Alumni Update: Douglas Post Park on the Timbuktu Expedition Project

Congratulations to Douglas Post Park ( BA Arch and Anth 2005) on his continuing adventures serving as director for the Timbuktu Expedition Project, which can be found at: http://timbuktuexpeditionproject.org/Site/About_TEP.html

According to its website, this project aims to:

"generate a pluralistic dialogue between the numerous ethnic and corporate groups inhabiting the area surrounding the Niger Bend region. TEP endeavors to increase awareness of 1) the importance of preserving, researching, and understanding the region’s archaeology and cultural patrimony, 2) the long-term effects of local anthropogenic environmental change and 3) how to create a sustainable tourism that beneficially affects the latter two points."

Douglas is currently a Ph.D candidate in Anthropological Archaeology at Yale and over more than eight seasons has carried out excavations in countries ranging from China to Greece.

Faculty Update: Robin Bernstein and Jared Kaufman Welcome Baby Vivian

Congratulations to Professor Robin Bernstein and Jared Kaufman on the birth of their baby girl Vivian Margaret.


She was born on June 30, 2009 measuring 21 inches long and weighing 8lbs.

Congratulations to the happy parents.

Student Update: Amanda Leonard to be Married!

Congratulations to current student Amanda Leonard (MA Anth/Museum Training) who is happily engaged after a three-year relationship. Her fiance is currently a PhD candidate at UMD focusing on late 20th century American History.

They are planning to have the wedding after her graduation.

Concerning her engagement, Amanda is frightened of a Stanley Cup wedding cake. Her fiance, Paul, wants to change their last name to "Easy Money", so that upon receiving his Doctorate, he will be "Dr. Easy-Money".

We wish the couple the best of luck.

Alumni Update: Nicole Griffin to Work as Research Associate at Duke University

Congratulations to recent graduate Nicole Griffin (PhD in Hominid Paleobiology 2009) on her new position with Duke University.

She will be working in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology beginning August 1, 2009.

Nicole co-authored a paper with Professor Richmond entitled "Joint Orientation and Function in Great Ape and Human Proximal Pedal Phalanges" and served as a teaching assistant throughout her academic career.

Alumni Update: Katie Rhine takes post as Assisant Professor of Anthropology

Congratulations to Katie Rhine (BA Anth 2002), who will be working as Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Kansas at Lawrence beginning this August.

Katie was awarded a Fulbright in 2002 to spend a year in Nigeria collaborating with a study on HIV/AIDS hosted by Harvard University. She graduated with special honors for her thesis on reproductive health issues among Congolese immigrants in the Washington area under the supervision of Barbara Miller, then went on to earn her Masters in the Anthropology-Population Program at Brown University.

We wish Katie the best of luck with her continued academic successes.

Alumni Update: Lauren Deal takes job with the Southeast Children's Fund

Congratulations to recent graduate Lauren Deal (BA Anthropology with special honors 2009) for her new position as Administrative Assistant with the Southeast Children's Fund. She will be assisting with curriculum development and other matters for a new school to be set up in a DC suburb with funding from the Salvation Army. This is more related to anthropology than the job she just left, which was working in a museum gift shop.

Alumni Update: Laura Myford Takes Two New Positions

Congratulations to recent graduate Laura Myford (MA in Anthropology, 2009) on her two new jobs.

She will be working as a Curriculum Development Assistant at the Fairfax-based Falmouth Institute, which collaborates with American Indian Tribes to help them become better informed on issues of law and governance, finance, and gaming.

In addition, Laura is taking a post as Instructor of Anthropology at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County, where she will be teaching two introductory anthropology courses.