GW Anthropology

Anthropology Major Wins Gold in Chinese Language Competition

2011-11-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Tim Quinn (B.A. Anth and B.A. Int'l Affairs, 2012), who was one of three gold award winners in the Jiangsu Cup Chinese Speech Contest held at The George Washington University. In the contest’s final round on Sunday, November 6, 2011 Mr. Quinn answered personal questions and gave an improvised speech in Chinese

As a gold award winner, Mr. Quinn received a full scholarship to complete a master’s degree at Nanjing University. The scholarship will cover full tuition, housing, health insurance and a monthly living stipend.

The contest was sponsored by the Jiangsu International Cultural Exchange Center, the Nanjing University in China and The George Washington University Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.

Professor Frances Norwood Receives 2011 Margaret Mead Award

2011-08-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Dr. Frances Norwood, Assistant Research Professor in the GWU Department of Anthropology, who was recently selected to receive the 2011 Margaret Mead Award for her book, The Maintenance of Life: Preventing Social Death through Euthanasia Talk and End-of-Life Care – Lessons from The Netherlands (2009). The Margaret Mead Award is presented to a younger scholar for a particular accomplishment such as a book, film, monograph, or service, which interprets anthropological data and principles in ways that make them meaningful and accessible to a broadly concerned public – skills for which Margaret Mead was admired widely. Past recipients of the Margaret Mead Award have included Nancy Scheper-Hughes, Alex Stepick, Paul Farmer, Susan Scrimshaw, Philippe Bourgois, and Leo Chavez.

The Maintenance of Life is about what has developed in one present-day society to address social death and modern dying. It is based on a 15-month ethnographic study of home death in The Netherlands with general practitioners, end-of-life patients and their family members. The book develops from two important study findings: (1) that euthanasia in practice is predominantly a discussion, which only rarely culminates in a euthanasia death; and (2) that euthanasia talk in many ways serves a palliative function, staving off social death by providing participants with a venue for processing meaning, giving voice to suffering, and reaffirming social bonds and self-identity at the end of Dutch life. Ironically, those who engage in euthanasia talk often choose not to die by euthanasia and instead live longer lives as active participants engaged in Dutch social networks even at the end of life.

Dr. Norwood weaves her story beautifully, with ethnographic excerpts opening each chapter telling the stories that make up end-of-life from the perspective of patients, families, and their physicians. Using theory from Michel Foucault and Clive Seale, Dr. Norwood illuminates concepts of discourse and social death through ethnography yet weaves an ethnographic story that is accessible to scholars, policy makers, and families alike. Her book takes a critical look at Dutch euthanasia policy and broader end-of-life practices from a cultural perspective in comparison with U.S. end-of-life practices and policies. It is a book that offers those on any side of the end-of-life debate and those from around the world valuable lessons for maintaining life at the end of life.

The book was recently translated into French and is now also available as Mourir un Acte de Vie (2010).

Click here to learn more about Professor Norwood's research.

For more information on the Margaret Mead Award and past winners visit http://www.aaanet.org/about/Prizes-Awards/AAA-Margaret-Mead-Award.cfm

Dr. Eric Cline Wins 2011 Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award - Best Popular Book on Archaeology

2011-08-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Dr. Eric Cline, who was chosen to receive the Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) 2011 Publication Award - Best Popular Book on Archaeology for Biblical Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction. This is the 3rd time that Dr. Cline, Associate Professor of Classics, Anthropology, and History and Chair of the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, has been honored with the BAS Publication Award for Best Popular Book on Archaeology. He previously received awards in 2001 and 2009 for, respectively, The Battles of Armageddon: Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley from the Bronze Age to the Nuclear Age and From Eden to Exile: Unraveling Mysteries of the Bible.

Biblical Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction is published by Oxford University Press. For more information visit http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Archaeology/Biblical/?view=usa&ci=9780195342635

For more information on Dr. Cline's research and publications, visit http://home.gwu.edu/~ehcline/

Research by 2010 Lewis N. Cotlow Fund Awardees Featured in Huffington Post

2011-08-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Research conducted by recent GW alumni and 2010 Lewis N. Cotlow Award recipients Elizabeth Nistico (BA Int'l Affairs, 2011) and Samuel Schall (BA Int'l Affairs, 2011) was highlighted in an article detailing "Sugar Daddy" relationships in the August 1, 2011 Huffington Post.

