Rate My Professor Charlotte King

Dr. Charlotte King is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago, within the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences. Holding a PhD from Durham University obtained in 2013, she is also an Otago graduate. As Head of the Forensic Analytical Science (FORS) programme, King is a biological anthropologist specializing in chemical analysis of skeletal remains. Her research employs isotopic systems and trace elements in bone and teeth to reconstruct place of origin, diet, life stories, and aid in identifying the dead for both forensic and archaeological investigations. Current Marsden-funded projects focus on the lives of colonial settlers to the Otago region, communicating these narratives to the public. She contributes to the National Repatriation Network, assisting in returning tūpuna to descendants, and engages in forensic projects utilizing biochemical data.

King's career trajectory includes a New Zealand Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship and a 2018 Marsden Fast-Start Grant for studying colonial experiences in New Zealand through chemical techniques. In 2021, she was awarded the University of Otago Early Career Award for Distinction in Research, recognizing her outstanding research, teaching, and scientific talent. She has authored or co-authored over 20 publications in leading journals, including first-authored papers such as 'Re-examining the chemical evaluation of diagenesis in human bone apatite' (Journal of Archaeological Science, 2011), 'Let's talk about stress, baby! Infant-feeding practices and stress in the ancient Atacama desert, Northern Chile' (American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2018), 'A comparison of using bulk and incremental isotopic analyses to establish weaning practices in the past' (STAR: Science & Technology of Archaeological Research, 2017), and more recent works like 'Reflections of their homelands—Early life enamel formation disruption in nineteenth century settlers of Otago, New Zealand' (Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 2026). Her scholarship, cited over 900 times, has advanced bioarchaeology, isotope geochemistry, and forensic anthropology. King teaches musculoskeletal anatomy for first-year health sciences and biological anthropology courses at all levels, and holds memberships in the Australia New Zealand Forensic Science Society, Australasian Society for Human Biology, and New Zealand Archaeological Association.