After nearly 20 years in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Troy Case is retiring, effective Jan. 1, 2023.
Case joined the department in 2003 as an assistant professor of anthropology. During his tenure, Case has held several administrative positions including director of anthropology, director of graduate studies in anthropology, director of undergraduate programs and associate head. He was named department head in 2020 and, in the role, managed nearly 120 faculty members, staff and graduate students. He also worked with other College of Humanities and Social Sciences administrators and staff to develop course offerings and curricula each semester.
“For nearly 20 years, Troy has been a great asset to our college as a valued educator, advisor and leader,” says Deanna Dannels, dean of the college. “As department head, Troy developed a clear vision for Sociology and Anthropology — and started building a foundation to reach its goals. As a teacher and researcher, Troy helped students reach their full potential and opened doors to new areas of study here and abroad.”
Before his time at NC State, Case earned his B.A. in religious studies from Willamette University, and then spent four years in Japan, first on a one-year scholarship in an intensive Japanese language program, and then three more years teaching English. After that experience, he earned his M.A. in bioarchaeology and Ph.D. in physical anthropology from Arizona State University.
Case’s primary fields of teaching and research are in human osteology and bioarchaeology, and his specific areas of expertise include congenital anomalies of the hands and feet, their utility in identifying family members in ancient cemeteries, and the study of prehistoric skeletal remains and their mortuary contexts in order to better understand the social organizations and world views of past peoples.
He has published numerous articles in academic journals and is the coauthor of The Scioto Hopewell and Their Neighbors: Bioarchaeological Documentation and Cultural Understanding.
Case has spent time in Thailand conducting research, including a project in Chiang Mai dealing with modern anatomical skeletons. He worked with Chiang Mai University to develop a forensic osteology program, receiving a Fulbright grant to do so. Case also regularly led study abroad trips to Thailand.
In retirement, Case and his wife plan to relocate to Thailand, where he looks forward to spending time focusing on his health while venturing into creative writing and birding.
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