The article states:

"As two enterprising anthropology undergraduates at George Washington University, Elizabeth Nistico and Samuel Schall tackled the phenomenon of sugar daddy culture for a recent school project. Schall studied young, gay sugar babies, and Nistico explored the straight scene. Of their study's 100 participants, more than half said the money they received financed their education. On average, the relationships lasted between three and four months.

Nistico found that some of the sugar babies used the excuse of the economic downturn for behavior she thinks they would still have otherwise condoned. 'We concluded that people who say they have a sugar daddy to pay off their loans are people who would already contemplate being in that relationship if the economy was doing just fine,' says Nistico, whose subjects frequently mentioned the recession, a bad economy or debt as motivating factors in their decisions."

In 2010, Nistico and Schall received a Lewis N. Cotlow Award to support their project: "Sugar Daddies: The Reality of Affluent Cross-Generational Relationships in New York City"

The project examined how members of the Sugar Daddy culture in New York City view their relationships in a wider cultural context and how they conceptualize love, sex, survival and personal identity in the realm of the relationships.

The full article can be accessed online at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/29/seeking-arrangement-college-students_n_913373.html

More information on the Lewis N. Cotlow Fund for Student Research, including past projects, can be found at http://www.gwu.edu/~anth/atgw/cotlow.cfm

Faculty research: Chimp brains don't shrink as they age, unlike humans

2011-08-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Unlike humans, chimpanzees’ brains don’t shrink as they get older. That means that, so far, people seem to be the only lucky species whose brains wither with age, according a report by Prof. Chet Sherwood and his colleagues in the July 25, 2011 online Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In the new study, Sherwood and his colleagues focused on chimpanzees, which have some of the most developed brains and longest life spans among primates. The researchers wondered if chimps experience brain decline in old age similar to that seen in humans.

The researchers scanned the brains of 99 chimpanzees with ages representing the entire adult life span, from 10 to 51 years. For comparison, the team imaged the brains of 87 humans from 22 to 88 years old. The human scans confirmed what other studies had found: All brain regions measured showed shrinkage with age. But chimp brains didn’t get smaller with age.

Sherwood points out that the results don’t answer a fundamental question for human evolution: “Why would we be built in such a faulty way that leads to this degeneration in our brains?” he asks. Perhaps a long life span is worth the drawback. Big brains and long life spans may free up older members of the population to look after the youngsters, he speculates.

The research by Professor Sherwood and colleagues was highlighted by numerous national and international news organizations, including BBC News, the Wall Street Journal, and CBS News, and featured in Discover magazine and Science blogs.

For more information and the original article, go to http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/07/20/1016709108.abstract

2011 Rogers Excavation Scholarship Recipients

2011-04-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Anthropology Department is pleased to announce the 2011 Rogers Excavation Scholarship recipients, who will participate in archaeological fieldwork at sites in the U.S., Israel, Mexico, Belize, Kenya, and Greece during Summer 2011.

Joaille Araujo (B.A. Anth / Intl Affairs)
Alexandria, VA. Director: Pamela Cressey

Rebecca Biermann (B.A. Anth)
Oaxaca, Mexico. Director: Jeffrey Blomster

Sarah Cahlan (B.A. Archaeology)
Tel Kabri, Israel. Director: Eric Cline

Charlotte Doney (B.A. Anth)
Say Kah, Belize. Director: Linda Brown

Gabriela Farias (B.A. Arch / Geology)
Tel Kabri, Israel. Director: Eric Cline

Cheyenne Lewis (B.A. Arch / B.S. Bio Anth)
Astypalaia, Greece. Director: Simon Hillson

Lisa Mangiarelli (B.A. Arch)
Say Kah, Belize. Director: Linda Brown

Katie Paul (M.A. Anth)
Tel Kabri, Israel. Director: Eric Cline

Laurel Poolman (B.A. Arch / Anth)
Tel Kabri, Israel. Director: Eric Cline

Madeline Shaffer (B.A. Arch)
Say Kay, Belize. Director: Linda Brown

Harrison Ward (B.S. Bio Anth)
Koobi Fora (Director: Brian Richmond) and Olorgesailie (Director: Alison Brooks), Kenya.

The Rogers Excavation Scholarship provides funding for undergraduate or graduate students to do fieldwork in archaeology. Preference is given to those participating in an excavation for the first time and to those working with GW faculty. This scholarship, administered through the Capitol Archaeological Institute, was established in 2011 through the generosity of alumni Deborah Lehr and John Rogers.

