Professor Shari L. Forbes (born 15 October 1977) is an Australian and Canadian forensic scientist and researcher. She is a

thanatology Thanatology is the scientific study of death and the losses brought about as a result. It investigates the mechanisms and forensic aspects of death, such as bodily changes that accompany death and the postmortem period, as well as wider psychol ...

expert on the decomposition of human bodies. She created a body farm in Australia and between 2019 and 2022 established a similar facility in Canada, connected to the Forensic Science department at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières ( UQTR). As of January 2023, she is a full professor in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Windsor, and is hoping to start the first body farm in Ontario in the coming years.

Life

Forbes was born in 1977 in

Brewarrina Brewarrina (pronounced 'bree-warren-ah'; locally known as "Bre") is a town in north-west New South Wales, Australia on the banks of the Barwon River in Brewarrina Shire. The name Brewarrina is derived from 'burru waranha', a Weilwan name for a s ...

. Her family were graziers where the death of animals was routine. She completed her schooling at Hornsby Girls' High School in Sydney. Her first degree was in Applied Chemistry and Forensic Science and she went on to a science based doctorate. In 2005 she was involved in developing a forensic science course at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. In 2011 she left to take up work in Australia. She became a Professor at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public university, public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one o ...

. Up to 2018 she was involved in creating the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (Australia's first body farm). Where she was involved with research into decomposing bodies. A body farm is a

research Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness t ...

facility where

decomposition Decomposition or rot is the process by which dead organic substances are broken down into simpler organic or inorganic matter such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars and mineral salts. The process is a part of the nutrient cycle and is ...

can be studied in a variety of settings. The first one was created by William M. Bass in 1980 at the

University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state ...

to study the decomposition of a human corpse from the time of death to the time of decay. In 2018 she became the Canada 150 research chair in thanatology at UQTR. Her seven-year research programme was funded at $350,000 dollars per year and the university met the cost ( $350,000) of Canada's first Body Farm. The nearest similar facility was one at

Northern Michigan University Northern Michigan University (Northern Michigan, Northern or NMU) is a public university in Marquette, Michigan. It was established in 1899 by the Michigan Legislature as Northern State Normal School. In 1963, the state designated Northern a uni ...

, but Forbes was specifically targeting a forest based site. The new "body farm" is at Bécancour and its correct name is the "Secure Site for Research in Thanatology" (or REST S in French). As of 2023 she left UQTR and is now a full professor in chemistry and biochemistry at the

University of Windsor , mottoeng = Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge , established = , academic_affiliations = CARL, COU, Universities Canada , former_names = Assumption College (1857-1956)Assumption University of Windsor (1956-1963) , type = Public univers ...

. Forbes is a fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forbes, Shari L. 1977 births Living people Canadian forensic scientists Australian forensic scientists Women forensic scientists People from the Far West (New South Wales)