NMU’s Harris praised for her work in identifying unnamed remains

What's happening: Jane Harris, the director of Northern Michigan University’s Center for Forensic Science, has been recognized for her work in helping identify victims of decades-old homicide cases. Harris helped identify seven homicide victims last fall, including two infants and a child, all of whom were buried in a Pennsylvania field. NMU was also recognized by law enforcement leadership for its willingness to allow Harris to work on the project in the midst of a semester. 

What is Operation United: Operation UNITED — which stands for Unknown Names Identified Through Exhumation and DNA — works to find the identities of those buried in paupers' graves in the hopes of helping more families and living relatives find peace. The work started in Detroit to help identify cold cases before DNA analysis was readily available in identifying victims. University professors and their students often help with the DNA analysis, working with various law enforcement agencies like the Michigan State Police and the Detroit Police Department. The program was expanded to include the greater Philadelphia area.  

What they're saying: “While we had over 50 team members participating in this dig, none of them was more valuable than Dr. Harris … Her professionalism and wealth of knowledge were amazing, and her willingness to teach was apparent,” the assistant director of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Office of Forensic Science wrote in a letter. “Dr. Harris's knowledge of the bones of infants and children proved more valuable than we knew, as she was able to help our team members discern small bones samples from debris. I am sure that without her expertise, several of the recoveries would not have been possible.”

What's next:  Harris will continue to lead the NMU Center for Forensic Science, which includes the Forensic Research Outdoor Station. The outdoor station is one of just 13 facilities in the world with outdoor environment body decomposition studies and an even smaller amount that specializes in cold weather scenarios.