Transferring to UAlberta in order to study and learn at her full potential.

Madison is now focusing on detecting accelerants on skeletal remains in Anthropology Honors.

This is five-part series profiling the Faculty of Arts Honors students who are presenting at the inaugural Arts Honors Mini-Conference on November 17, 2020.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Madison Bremault, and I am in the 4th and final year of my undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Arts. I am in the Anthropology Honors Program as an Anthropology major and a Classics minor.

How did you come to be in the Honors program?

It was not originally my intention to pursue Honors. It was not even my intention to be an anthropology major. I started out as an English major and a philosophy minor at MacEwan, however I transferred to the U of A in my second year to pursue anthropology. As my passion for research and interest in further education grew, I decided to apply for the Honors program.

What has your Honors experience been like?

My Honors experience thus far has been rewarding. There is a high expectation for academic independence and excellence, and it pushes you to complete your schoolwork at your full potential. It also gives you a solid idea about how a master’s degree works, and teaches you how to conduct independent research.

What will you be presenting on at the Honors mini-conference?

I will be presenting my honors research project proposal. The question my research aims to answer is: Can accelerants be detected on burned skeletal remains using off-gas testing? I am burning faunal remains in a burn barrel to replicate a real forensic scenario using different kinds of accelerants, and applying off-gas testing to see if the accelerants can be detected. I am working with a professor from the Chemical Engineering Department, and we are going to do mass spectrometry analysis (MS) using a standalone mass spectrometer in the headspace of the samples to see whether we can detect traces of any of the accelerants.

How did you find this topic or area of interest to focus on?

I have always had an interest in forensic anthropology and skeletal anatomy, largely due to an early obsession with crime documentaries. I was also inspired by professor Pamela Mayne Correia of the Anthropology Department, whose work in forensic anthropology has and continues to be incredibly impactful. An issue that arises in forensic science is how to accurately determine if an accelerant was used, in order to prove if a fire was set intentionally or unintentionally. Determining an inexpensive, fast and effective way to test for accelerants would have a large impact on the study of cremated human remains.

What would you tell someone that is considering applying to Honors?

I am not going to lie to you, it is a lot of work. However, knowing how to execute independent research is critical if you plan on pursuing further education. The Honors program also gives you the opportunity to speak and interact with masters and PhD students, as well as professors in your department who will be able to guide and inspire you.

Learn more about the Honors program and all the undergraduate degree programs that the Faculty of Arts has to offer by:

• Visiting the Degree programs page on the Arts website,
• Watching our Program Overview Videos on the Faculty of Arts YouTube channel, and
• Discussing your options with an undergraduate advisor — email arts.undergrad@ualberta.ca or book a one-on-one advising appointment by clicking here