2011 Lewis N. Cotlow Recipients

2011-04-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Anthropology Department is pleased to announce the 2011 recipients of Lewis N. Cotlow Awards for anthropological research. The following students will conduct research during the coming months and will present highlights of their findings at the annual conference on student research, which is held on the Friday of Colonials Weekend in October 2011:

Tanvi Avasthi (B.A./M.A. Anth): Identity Politics among Progressive Indian Clinicians
Advisor: Barbara Miller

Carrie Benjamin (M.A. Anth): Talibés and Marabouts: Children's Rights, Development, and Local Perspectives in Saint-Louis, Senegal
Advisors: David Gow and Ilana Feldman

Heather Dingwall (B.S. Bio Anth and B.A. Arch): Analysis of Homo erectus Fossil Footprints from Ileret, Kenya, in the Context of Unshod Daasanach Experimental Prints
Advisor: Brian Richmond

Justin Greco (B.S. Bio Sci and B.A. Arch): Determining Site-Status via Analysis of Maya Ceramics from Say Kah, Belize
Advisors: Jeffrey Blomster and Linda Brown

Cheyenne Lewis (B.S. Bio Anth and B.A. Arch): Use of Dorsal Parturition Pits as a Female Characteristic on the Human Pelvis
Advisor: Douglas Ubelaker

Kate Markham (B.S. Bio Anth): Monitoring Nitrogen and Energy Balance in Wild Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) in a Peat Swamp
Advisor: Erin Vogel

Alicia O'Brien (B.A. Int Aff): Describing the Gap: The Impact of Identity and Culture for Individuals with Cognitive Disabilities after Transitioning from School
Advisors: Frances Norwood and Barbara Miller

Danielle Pelaez (B.A. Int Aff): 21st Century Pilgrims: Exploring the Transmutation from the Religious Pilgrim to the Secular Adventurer
Advisor: Catherine Allen

Claire Ragozzino (B.A. Intl Aff): West Meets East: The Effects of Western Commodification of Yoga on Indian Yogic Identity and Practice
Advisors: Barbara Miller and Frances Norwood

Rebecca Remis (B.A. Intl Aff): The Chinese Experience in the Organic Movement: A Case Study of Little Donkey Farm
Advisors: Barbara Miller and Robert Shepherd

Tatiana Reyes (B.A. Intl Aff): Working Women: An Ethnography of Tourism and Its Impact on the Women of San Juan del Sur
Advisors: Catherine Timura, Robert Shepherd, Barbara Miller

Kristina Short (M.A. Anth): Materializing Social identity: Ceramic Figurines at Middle and Late Formative Etlatongo
Advisor: Jeffrey Blomster

Since 1990, the Lewis N. Cotlow Field Research Fund has supported over 150 anthropological research projects by GW students in nearly 50 countries. The Fund was created by a $150,000 bequest from the estate of Lewis Cotlow (1898-1987), an explorer, author, and filmmaker who attended GW.

Professor Eric Cline Receives 2011 Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Prize for Faculty Scholarship

2011-04-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Dr. Eric Cline, Chair of the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Language and Civilization and Associate Professor of Classics, Anthropology, and History, who was selected to receive the prestigious 2011 Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Prize for Faculty Scholarship.

In discussing Dr. Cline's selection, George Washington University Vice President for Research Leo Chalupa referenced Dr. Cline's contributions to the field of archaeology of the Middle East, including his co-direction of excavations at Megiddo and Tel Kabri, as contributing to his outstanding international reputation. This reputation is bolstered by Dr. Cline's outstanding publication record as author or co-author of nine books and more than 80 articles in scholarly and general audience publications.

The Anthropology Department offers a hearty congratulations to Dr. Cline for this well-deserved recognition of scholarly contributions.

Alumna Amanda Leonard to Give Interview on "Big Black Dog Syndrome"

2011-04-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Recent graduate Amanda Leonard (MA Anthropology-Museum Training, 2011) is scheduled to give an radio interview on "Big Black Dog Syndrome" in conjunction with the "Thinking about Animals Conference" held Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1 2011 at Brock University.

