Ethics in forensic anthropology: Racial profiles and the obstruction of finding missing persons

Nicolette Svitenko, Anthropology Undergraduate Student

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

The use of racial biometrics in forensic anthropology poses significant harm in identifying the deceased. Despite the absence of a valid biological basis for race, its persistence in forensic analysis raises ethical concerns. Societal structures perpetuate racial categories, affecting individuals' experiences and access to resources. My research delves into this tension, questioning the ethical implications and consequences for accuracy and equity in forensic investigations, especially for marginalized communities. By advocating for more ethical and evidence-based practices, this inquiry aims to ensure integrity and equitable outcomes in forensic work. Keywords: Forensics, racism, ethics.

Evaluating Adaptive Governance and Social-Ecological Restoration of the Klamath Dams on the Klamath River

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This poster will examine the historical timeline of tribal water rights along the Klamath River, including the various relicensing agreements associated with the Klamath Dams. This poster will also focus on the window of opportunity that the relicensing of the hydroelectric dams by providing a framework to implement an adaptive governance approach by reconsidering socio-ecological values within the tribes along the Klamath River. This poster will also demonstrate the use of socio-spatial formations through indigenous led processes stemming from indigenous knowledge and traditional values.

Every Body Humboldt

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Becoming a 501(c)(3) under the Ink Peoples Dream Makers project, Every Body Humboldt aims to create accessible safer spaces for participants to learn skills and tools for regulating stress, healing trauma, making healthy social connections and creating new patterns. We’re currently working to eliminate economic, physical ability, and social barriers to learning these tools. Every Body Humboldt is working with folks at Humboldt County Correctional Facilities, with the general public at Om Shala Yoga, and Synapsis Nova, with intentions to work with drug courts here as well. I will be sharing some tools and literature for folks, while showing what is currently going on, our mission, and goals.

Examining the Roles of Body-Esteem, Health-Efficacy, and Perfectionism on the Eating Patterns of Male and Female College Students

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This research explored the roles of health-efficacy, body-esteem, and perfectionism on the eating patterns of male and female psychology major college students in Northern California, and found that college students with low body-esteem and high levels of perfectionism tended to have a higher risk for abnormal eating patterns, R2=.60, F(3,61)=11.39, p<.001. Health-efficacy and perfectionism where not found to significantly influence eating patterns, R2=.03, F(2,62)=1.10, p=.34. Body-esteem was found to be the most significant contributor to abnormal eating patterns, b*=.58, t=5.56, p<.001, suggesting body-esteem is an important factor in examining eating patterns in college students.

Experience of Gender Nonconforming Students on HSU Campus

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

As the campus population grows at Humboldt State University, so does the number of students who do not fit the male and female dichotomy. These folks who do not fit into this dichotomy are referred to as gender nonconforming. This is a small population on the HSU campus, and there is very little information on this particular group. In an effort to fill the gaps of what is unknown we propose to use three methods: a random survey of 900 HSU students, as well as semi-structures qualitative interviews, and a small number of oral histories from students who are gender nonconforming.

Experiential Education: Exploring More Effective Ways to Address Social and Environmental Justice with Children and Young Adults

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Experiential education incorporates approaches such as service learning, place-based education, and student-centered learning into traditional and nontraditional education settings. Based on my research paper on experiential education’s role in addressing climate change and justice (“Experiential Education: Preparing Our Climate Change Combaters of The Future”), I am also using my experience with service learning at SCRAP Humboldt to further explore how these forms of education can effectively teach social and environmental justice. These approaches provide children and young adults with better toolkits for becoming future leaders and active citizens in our rapidly changing world.

Exploratory Analyses of the Self and Group: Entitativity

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

We completed an exploratory secondary analysis examining 167 students’ perceptions of their self/group’s warmth, entitativity, and the extent to which they identity with their group. Results indicate that perceptions of self-warmth, group warmth, and entitativity each positively predict group identification. A mismatch of the group variables are indicative of a threatening ingroup (low group warmth and high entitativity). Findings suggest that positive views of the self can act as a protective function against a threatening ingroup and may be related to projecting positive images of the self onto the group.

Exploring Environmental Justice with Girl Scouts

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

For my service-learning project, I've teamed up with the Girl Scouts of Northern California to teach about environmental justice and the connections between social and environmental issues. The project aims to empower these brilliant young girls to take action locally and advocate for environmental justice. My presentation will summarize my experience working with girl scouts among different age groups, as the girls connect with each other to create community outlets for activism.

Extending the Work of CHECK IT and SVP into the Animal Rights Community

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Applying the skills I have learned in the Students For Violence Prevention program to real-world animal rights activism has already proven to be highly successful, and it is clear that the work of the SVP and CHECK IT communities may easily have their work extended into that of the animal liberation community. Through close collaboration with local farms and markets, the encouragement of more animal rights groups on Humboldt State University campus, and the formation of educational programs specifically made to reach out to youth, I believe that our students could potentially have a strong impact on the enforcement of animal welfare in Humboldt County.

Farmworkers unions in CA

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

The poster will be on a research project I am currently working on involving the legacy of farmwork in California and their lack of support in regards to forming labor unions.