Background
Nicholas has a BA Hons in Archaeology and Education from the University of York (1997), a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Bradford (1998), a MSc in Osteology, Palaeopathology and Funerary Archaeology from the University of Sheffield (1999) and a DPhil in Biological Anthropology/Archaeology from the University of Oxford (2006).
During his MSc and DPhil Nicholas specialised in the analysis of human skeletal remains primarily from Punic and Roman Spain, focusing on health, disease and interpreting the data within a biocultural framework. For a number of years, he also worked on human skeletal remains from Prehistoric to early 20th century sites in the UK, Spain, France and Portugal and he has undertaken work on a number of museum collections.
From 2008 to 2013 Nicholas worked full time as a forensic anthropologist and archaeologist for two major forensic science providers in the UK - attending crime scenes and mortuaries for a number of police forces in England and Wales. He is a Chartered Forensic Anthropologist by the RAI (UK). He continues to consult for police forces, forensic science providers and NGOs in the UK and abroad.
Nicholas is also a Research Associate at the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, where he has taught since 2001. in 2013 he was employed by ߣߣÊÓƵ as Lecturer in Forensic Anthropology, with promotion to Reader/Associate Professor in 2023.
Current activities
Nicholas's interests include:
age estimation in the living
methods of sex, stature and age-at-death estimation from human skeletal remains
bioarchaeology - reconstructing lifestyle, health and disease from past populations
forensic archaeology - the application of archaeological principles, techniques and methodologies in a legal context
taphonomy - the study of organism decay and fossilisation
trauma - the study of physical wounds and injuries
ethics of human remains
promoting the disciplines of forensic archaeology, anthropology and bioarchaeology
global perspectives in forensic anthropology and archaeology (legislation, methods, human rights investigations).
Clients
Police forces in England and Wales
Forensic science providers
Solicitors
Local governments
Archaeological companies
Universities
Museums