Leonard, who was invited to present at the conference, will be discussing why big black dogs remain un-adopted while their smaller and more colorful counterparts more easily find loving families. Her study, which will also be published in the Kroeber Anthropological Society Papers, suggests the issue stems in part from humans' inability to distinguish facial expressions on black dogs. This, in combination with shelters typically being dark places and bad photography accompanying adoption ads, contributes to a negative perception of large black dogs.

Leonard will be interviewed on Friday, April 1st at 1:00PM till 1:30PM on Brock Radio CFBU 103.7 FM for a show called "Dog Talk". The interview, conducted by Dave McMahon, Professor of Animal Studies, Niagara College, Canada, will serve as a way to educate the public about the Syndrome.

Additionally, Leonard was featured on the Brock University news page: http://www.brocku.ca/brock-news/?p=9075

Heather Dingwall Receives Luther Rice Collaborative Fellowship

2011-03-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

The Anthropology Department would like to offer its congratulations to Heather Dingwall, undergraduate double major in Biological Anthropology and Archaeology, who received a Luther Rice Collaborative Fellowship for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Her project, to be completed under the direction of Dr. Brian Richmond, will involve conducting running and walking experiments using unshod Daasanach subadults in Ileret, Kenya in order to determine how gait, speed, and foot morphology influence the formation and morphology of footprints. Ultimately, the resulting data will provide a comparative context for the analysis of fossil hominin footprints (namely, the footprints from Ileret that have been attributed to H. erectus). In addition, she will assist with the further excavation of the fossil footprint surfaces at Ileret during Summer 2011.

The Rice Fellowships offer support for student-initiated research carried out in collaboration with, and under the guidance of, at least one faculty mentor.

Dr. Catherine Allen Awarded a Specialist Fulbright Grant

2011-03-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

Dr. Catherine Allen, Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs, has been awarded a Specialist Fulbright Grant to spend a month at Catholic University in Lima. She will offer a five-week seminar on the subject of Thought, Action, and Landscape in the Andes, for students enrolled in the master and doctoral Program in Andean Studies. Additionally, she will offer one or more presentations on her current research as part of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar to be held for one week in Pisac (Cuzco ) in 2011. Finally, she will meet with faculty and graduate students at PUCP (Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru) who specialize in Andean visual and performing arts.

Recent Graduate to Present at Two Professional Conferences

2011-03-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

Amanda Leonard (M.A. Anthropology-Museum Training 2011) will be presenting "Shadows in the Shelter: The Plight of ‘Big Black Dogs’ in American Animal Shelters" at the Thinking About Animals Conference, co-hosted by the Institute of Critical Animal Studies (ICAS) at its Tenth Annual North American ICAS conference (Brock University, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, March 21 and April 1, 2011).

The paper she is presenting in Canada is the same as described in "The Plight of ‘Big Black Dogs’ in American Animal Shelters: Color-Based Canine Discrimination," a paper that has been accepted for publication by The Kroeber Anthropological Society Papers, a journal of the University of California, Berkeley.

Ms. Leonard, who has worked as an animal behavior specialist and enrichment coordinator for the Washington Humane Society, used her anthropological training to analyze how people's feelings about color influence what shelter animals they adopt.

Hom Pal Students Awarded Cosmos Scholar Grants

2011-02-25T11:03:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Hominid Paleobiology students Andrew Zipkin, Amy Bauernfeind, and Katherine Schroer. Each recently received a Cosmos Scholar grant to support research in the upcoming year. Their projects are as follows:

Andrew M. Zipkin: Identification and Characterization of Archaeologically Relevant Malawian Ochre Deposits

Amy L. Bauernfeind: Energetics and Maturation of the Brain in Humans and Macaque Monkeys

Katherine E. Schroer: Geometric morphometric analysis of crown and root integration in molarized primate premolars

The Cosmos Scholar grant program program provides grants to meet specific research needs not covered by other supporting funds, including but not limited to special supplies, travel, and unanticipated expenses that would enhance the research being undertaken. More information can be found here

Jan. 26 Talk on Swartkrans by Dr. TravisPickering

2011-01-20T13:01:00.000-08:00

Dr. Travis R. Pickering of The University of Wisconsin - Madison will present a talk entitled "Life and Death in the Stone Age: Continued Paleoanthropological Investigations at Swartkrans Cave (and beyond)" as part of the Department of Anthropology Seminar Series on Hominin Ecology.

The talk will be held on Wednesday, January 26 2011 at 11:00 AM at 2114 G St. NW, Room 308.

