Course Description
Join me on a journey through time as we explore the stories of pioneers, rebels and visionaries – many of whom you’ve never heard of – who defied convention to push the frontiers of human knowledge. From the alchemy labs of the ancient world to the cutting-edge research of modern genetics, this lecture series uncovers the hidden, forgotten, and trailblazing women who transformed medicine, physics, astronomy, botany, and engineering with their quiet but revolutionary defiance.
Course Director
Myriam Nafte
Dr. Myriam Nafte is a forensic anthropologist, advisor, and consultant for criminal casework across North America. With a career spanning death investigations, anatomical research, art and academia, she brings a wealth of expertise to her work. She earned a Specialized Honours BA in Medical Anthropology from York University, a BEd in Science from Brock University, and an MA and PhD in Physical Anthropology (Skeletal Biology) from McMaster University. Currently, she serves as an adjunct clinical professor at McMaster, where she is leading a research project on dissection anatomy. Dr. Nafte is the author of numerous articles and books, including Flesh and Bone: An Introduction to Forensic Anthropology; Crime and Measurement: Methods in Forensic Investigation; The Skin of Murder Victims (Editor), and the forthcoming The Afterlife of Human Remains. Through her research, writing, and teaching, she explores the intricate relationships between science, art, history, and the enduring presence of the dead in the world of the living.
Myriam Nafte
Term and Time
Winter 2027- starting January 8
1:00 pm on Fridays
Room A100 in York Hall
Course Outline
Two weeks before the course starts, you can download a printable PDF giving the 10-week detailed course outline.
NOTE: The course outline opens in a new browser tab where you cannot see the LLIR page header and menu. You can download the outline for future reading and printing. When you are finished, return to our website as follows:
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— On a smartphone, click the back button displayed as a back arrowhead ( < ) .
Lecture Notes
Links to resources such as additional reading are provided here as the Course Director makes them available during the term. Like the course outline, lecture notes open in a new browser tab so that you can download and print them.
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