Pamela Mayne Correia

Pamela Mayne Correia, Curator, Osteology, Fossil Hominid, and Bryan/Gruhn Ethnographic Collections

"Pam's long-standing efforts in building and maintaining these collections are at the core of the University of Alberta's ability to offer one of Canada's strongest programs in biological anthropology." - Lesley Harrington, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology

Pamela has been the official curator of these Department of Anthropology collections since 2009, though they were under her skilled and knowledgeable care for many years prior. She is an active researcher, instructor, and mentor who provides forensic anthropology training and also facilitates collections access for her colleagues' research and teaching needs.

Pamela has established a training program to support teaching assistants and students in the handling, storage, and use of collection materials. She has overseen countless hours of volunteer work contributing to the growth and development of these invaluable resources. Pamela is a dedicated and collegial professional whose work has been vital to human osteology instruction and student mentoring. She has improved the collections, providing essential tools for students pursuing careers as archaeologists or forensic anthropologists.

Pamela is widely respected in the community for her work with forensic anthropology and is a valued expert to medical examiners, coroners, and police agencies. Her core research interest relates to the effects of fire on human remains. Her work on biofilms in curated bones addresses a serious and under-recognized problem affecting samples destined for histological and clinical analysis. In 2014, Pamela played a key role in the repatriation and reburial of human remains from the former Sharphead Reserve.

Adapted from nomination and support letters by Pamela Willoughby, Professor, Chair, and Curator (Bryan/Gruhn Archaeology Collection); Owen Beattie, Professor Emeritus; Sandra Garvie-Lok, Associate Professor; Ruth Gruhn, Professor Emerita; Lesley Harrington, Assistant Professor, Nancy Lovell, Professor Emerita-all from the Department of Anthropology-and Roger Epp, Deputy Provost (University of Alberta).