Contact Dr David Errickson
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 758024
- Email: David.Errickson@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
Background
Daivid is a senior lecturer in Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology at Cranfield's Forensic Institute, Cranfield University.
His background is predominantly in traditional archaeology, having studied at Bradford University where he was awarded a BSc Archaeology and a Diploma in Professional Archaeological Studies. During this time he worked as a field archaeologist with Tees Archaeology. Excavations included Street House Farm, Loftus; Catcote's Roman Site, Hartlepool; and Captain Cook's Birthplace, Middlesbrough.
David went back to Bradford University to undertake a MSc in Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Investigation where his thesis focused on the application of 3D imaging and its application to the forensic decomposition process. Comparing Laser scanning to traditional imaging techniques he graduated with a distinction. He was then offered to undertake his PhD at Teesside University in Forensic Anthropology. This was funded by EWS Education Fund. At the same time as my PhD he lectured part-time in forensic science.
In 2017 David was employed as a full-time lecturer in forensic science before moving to Cranfield's Forensic Institute in 2018. His modules include:
- Mass Fatality Incidents
- Practical Archaeology Excavation
He has also undertaken my postgraduate certificate in learning and teaching in higher education (PgCLTHE).
Research opportunities
David is interested in the application of three-dimensional imaging to the forensic archaeological and anthropological process. This includes the documentation of evidence at scenes and the use of multi-dimensional imaging in the courtroom. He have strong links with FARO scanning, and continually offer advice on imaging in forensic science and the police.
David is also interested in any archaeological based work - in particular post-medieval excavations, animal scavenging, transgender and drug changes to the skeleton, and trauma applied to the body.
His current PhD students include:
Rebecca Strong (Teesside University), The Application of Geometric Morphometric Analysis to the Identification Process of Unknown Individuals.
Stephanie Giles (Cranfield University), Post-mortem interval estimations in Forensic Anthropology and Pathology
Angelina Longo (Cranfield University), Automating the estimation of Age and Sex for skeletalised remains
Cathryn Harvey (Cranfield University), Investigating the Death-Watch Beetle Infestation on HMS Victory
Lara Indra (University of Bern), Forensic Anthropology and Scavengers
Sarah Morgan (Cranfield University), The Role of Forensic Anthropology in Post Conflict Societal Stability in Middle Eastern Conflicts Involving Human Rights Abuses.
Current activities
3D Imaging,
David is currently exploring the effect of using 3D printed models within the courtroom. In particular, whether they have a negative or positive effect on the jury. Likewise, I am interested in 3D images and virtual reconstruction of crime scenes and of bone fragments within the skeleton.
Animal scavenging,
He has a collaboration with several zoos and aquariums around the UK. He is creating a database of the animal induced changes to bone as a result of scavenging and consumption. He is particularly interested in distinguishing the differences between cats and dogs, and the effects of birds on the body.
Forensic anthropology,
He is interested in how gender reassignment may change the body and skeleton for the purpose of identification.
Forensic Archaeology
The application of archaeology in the recovery of conflict casualties.
Clients
David is a board member for Cranfield's Recovery and Identification of Conflict Casualties (CRICC). Through this, he has an ongoing partnership with the Defense Prisoner of War / Missing in Action Accounting Agency. In this partnership mostly we deploy to try and recover missing U.S servicemen that died in the Second World War.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Giles S, Errickson D, Harrison K & Márquez-Grant N (2023) Solving the inverse problem of post-mortem interval estimation using Bayesian Belief Networks, Forensic Science International, 342 (January 2023) Article No. 111536.
- Giles SB, Errickson D & Márquez-Grant N (2022) Decomposition variability between the scene and autopsy examination and implications for post-mortem interval estimations, Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 85 (January) Article No. 102292.
- Errickson D, Carew RM, Collings AJ, Biggs MJP, Haig P, O’Hora H, Marsh N & Roberts J (2022) A survey of case studies on the use of forensic three-dimensional printing in England and Wales, International Journal of Legal Medicine, 136 (6) 1605-1619.
- Giles SB, Errickson D & Márquez-Grant N (2022) A retrospective comparative study to evaluate the reliability of post-mortem interval sources in UK and US medico-legal death investigations, Science and Justice, 62 (2) 246-261.
