Nicole Jastremski

Nicole Jastremski is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Central Washington University. Her primary affiliations include teaching and research in Biological Anthropology with a focus on forensic and bioarchaeological applications. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Ecuador, focusing on mortuary analysis, paleopathology, and taphonomy in colonial and pre-Columbian contexts.

Her teaching responsibilities include courses such as ANTH 110: Introduction to Biological Anthropology, ANTH 315: Forensic Skeletal Analysis, and ANTH 497: Forensic Capstone. She also supervises research and laboratory work in biological anthropology through ANTH 310 and advanced theoretical discussions in ANTH 410.

Jastremski’s research centers on analyzing skeletal remains to understand identity formation, cultural practices, and historical health conditions. Her work integrates statistical methods for ancestry estimation, mortuary context interpretation, and interdisciplinary approaches to bioarchaeology. She has authored multiple reports for Ecuadorian cultural heritage institutions, focusing on site preservation, forensic analysis, and rescue archaeology.

Her publications emphasize collaborative fieldwork, including contributions to the Paleopathology Newsletter and French archaeological journals. Her 2014 analysis of the Escuela Central site demonstrated advanced forensic methodologies, while her 2009 study on Manteño collective burials revealed insights into pre-Hispanic Ecuadorian funerary practices.

Jastremski’s expertise bridges forensic science and historical anthropology, with a strong emphasis on methodological innovation and ethical cultural resource management. She advises on conservation strategies for skeletal remains and collaborates with international institutions to document endangered archaeological sites.