Dr. Pickering, after providing an overview of the paleoanthropological importance of the Swartkrans Cave (South Africa) early hominin site, will discuss the paleobiological focus on his current research program there. The major emphasis of that program is to establish a paleoecological context for the large assemblage of early hominin fossils from the site's Hanging Remnant geological unit. Dr. Pickering will also briefly summarize several other early hominin paleobiological projects in which he is involved, including other fieldwork in South Africa (Goldsmith's Cave), and actualistic work and paleoanthropological survey and excavation in Namibia (Namib-Naukluft) and Tanzania (Olduvai Gorge).

Dr. Eric Cline & Anthony Sutter (B.A.2009) publish military history article

2011-01-20T12:42:00.000-08:00

Prof. Eric Cline of the Classics, Anthropology, and History Departments, and recent alumnus Anthony Sutter published an article in the current issue of the Journal of Military History:

"Battlefield Archaeology at Armageddon: Cartridge Cases and the 1948 Battle for Megiddo, Israel"

During 2008 and 2010 at Megiddo (biblical Armageddon) in Israel, archaeologists excavating a stratigraphical layer that should have been filled solely with artifacts almost 3,000 years old unexpectedly recovered more than 213 spent cartridge cases, most likely dating from the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. Finding themselves unintentionally involved in the relatively new field of "battlefield archaeology" more usually conducted in the United States and Europe, the archaeologists analyzed the cartridge cases, attempted to reconstruct what had happened, and contributed additional information to historical accounts of the modern battle and of the Czechoslovakian arms deals with the Israelis in early 1948.

Sutter wrote his 2009 undergraduate thesis, "The Shots Heard 'Round the Tel," on the same excavation. He graduated with special honors in Archaeology and a B.S. in Chemistry. For more, see http://www.gwu.edu/~anth/ugrad/honorstheses.cfm

Eric Cline is Chair of the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and Director of the GWU Capitol Archaeological Institute. For more, see http://www.gwu.edu/~anth/who/cline.cfm

Upcoming Lecture by Dr. Robert Shepherd: Tourism, Heritage, and Sacred Space in China

2011-01-20T12:17:00.000-08:00

Dr. Robert Shepherd, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Honors, will give a lecture entitled "Tourism, Heritage, and Sacred Space in China" as part of the Sigur Center Faculty Lecture Series.

Monday, February 7, 2011
12:30 - 1:45 PM
The Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW, Room 505

Although the Chinese government has become one of the most prominent supporters of the UNESCO-led World Heritage movement, the economic, political and bureaucratic reasons for this are often at cross-purposes with the preservationist goals of UNESCO. This presentation will examine the relationship between heritage projects, tourism, and economic development in China by focusing on the Buddhist pilgrimage destination of Mount Wutai, Shanxi Province, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2009.

Dr. Shepherd's work on tourism, cultural heritage issues, and the side effects of market changes in China has appeared in Southeast Asia Research, Consumption, Markets, and Culture, the International Journal of Cultural Studies, and the Journal of Contemporary Asia, among other publications. His book, When Culture Goes to the Market: The Politics of Space, Place and Identity in an Urban Marketplace (Peter Lang) was published in 2008.

Please RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/ShepherdJan19 by Friday, February 4, 2011.

Habibia Chirchir Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Defense

2011-01-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

The Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and The George Washington University Department of Anthropology present:

"Why do humans have unusually low trabecular density? A comparative and experimental study on the factors influencing trabecular bone density"

Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Defense by:

Habiba Chirchir
Hominid Paleobiology Doctoral Program
January 28, 2011 1:00 PM
2114 G St NW
Room 308

J. Tyler Faith Doctoral Dissertation Defense

2011-01-20T12:01:00.000-08:00

The Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and The George Washington University Department of Anthropology present:

"Late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions in southern Africa's Cape Floral Region"

A Doctoral Dissertation Defense by J. Tyler Faith

Friday, January 21, 2:30 PM
2114 G. St. NW
Room 308

Research Summary:

The fossil record of southern Africa's Cape Floral Region documents the extinction of numerous grassland ungulates since the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. There is reason to believe that both human impacts and environmental processes contributed to the losses. This dissertation examines faunal remains from late Quaternary archaeological and paleontological sites to test environmental and anthropogenic extinction mechanisms. Temporal changes in herbivore dietary habits, ungulate community structure, and human predation pressure on terrestrial herbivore populations are explored using zooarchaeological and paleoecological methodologies.

