Rhys Williams joined Loyola as an assistant professor in forensic science at Loyola University Maryland, specialising in digital imaging, forensic anthropology and public engagement. He earned his PhD on developing soil analysis methods for visualizing preservation of archaeological sites at Teesside University, UK, where he was previously a senior lecturer and research advisor. Here, he investigated the processes of preservation and diagenesis in skeletal remains, and the environmental mechanisms toward the formation of vivianite in soil.
After over a decade of working in forensic science and anthropology, his research has grown to focus on the detection of discreet and trace evidence, and on the visualisation and presentation of archaeological objects. He also leads several public engagement projects with the aim to explore how digital technologies enhance learning in the museum environment, bringing him into several international multidisciplinary projects into deposition site analysis, climate change, wildlife reintroduction, and pastoral support for healthcare conditions.
Rhys Williams is open to student research mentorship and encourages interested students to contact and discuss their ideas further. Current projects with student mentorship available include, and are not limited to:
- Characterisation and digitisation of knife wounds in clothing
- The detection of blood and decomposition in soil
- Isolating skeletal elements for anthropological analysis
- Non-contact capture of trace evidence
- Weather effects on blood and fingerprints
Areas of Specialization
- Forensic Anthropology
- Digital Imaging
- Site Analysis
- Public Engagement & Science Communications
Publications
- (In Review) Williams, R., Hoekstra, A., Blake, N., Ameen-Ali, K. (2025) ‘Grandad Forgot My Name: Interactive Storytelling for Dementia Pastoral Care’, Primary Health Care Research & Development
- (In Review) Halldorsdottir, H., Williams, R., Lenis, V., Greene, B., Taylor, G. (2025) Elemental composition of vegetable tanned leather impacts long-term survival in wet soil’, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry
- (In Preparation) Williams, R., Birley, B., Greene, E. (2025) 3D Imaging at Vindolanda, LIMES Congress XXVI
- (In Preparation) Williams, R., Baker, P., Davidson, M. (2025) Age estimation of the Pubic Symphysis from 3D Printed Proxies
- Williams, R., Thompson, T., Orr, C., Taylor, G. (2025) ‘Bone diagenesis and extremes of preservation in forensic science’, Humans, 5(2): 1-21
- Williams, R., Taylor, G., Orr, C. and Thompson, T. (2024) Developing a 3D Strategy: Pipelines and recommendations for 3D surface scanning archaeological artifacts, Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, 33: e00338
- Halldorsdottir, H., Williams, R., Greene, B., Taylor, G. (2024) ‘Rapid deterioration in buried leather: Archaeological implications’, RSC Advances, 14(6): 3762-3770
- Taylor, G., Williams, R., Halldórsdóttir, H.H., Carter, A., Birley, A., Meyer, A., and Orr, C.H. (2023) Archaeological soil from Roman occupational layers can be differentiated by microbial and chemical signatures’, Frontiers in Soil Science, 3:1129040
- Hackenbroich, A.S., Taylor, G. and Williams, R. (2023) ‘Digging up Memories–Empowering collections at Vindolanda Museum through virtual exhibits’, Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, 29: p.e00267
- Hackenbroich A.S. and Williams, R. (2022) ‘3D Scanning of Vindolanda’s Collection - Successes and Challenges’, in: Hadrian's Wall Cultural Resource Management 2022
- Orr, C.H., Williams, R., Halldórsdóttir, H., Birley, A., Greene, E, Nelson, A., Ralebitso-Senior, T.K., Taylor, G. (2021) ‘Unique Chemical Parameters and Microbial Activity Lead to Increased Archaeological Preservation within Vindolanda, UK’, Scientific Reports 11(15837): 1-10
- Williams, R., Taylor, G., Errickson, D. (2021) ‘Mapping an archaeological site: Interpreting pXRF soil analysis at Boroughgate, Skelton, UK’, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 38(103109): 1-10
- Kilburn, N., Gowland, R. L., Halldórsdóttir, H., Williams, R. & Thompson, T. (2021) ‘Assessing pathological conditions in archaeological bone using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF)’, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 37(102980): 1-10
- Williams, R., Taylor, G., and Orr, C. (2020) ‘pXRF method development for elemental analysis of archaeological soil’, Archaeometry, 62(6): 1145-1163
- Williams, R. and Taylor, G. (2019) ‘Data Plots using pXRF’, in: Adams, J. and Daniels, R. (eds) Archaeological Excavation at Boroughgate, Skelton 2018, Hartlepool: Tees Archaeology, 25–26
- Williams, R., Thompson, T., Orr, C., Birley, A., Taylor, G. (2019) ‘3D Imaging as a public engagement tool: Investigating an ox cranium used in target practice at Vindolanda’, Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal, 2(1): 1–16