, Neandertal DMTA, Early Farmer DMTA
Paul Sereno, Gobero site DMTA
Jim Watson, Dental macrowear and microwear
Jacqueline Eng, Mebrak Nepal DMTA
Steve Owsley, craniometrics of the Herculaneum population
Pedro Da Gloria, Paleoamerican DMTA
Sireen El Zaatari, Paleoamerican DMTA
Patrick Mahoney, Bronze Age and Medieval England DMTA
Peter Ungar, overview of dental microwear texture analysis
Recent Alums
Recent Alums
Tori Leaman, M.S., UIndy, 2024
Professional Archaeologist
Ariel Creal, M.S. UIndy 2024
Ph.D. student, University of Southern Illinois
Jennifer Heilmann, M.S. UIndy, 2021
Ph.D. Student at University of Florida
Grace Holmes, M.S. UIndy, 2021
Ph.D. student at University of Manitoba
Rebecca Van Sessen, M.S. UIndy, 2012
Lab Director Alemseged Laboratory, Univ. of Chicago
Jessica Droke, M.S. UIndy, 2017
Ph.D. student at University of Wyoming
Christa Kelly, M.S. UIndy 2018
Business Professional
Chris Newman, M.S. UIndy 2010
M.D. 2015
Physician with IU Health
Elizabeth Oakley, M.S. UIndy, 2015
Ph.D. Univ. of Pennsylvania 2022
Faculty, Merion Mercy Academy
Robin Quateart, M.S. UIndy, 2018
Ph.D. 2024
SUNY Buffalo
Melissa Zonierz, M.S. UIndy, 2008
Ph.D. Univ. of Arkansas 2015
Asst. Prof. Kansas City University
Brenda Detty, M.S. UIndy, 2018
Archaeologist, TRC, Columbia South Carolina
Alexandria McDaniel, M.S. UIndy, 2020
Medicolegal Investigator, Office of the NYC Chief Medical Examiner
Ashley Remy, M.S. UIndy, 2015
Ziess X-Ray Microscopy Account Manager, San Francisco
Erin Powers, M.S. UIndy, 2019
Archaeologist, TRC, New Orleans, Louisiana
Amber Osterholt, M.S. UIndy, 2013
Ph.D. UNLV, 2019
Assistant Scientist in Pediatrics, IU School of Medicine
Heidi Miller, M.S. UIndy, 2013
Ph.D. candidate University of South Florida
Anna Casserly, M.S. UIndy, 2012
Ph.D., University of Kentucky, 2022
Amera Schaefer, M.S. UIndy 2016
Executive Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America - Wisconsin Chapter
Rose Perash, M.S. UIndy, 2017
Fatma Zalzala, M.S. UIndy, 2021
Ancient DNA Technician, David Reich Lab, Harvard University
Rachel Perash, M.S. UIndy, 2015
Project Manager Archaeologist, Brockington and Associates
Jessica Gregory, M.S. UIndy, 2020
Review & Compliance Archeologist for South Dakota State Historical Preservation Office at the Cultural Heritage Dept. for the State of South Dakota (deceased)
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