Morgan City native earns top academic honor

BATON ROUGE — LSU Forensic Anthropologist Ginesse Listi, a Morgan City native, has been named a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, the highest level of certification a forensic anthropologist can obtain.
This rare accomplishment places her among fewer than 100 practicing ABFA certified forensic anthropologists in the country.
Listi’s certification will enable the Department of Geography & Anthropology’s graduate program and students to become more competitive on a national level, the school said in a press release.
In a field that continues to move towards standardization, quality control and practitioner excellence, students will now be eligible for research funding and scholarship opportunities through private foundations that are open only to students whose graduate program has an ABFA-certified forensic anthropologist faculty member.
In addition, her achievement will allow them to consult with more agencies – including those that are out of state – which Listi said will provide students with casework and networking opportunities. Another important aspect lays within the ability to better recruit Ph.D. students who have an interest in the field, the school said.
“The best part of accomplishing the certification is the opportunities it opens up for my students,” Listi said, quoted in an LSU press release.
“There’s also a comfort in knowing that our lab is well positioned to meet any challenges that might arise in the next few years in the field of forensic science.”
There is a reason why there are fewer than 100 ABFA-certified forensic anthropologists.
To be eligible, one must have a Ph.D. in anthropology with a biological or forensic focus and, upon graduating, meet a minimum three-year forensic anthropological casework experience requirement.
From there, the process is straightforward. An application, three professional references and case reports, along with a CV, is sent before the ABFA committee for review.
If accepted, an exam consisting of both a practical and written component is scheduled for the following calendar year.
Listi served as a research associate in the Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services, or FACES, Lab 1995-99 and returned in 2001, where she now assists in all aspects of forensic casework and related research.
She is a member of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, the Southeastern Archaeological Conference, the Paleopathology Association and the Physical Anthropology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.