Daniel Franklin is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Sciences, and Director of the Centre for Forensic Anthropology, at the University of Western Australia. His current research largely involves the development of alternative techniques to facilitate the rapid and accurate identification of unknown skeletal remains. Daniel has been involved in the excavation and analysis of human skeletal remains associated with the Batavia mutiny since 1999, most recently as a co-investigator on an ongoing Australian Research Council project: Shipwrecks of the Roaring Forties: A Maritime Archaeological Reassessment of some of Australia’s Earliest Shipwrecks.

I have made significant contributions to the fields of physical and forensic anthropology, both globally, and most recently, in Australia. The latter has helped to establish Australia as a leading contributor towards refining existing, and developing novel, anthropological methods. Since 2004 (PhD awarded in 2006) I have published more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and attracted more than $930k in research funding. My main research focus has been to validate and explore alternative approaches for the quantification of skeletal biology and to advocate its potential applications in the forensic sciences. The latter contributions are clearly evidenced by my most significant career publications, which have a strong emphasis on the analysis of skeletal biology in a forensic milieu through the application of morphometric methods.

Learning is the main purpose of education.  I believe that one’s role as a teacher must encompass the notion that learning at university is not restricted to students alone, it is equally important for the teachers themselves to learn from their students.  Teaching is as an important opportunity to create an atmosphere conducive to learning, in an interactive, lively and fun environment that serves to inspire my students not just to simply absorb information, but also to participate and take an active role in their own educations.  My teaching philosophy is largely based on personal experience and the guidelines established by the University of Western Australia’s Educational Principles and the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee Guidelines for Effective University Teaching.  I believe that a good teacher will present a sound knowledge of the subject material.  A great teacher will possess the same ability, but will be passionate about the subject, and about the communication of that topic to others.  My personal experience has demonstrated to me that students are more stimulated to learn from somebody who openly appears to enjoy and believe in the material they are presenting.  As such, I always attempt to bring enthusiasm to any course I am required to teach.