Student Experience

New STAFS volunteers should be prepared to commit to a minimum of 2 full shifts per week on a semester basis. A full shift consists of volunteering at STAFS from 8am-5pm with a one-hour lunch break. A returning volunteer who has recently received full STAFS training has more flexibility with minimum schedule commitment requirements.

Internship time requirements vary depending on which program and university you are applying from. STAFS requires interns to commit to a minimum of 3 full shifts per week on a semester basis. A full shift consists of interning at STAFS from 8am-5pm with a one-hour lunch break.

Normal business hours: Monday-Friday, from 8am to 5pm. STAFS observes all university holidays.

This program focuses on students interested in the forensic sciences, including anthropology, biology, chemistry, etc. Tasks range from processing skeletal remains, body donation placements and skeletal recoveries, donor curation & collection upkeep, to maintaining databases, filing, and data entry. Experience level with human osteology is a major factor in determining your role with STAFS.

All volunteers and interns are required to complete a confidentiality, liability & photo agreement, emergency contact form, HEP B Vaccination disclosure form, and blood-borne pathogens training.

It is highly recommended that you have health insurance, whether personally issued health care or through your university.

There is an online training that must be completed on exposure risks associated with human materials and the general safety precautions that should be taken if accepted.

Most volunteers & interns will be trained to handle material that is of low risk for any biological agents. The most common risks include mishandling of sharp implements, pulled muscles, and tripping hazards.

The liability waiver serves to inform the volunteer/intern of the risks involved in volunteering & interning with this type of research and to relinquish STAFS of any liability.

The research conducted at the STAFS is highly sensitive and requires strict confidentiality to maintain the integrity of not only the STAFS program and research, but the donors and their families too.