The Lariat

Issue date: 11/21/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Aaron Stein-Chester

Anthropologist Clea Koff visited Saddleback College Nov.14, presenting her latest book, "Bone Woman".

Speaking about her explorations in the field of forensic anthropology, Koff has worked in Rwanda and Yugoslavia, trying to determine statistics of people possibly killed in genocide.

"My goal is to discover war criminals and put them behind bars," Koff said. "If [Geneva Convention] laws were violated, those people can be tried. During the 1980s, nobody knew that the bones could later testify from the dead."

Students at the lecture appreciated the topics discussed.

"I thought [the lecture] was very informative," said Nicilas Frega, 23, astrophysics. "It was very interesting."

Koff also shared stories about her experience at the Kabuge Catholic Church burial sites in Yugoslavia.

"In the first section of the grave we expected to find about 1000 bodies, yet we only found 500," Koff said. "I began to think who organized this and began to see that each had a reason to kill."

The impact of the speech also attracted students to the field of anthropology.

"Listening to her explain how she was sort of an 'international cop' makes me want to look into this field," said Jeremy Artates, 19, undecided.

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