Upcoming Talk by Dr. Carson M. Murray

2011-01-20T11:51:00.000-08:00

Dr. Carson M. Murray of The Lincoln Park Zoo, University of Chicago will give a talk entitled "The Nuances of Female Chimpanzee Social Status" as part of the Department of Anthropology Seminar Series on Hominin Ecology.

Dr. Murray will present evidence that low-ranking females suffer in terms of foraging and ranging patterns, and suggests behavioral adaptations during reproductive efforts that may help mitigate these negative rank effects. Dr. Murray will pair her behavioral studies with physiological data to yield a more holistic story of female behavior. These results are considered in light of other chimpanzee populations, other primates, and human evolution.

The talk will be held on Monday, January 24, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. in 2114 G. Street Room 308.

Dr. Brian Richmond Speaks at Upcoming Paleoanthropology Seminar

2011-01-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

National Museum of Natural History Paleoanthropology Seminar

Prof. Brian Richmond speaks on:

"The Evolution of Human Adaptations in the Pleistocene:
New Discoveries from Kenya and Tanzania"

January 26, 2011
4 p.m.
Rose Seminar Room
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution

Those interested in attending are asked to please meet by the Constitution Ave. entrance security office at 3:45 p.m. for escort to the seminar room. Contact Robin Teague, (202) 633-1922, for further information.

Prof. Richmond is chair of the GW Anthropology Department and a research fellow in the Human Origins Program at the Natural History Museum.

Alumna Joanna Brucker Sends Greetings from Kosovo

2010-10-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

Alumna Joanna Brucker (BA Anth with Special Honors, 2007) writes:

"Many warm greetings from Kosovo. I have been here now for six months and some of the most transformational of my life. I currently work for a local non-profit as their educational coordinator. The non-profit, Balkan Sunflowers (www.balkansunflowers.org or www.learningcentersnetwork.org) provides educational extension and support for the minority populations here in Kosovo, namely the Roma and Ashkali. I work as advisor to four educational centers, providing daily training to the local tutoring staff of high school students, writing curriculum to be used in the centers and doing all sorts of outreach and cooperative training with local INGOs. The work is absolutely fascinating - and I am learning Albanian!"

The Anthropology Department is delighted to learn of Joanna's work and wish her all the best in the future.

13th Annual Lewis N. Cotlow Conference

2010-10-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Anthropology Department held its 13th annual Lewis N. Cotlow Student Research Conference on October 15, 2010. The annual conference provides students with an opportunity to present findings to an audience of fellow students and faculty members.

Presentations given this year by undergraduate and graduate students spanned a diverse range of topics:

The militarization of Guam and Chamoru social movements

The genetics of a Siberian population

Gender ideology among Asians in Vancouver

Punk Islam

Spiritual healing in Brazil

Educational and employment opportunities for woman in India

Derussification in the Ukraine

Asexuality

Sugar daddy relationships in New York City

Catholic and Muslim immigrants in Sweden

Brain connectivity and myelin-associated proteins in human evolution

West Coast Swing vs. Lindy Hop

Bone structure and human locomotion

Obstetric fistula surgery

Fossil footprints

Trabecular bone architecture in mammals adapted to speed and endurance

Tracking age-related changes in endocrine function in primates

Abstracts for many past Cotlow Projects and information about the Lewis N. Cotlow Field Research Fund are available on the Anthropology Department website.

Since its establishment in 1990 by a bequest of $150,000 from the estate of Lewis Cotlow, an explorer, author, and filmmaker who attended GW. The Lewis Cotlow Fund has aided more than 150 students in conducting anthropological research throughout the world.

The faculty and staff of the Anthropology Department would like to congratulate all presenters on a job well done!

Dr. Michael D. Coe Lecture: "Collecting the Americas"

2010-10-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Anthropology Department and the Museum Studies Program were pleased to host Dr. Michael D. Coe on October 14, 2010 as the first lecturer in the 2010-2011 George Washington University Seminar program Museums and Antiquities: A New World.

Dr. Coe, Professor of Anthropology and Curator Emeritus of the Anthropology Collection at Yale University and the Peabody Museum of Natural History, gave a lecture entitled “Collecting the Americas”. Dr. Coe explored the issue of whether scholars should study and publish research findings of objects that have ambiguous archaeological provenances.

