Contact Dr David Errickson
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 758024
- Email: David.Errickson@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
Background
David 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.
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:
Emily Arnaud: Conducting year-round simultaneous taphonomy studies at two UK universities to assess the impact of micro-climates on the accuracy of post-mortem interval equations.
Eleanor James: 3D imaging in forensic science and forensic anthropology.
Peter Masters: Landscape assessment of a Roman site using geophysical interpretation.
Mike Walters: Aerial imaging of soil change after taphonomic decomposition
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
- Thompson TJU, Errickson D, McDonnell C, Holst M, Caffell A, .... (2025). Unique osteological evidence for human-animal gladiatorial combat in Roman Britain. PLOS ONE, 20(4)
- Indra L, Moser V, Milella M, Errickson D & Lösch S. (2025). Of rodents and foxes: faunal activity and scavenging at carcasses in a Central European (Swiss) forest. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 70(4)
- Indra L, Giles S, Alfsdotter C, Errickson D & Lösch S. (2024). Evaluation of porcine decomposition and total body score (TBS) in a central European temperate forest. Journal of forensic sciences, 69(3)
- Errickson D, Lawrence L, Indra L & Thompson TJU. (2024). Felid scavenging in forensic taphonomic research: an experimental approach. Forensic Science International, 365
- Brooks M, Glynn J, Fawcett H, Barnes A, Carew R, .... (2024). Trauma in the courtroom: the role of prior trauma exposure and mental health on stress and emotional responses in jurors. British Journal of Clinical Psychology
- 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(44927)
- Indra L, Lösch S, Errickson D & Finaughty D. (2023). Forensic experiments on animal scavenging: A systematic literature review on what we have and what we need. Forensic Science International, 353(December)
- Bergman L, Brock F & Errickson D. (2023). Use of different imaging techniques in stab wound analysis. Science & Justice, 64(1)
- Crawford RR, Hodson CM & Errickson D. (2023). Guidance for the identification of bony lesions related to smallpox. International Journal of Paleopathology, 44
- 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)
- Indra L, Errickson D, Young A & Lösch S. (2022). Uncovering forensic taphonomic agents: animal scavenging in the European context. Biology, 11(4)
- Errickson D, Carew RM, Collings AJ, Biggs MJP, Haig P, .... (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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Giles SB, Errickson D & Márquez-Grant N. (2021). Decomposition variability between the scene and autopsy examination and implications for post-mortem interval estimations. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 85(January)
- Stephens M, Errickson D, Giles SB & Ringrose TJ. (2021). Erratum to “Assessing the quality of footwear marks recovered from simulated graves” [Sci. Justice 60(6) (2020) 512–521]. Science & Justice, 61(1)
- Stephens M, Errickson D, Giles SB & Ringrose TJ. (2020). Assessing the quality of footwear marks recovered from simulated graves. Science & Justice, 60(6)
- 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
- Carew RM & Errickson D. (2020). An overview of 3D printing in forensic science: the tangible third-dimension. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 65(5)
- Squires K, Errickson D & Márquez-Grant N. (2020). Correction to: Ethical Approaches to Human Remains. Ethical Approaches to Human Remains A Global Challenge in Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology
- Errickson D, Giles S & Horsman G. (2019). The CSI effect(s no one?). Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 67
- Errickson D, Fawcett H, Thompson TJU & Campbell A. (2019). The effect of different imaging techniques for the visualisation of evidence in court on jury comprehension. International Journal of Legal Medicine, 134(4)
- Carew RM & Errickson D. (2019). Imaging in forensic science: Five years on. Journal of Forensic Radiology and Imaging, 16
- Horsman G & Errickson D. (2019). When finding nothing may be evidence of something: Anti-forensics and digital tool marks. Science & Justice, 59(5)
- Hansford J, Wright PC, Rasoamiaramanana A, Pérez VR, Godfrey LR, .... (2018). Early Holocene human presence in Madagascar evidenced by exploitation of avian megafauna. Science Advances, 4(9)
- Errickson D, Grueso I, Griffith SJ, Setchell JM, Thompson TJU, .... (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)
- 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
- 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)
- Licata M, Giuffra V, Minozzi S, Lencioni R, Naccarato AG, .... Proceedings of the VI National Meeting of the Italian Group of Paleopathology (GIPaleo). Pathologica, 114(3)