“I study human remains to reconstruct identity, life history, and circumstances of death.“
Yangseung Jeong
Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
My research aims to improve the accuracy of forensic anthropological analyses by developing population-specific standards for biological profile reconstruction and integrating 3D technologies.
In particular, my recent work focuses on developing methods to sort commingled skeletal remains into individuals by quantifying morphological discrepancies between paired elements using CT-based imaging data from US and Korean populations.
The outcomes of my research contribute to humanitarian investigations in mass-fatality contexts, such as disasters and armed conflicts, by improving the identification of unknown victims and missing service members and ultimately enabling their return to their families.
Why I Do What I Do
More than 20 years ago, while serving in the South Korean military, I had the opportunity to assist a 70-year-old man who was searching for his best friend, who had been killed during the Korean War and never recovered.
He guided my team to a battlefield located on the summit of a wooded hill after a 2-hour hike. Pointing to a large rock, he explained that he had witnessed his friend fall behind it during the battle, and at that location, I was able to recover skeletal remains.
Watching the elderly man cry silently, I realized that some wounds remain uncured even after decades. That experience shaped my desire to help wipe away the tears of others by returning the remains of their loved ones.
Currently Working On
My international collaborative research focuses on the use of “smell” in forensic contexts. Specifically, we aim to establish an extensive database of the chemical components of odor, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), produced during different stages of human body decomposition. This knowledge enables us to confirm the prior presence of a human body at a specific location even after it has been moved, to identify clandestine burials, and to estimate the postmortem interval.
In addition to its contributions to forensic science, this research provides hands-on training opportunities for UT students interested in emerging and pioneering approaches within the field.