The next lecture in the series “Looting and the Art Market in Antiquities” will be given on November 30, 2010 by Dr. Fabio Esteban Amador. Dr. Amador is an Associate Research Professor of Anthropology at The George Washington University and Program Officer at National Geographic Society.

The schedule for Spring 2011 lectures is as follows:

“Taking the Long View: Twenty Years of Repatriation at the National Museum of Natural History.”
William Billeck, Jan. 27

“A New Vision of a Past: Pueblo Origins and the Development and Depopulation of the Mesa Verde Region.”
Mark Varien, Feb. 17

“Branding the Maya: the Implication of Cultural Heritage Production in the Mayan Riviera.”
Traci Ardren, March 3

“Lower End Artifact Collections: is a practical accommodation possible among archaeologists, collectors, and museums?”
David K. Thulman, April 7

Upcoming Event: Boe Titla, Apache Country Singer and Songwriter

2010-09-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

Boe Titla, an Apache country singer and songwriter, will be presenting "Songs of Apache Places and Histories" on October 11, 2010 from 5:00-6:30PM. The event will be held in Phillips B-120, with a reception following.

Lambert (Boe) Titla is a talented singer, songwriter, and artist from the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona. Born in Bylas, Arizona, Boe is a member of the Black Water clan. His solo performances and recordings have provided entertainment and insight for audiences in Arizona, New Mexico, and throughout the southwest. His songs and stories about Apache places and histories have made him a featured performer at numerous Native American events and Cowboy Poetry gatherings. Boe's album, Native American Balladeer is available on CDBaby.com.

The event is jointly sponsored by the Departments of Anthropology and Music, the Institute for Ethnographic Research, and the GW Anthropology Society.

2006 Cotlow Award Recipient Releases Report on HIV/AIDS in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area

2010-09-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

Dana Thomson (BA Int'l Affairs, 2008), a 2006 Lewis B. Cotlow Award recipient whose research involved a comparative study of HIV/AIDS care organizations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, recently released a report entitled "HIV/AIDS in the Washington, DC metropolitan area: Whitman-Walker Clinics, 2007". This report, building upon Ms. Thomson's previous research, summarizes demographic, medical, social, economic, and geographic characteristics of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS at Whitman-Walker's three clinics in 2007. The report is unique for its social determinants framework and use of maps to summarize HIV/AIDS data.

Ms. Thomson is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Global Health and Population from the Harvard School of Public Health. She is hopeful that the data and methods from this report can be utilized by the DC HIV/AIDS community and beyond.

Key findings, the full report, and a list of upcoming presentations can be found at: http://dchivaids.wordpress.com/

Anthropology Society announces study hours, general meeting

2010-09-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

The GW Anthropology Society hosted study hours on September 12 in the Anthropology Department seminar room and plans to hold these regularly throughout the year. The Society will have their first General Interest/Body Meeting September 13 at 8 p.m. in the same room. These events follow a well-attended potluck on September 10.

The Society's e-mail address is nacirema.gwu@gmail.com. All anthropology students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to join.

Brian Richmond becomes Anthropology Department chair

2010-09-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

Associate Professor Brian G. Richmond is the new chair of the Anthropology Department, replacing Catherine {"Kitty") Allen, who will serve as deputy chair through the fall. Brian, who came here from the University of Illinois in 2002, teaches courses in human evolution, functional anatomy, and analytical methods. He stepped into the chairship after another busy field season hunting fossils in Kenya.

For more on Dr. Richmond, visit http://www.gwu.edu/~anth/who/richmond.cfm

Alumnus Enters 2010 Teach for America Corps

2010-09-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

Recent graduate Nicholas Profeta (BA Anth and Econ 2010) was accepted into the 2010 Teach for America corps, the largest and highest-caliber corps in the organization's 20-year history.

Starting this fall, Nicholas will teach in Dade County, FL, bringing new energy and leadership to the challenge of closing the academic achievement gap for students in low-income communities. In a year where admission was more competitive than ever before, with an acceptance rate of 12 percent, Nicholas was selected from a record 46,000 individuals who applied to Teach For America and will join nearly 4,500 new corps members teaching in 39 regions across the country.

Alumna Susan Joy Bishai Graduates GW Law School

2010-08-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to alumna Susan Joy Bishai (MA Anthropology-ID, 2007) on her graduation from The George Washington University Law School. After completing her Master's in Anthropology, Ms. Bishai went on to complete her J.D. with a focus in human rights and immigration law.

