Layla Renshaw

Dr. Layla Renshaw is an Associate Professor at Kingston University, jointly appointed in the Department of Applied and Human Sciences and the School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry. She also holds an honorary position as a Research Associate at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge. Her expertise bridges forensic science and social anthropology, with geographical focus on Europe and the Mediterranean.

She holds a BA in Archaeology and Anthropology from Oxford University (2000), an MSc in Forensic Archaeological Sciences from UCL (2001), and a PhD in Anthropology from UCL (2009). Her professional credentials include Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2017).

Dr. Renshaw's research examines the intersection of conflict, memory, and forensic science. Key themes include:

• The politics of mass grave exhumations in post-conflict societies (e.g., Spanish Civil War)
• Traumatic memory embodied in human remains and burial sites
• Forensic identification methodologies for war dead
• Post-colonial commemoration practices (e.g., WWI soldiers in Fromelles)
• Public/media perceptions of forensic archaeology

Her publications since 2010 focus on war dead commemoration, forensic ethics, and material culture analysis in conflict zones, with recurring emphasis on Spanish Civil War exhumations and WWI memorialization.

Awards:

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2017)

She teaches in Kingston's Forensic Science BSc and MSc programs, covering forensic archaeology and anthropology. She maintains active research collaborations with institutions including the Museum of London's Centre of Human Bioarchaeology.