Shawn M Phillips

Shawn M Phillips is a Professor in the Earth & Environmental Systems department within the College of Arts & Sciences at Indiana State University. His interdisciplinary work bridges bioarchaeology, historical anthropology, and disability studies, focusing on 19th century institutional care systems, disease experiences, and marginalized populations in North America.

His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology from the State University of New York at Albany (2001) and a B.A. in Anthropology from Purdue University (1993). His dissertation examined inmate life in the Onieda County Asylum through skeletal and documentary analysis.

Phillips' research centers on bioarchaeological investigations of dependency, disability, and disease in historical contexts. He employs osteobiography to reconstruct individual life experiences within 19th century asylums, almshouses, and pioneer communities, with particular emphasis on syphilis, multiple myeloma, and dental health as markers of socioeconomic status and care quality. His methodology integrates skeletal analysis with historical records to expose systemic biases in institutional care.

His publications reveal consistent focus on how social stigma shaped medical treatment for disabled and mentally ill populations. Key trends include analysis of 'conspicuous consumption' through gold dentures, differential treatment based on gender in children's diets, and forensic evidence of therapeutic neglect. The work demonstrates how bioarchaeology can recover voices of marginalized historical communities.

• Certificate for Excellence in Teaching, Indiana State University Summer Honors Program (2008)
• DNR-DHPA Archaeological Site of the Month (December 2014)
• Research Residency Award, New York State Library (1997)
• Teaching Assistantship and Tuition Awards, University at Albany

Phillips maintains active forensic consulting roles with Indiana State Police, Vigo County Sheriff's Department, and the Indiana Department of Child Services. His community-engaged research includes the Vigo County Home Cemetery Project and Indian Orchard Cemetery development, securing over $150,000 in external funding. He serves as a forensic anthropology expert witness and has developed experiential learning programs connecting students with law enforcement and conservation agencies.

His laboratory work focuses on osteological analysis of historical skeletal collections, particularly from 19th century institutional settings. Current projects include international collaborations with Finnish researchers on disability history and Canadian institutions on syphilis archaeology.