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| Photo: Hugh O’Brien |
For most people, the thought of digging up decomposing bodies to measure their bones and study the state of their rotting flesh is the stuff of nightmares.
But when Donna MacGregor was offered the chance to do just that, she jumped at it.
Donna, a Senior Constable in the Queensland Police Service, was awarded The Courier-Mail Police Scholarship for 2006 and earlier this year spent five weeks in the United States studying the science of human decomp osition.
Since she began working in the Scientific Section of the Queensland Police Service three years ago, Donna has dreamed of visiting the Forensic Anthropology Facility at the University of Tennessee, immortalised as the Body Farm since crime writer Patricia Cornwall used it in a 1994 novel.
This famous tract of land, where bodies are buried and later dug up to be examined to determine the time and cause of death, has become a magnet for law enforcement specialists and students the world over since it was established in 1971.
“I’d dreamed of going there since I began studying forensics,” she said.
In Brisbane, Donna’s work as a scientific officer is designed to assist criminal investigations by using genetic markers to determine race, sex, age and height of victims of crime.
Her special interest is forensic osteology, the study of skeletal bones.
Donna wanted to be a vet as she was growing up but after finishing high school began a science degree at the University of Queensland.
She became interested in a career in the Police Service when she was doing post graduate work at the university’s anatomy department and was introduced to the forensic sciences.
She joined the Police Service in 2000, completing three years of general training before achieving her ambition to work in the forensics field.
This year’s study tour to the US took Donna to three locations, including the Body Farm.
First stop was a forensic science conference in Seattle, attended by some 5000 forensic personnel, including 400 to 60 0 forensic anthropologists, where she presented a paper detailing case work she had been involved in Brisbane.
Then it was on to Gainesville in Florida to the C.A. Pound Human Indentification Laboratory at the University of Florida where she spent three weeks looking at cutting edge technology and procedures, particularly with skeletal remains that have been traumatised or burnt.
Finally Donna arrived in Knoxville, Tennessee where she spent time at the Body Farm, officially known as The Facility.
Decked out in white overalls, rubber gloves, boots and cap and working in bleak winter temperatures she spent a week with a team of other forensic specialists digging up and examining some of the dozens of bodies buried there in shallow graves.
“I had an amazing time including working with a team of FBI agents who, as part of their training, attend the facility every February and dig for bodies that workers have prepared to simulate crime scenes.”
Now back at work in Brisbane, Donna says the US study tour helped to broaden her skills base and also unearthed a new passion.
“I would like to be involved in setting up a databank here to catalogue information on skeletal remains with the ultimate aim of a national database like the one in the States.
“It would be a wonderful resource for investigative
work as well as being capable of providing amazing historical data.”
Away from work Donna is working on a PhD through the University of Queensland and completing a Masters of Science in Forensic Science degree through Griffith University.
She also enjoys reading — crime novels of course!
Last reviewed 24 June 2006