Jesse Goliath, assistant professor of anthropology and Middle Eastern culture at Mississippi State University, has been named the 2026 recipient of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Community Connections Mosaic Award. Presented annually, the award recognizes outstanding contributions that strengthen community and belonging within forensic teams and research groups.
A Mississippi State faculty member since 2021, Dr. Goliath focuses his work on supporting marginalized populations and improving outcomes for missing and unidentified persons, particularly in underserved regions in the rural American South. His primary research interest is in the area of skeletal biology, especially its applications to forensic anthropology, microscopy, functional morphology, bioarchaeology, skeletal development, and bone biomechanics. Throughout his career, Dr. Goliath has excavated burials and conducted archaeological field recovery in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Dr. Goliath is also the founding director of the Mississippi Repository for Missing and Unidentified Persons, a searchable statewide database featuring public case information, biological profiles, and tools to help families, law enforcement, and forensic specialists with identification and resolution. He also regularly assists law enforcement agencies through Mississippi State University’s Forensic Recovery Unit, providing field recovery, analysis, and training for students pursuing careers in forensic science.
Dr. Goliath earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in anthropology from Ohio State University.