- Indra L, Errickson D, Young A & Lösch S (2022) Uncovering forensic taphonomic agents: animal scavenging in the European context, Evolutionary Biology, 11 (4) Article No. 601.
- Williams R, Errickson D & Taylor G (2021) Mapping an archaeological site: Interpreting portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) soil analysis at Boroughgate, Skelton, UK, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 38 (August) Article No. 103109.
- Márquez-Grant N, Errickson D, Morgan S, Ronner E & Giles SB (2021) Final thoughts on WWI and WWII legislation, recovery, identification and burial of human remains: best practice, challenges, and recommendations, Forensic Science International, 323 (June) Article No. 110767.
- Márquez-Grant N & Errickson D (2021) The legislation, search, recovery, identification and repatriation of conflict casualties worldwide: Introducing the WWI and WWII Special Issue, Forensic Science International, 320 (March) Article No. 110716.
- Stephens M, Errickson D, Giles S & Ringrose TJ (2021) Assessing the quality of footwear marks recovered from simulated graves, Science and Justice, 60 (6) 512-521.
- Giles SB, Harrison K, Errickson D & Márquez-Grant N (2020) The effect of seasonality on the application of accumulated degree-days to estimate the early post-mortem interval, Forensic Science International, 315 (October) Article No. 110419.
- Carew R & Errickson D (2020) An overview of 3D printing in forensic science: the tangible third-dimension, Journal of Forensic Sciences, 65 (5) 1752-1760.
- Errickson D, Fawcett H, Thompson TJU & Campbell A (2020) The effect of different imaging techniques for the visualisation of evidence in court on jury comprehension, International Journal of Legal Medicine, 134 (4) 1451-1455.
- Errickson D, Giles S & Horsman G (2019) The CSI effect(s no one?), Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 67 (October) 64-65.
- Horsman G & Errickson D (2019) When finding nothing may be evidence of something: anti-forensic and digital tool marks, Science and Justice, 59 (5) 565-572.
- Carew RM & Errickson D (2019) Imaging in forensic science: five years on, Journal of Forensic Radiology and Imaging, 16 (March) 24-33.
- Hansford J, Wright PC, Rasoamiaramanana A, Pérez VR, Godfrey LR, Errickson D, Thompson T & Turvey ST (2018) Early Holocene human presence in Madagascar evidenced by exploitation of avian megafauna, Science Advances, 4 (9) Article No. eaat6925.
- Errickson D, Grueso I, Griffith SJ, Setchell JM, Thompson TJU, Thompson CEL & Gowland RL (2017) Towards a best practice for the use of active non‐contact surface scanning to record human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts, International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 27 (4) 650-661.
- Dittmar JM, Errickson D & Caffell A (2015) The comparison and application of silicone casting material for trauma analysis on well preserved archaeological skeletal remains, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 4 (December) 559-564.
- Errickson D, Thompson TJU & Rankin BWJ (2014) The application of 3D visualization of osteological trauma for the courtroom: a critical review, Journal of Forensic Radiology and Imaging, 2 (3) 132-137.
- Sandholzer MA, Errickson D & Walter BS (2013) AAFS 2013: Current issues and future trends in forensic radiology and imaging, Journal of Forensic Radiology and Imaging, 1 (2) 88-90.
Books
- Márquez-Grant N, Webster H, Dussault M-C, Harris M, Roberts J, Errickson D & Sanabria-Medina C (2021) Chapter 12: Identifying blast trauma in the human skeleton applications for forensic anthropology. In: Crimes in the past: archaeological and anthropological evidence, Oxford: Archaeopress, p. 206-243.
- Squires K, Errickson D, Marquez-Grant N (eds), (2020) Ethical approaches to human remains : a global challenge in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology, New York, NY: Springer.
- Errickson D (2017) Shedding light on skeletal remains: the use of structured light scanning for 3D archiving. In: Human remains: another dimension, London, UK: Academic Press, p. 93-101.
- Márquez-Grant N & Errickson D (2017) Ethical considerations: an added dimension. In: Human remains: another dimension, London, UK: Academic Press, p. 194-204.
- Errickson D, Thompson TJU (eds), (2017) Human remains: another dimension, London, UK: Academic Press, ed. 1.
- Errickson D & Thompson TJU (2015) Animal Attacks and Injuries: Anthropological Findings. In: Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Elsevier Inc, p. 143-147.