Prof. Grinker awarded AAA's Anthropology in Media award

2010-06-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

Prof. Roy Richard Grinker has been awarded the American Anthropological Association’s 2010 Anthropology in Media award. This award was established in 1987 to recognize the successful communication of anthropology to the general public through the media. It seeks to honor those who have raised public awareness of anthropology and have had a broad and sustained public impact at local, national, and international levels.

Since the publication of his book Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism in 2007, media attention has mostly focused on Grinker’s work on the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders. However, earlier books on anthropologist Colin Turnbull and relations between North and South Korea also attracted wide notice.

The AAA is recognizing Grinker both for his books and for his publications in major media venues. These include the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and New Scientist, and numerous broadcast appearances, including ABC’s 20/20 with Diane Sawyer, ABC’s World News Tonight with Charles Gibson, National Public Radio programs, and documentaries aired on PBS and distributed in movie theaters throughout North America.

Previous winners of the Anthropology in Media award are:

2009 John Noble Wilford
2008 James McKenna
2006 Eugenie Scott
2005 Meredith F. Small
2004 Melvin J. Konner
2002 John R. Rickford
1999 Donald C. Johanson
1997 Edward T. Hall
1996 Micaela di Leonardo
1995 Alan Lomax
1994 Katherine S. Newman
1993 Jonathan Benthall
1992 Jean Rouch, Jack Weatherford
1991 Ursula Le Guin
1990 Tony Hillerman
1989 Jane Goodall
1987 Stephen Jay Gould

Felicia Gomez (Hom Pal) Wins 2010 AAA Minority Dissertation Fellowship

2010-06-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Hominid Paleobiology doctoral student Felicia Gomez who recently was awarded the 2010-2011 American Anthropological Association Minority Dissertation Fellowship. Gomez, who is currently conducting research at the University of Pennsylvania, will use the fellowship to complete her dissertation on the evolutionary history of malaria-related genes. Her research includes examining genes that may have been affected by natural selection and identifying gene mutations that may be beneficial by making people less vulnerable to Malaria.

The Minority Dissertation Fellowship is awarded to one doctoral student annually and is intended to encourage members of ethnic minorities to complete doctoral degrees in anthropology, thereby increasing diversity in the discipline and/or promoting research on issues of concern among minority populations.

Click for more information

Hedwig Waters (BA 2009) receives Fulbright award

2010-06-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Alumna Hedwig Waters, who received a B.A. in Anthropology with Special Honors in January 2009, recently was awarded a Fulbright award to support eight months of research in Mongolia. She will travel to Mongolia in January 2011 to study women's health and the changing images of female beauty and body ideals. This summer, prior to starting her research, she will be studying intensive Russian and Mongolian.

New jobs for three recent M.A. graduates

2010-06-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

Matt LeDuc (M.A.-Int. Dev. 2010) recently started working as a short-term consultant for the World Bank. Matt will assist in the preparation of a "Concept Note" on social sustainability in Bank-funded development projects. This study will lead to the development of a core training and certification program for social development specialists at the World Bank.

Maureen Moodie (M.A.-Int. Dev. 2010) is employed by the Neighborhood Farm Initiative (Washington, DC) and its sister organization, DC's Field to Fork Network. She is involved in promoting community gardens, home composting, and similar activities, and helps manage the Field to Fork Network's blog (http://fieldtoforknetwork.org/blog/).

Isaac Morrison (M.A. -Int. Dev. 2009) has joined the nonprofit group Innovation Networks (Washington, DC) as a full-time researcher. The group does research for other nonprofits on their performance, helps quantify their goals, etc. Isaac hopes to also keep teaching anthropology at Montgomery College.

Please send your news bulletins to anth@gwu.edu. Thanks.

Education and job bulletins, recent B.A. graduates

2010-06-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

Mary Brown (B.A. Archaeology 2010) will attend the University of Liverpool for an M.A. in Egyptology.

Melissa Cradic (B.A. Archaeology-honors and Classical Humanities 2010) will attend Cambridge University for M.Phil., after which she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Anthropology at UC-Berkeley.

Robin Clay Lange (B.A. Archaeology-honors and Classical Humanities 2007) has completed her master’s degree in archaeology at the University of Durham and returned to New York.

Ashley Randall (B.A. Anthropology 2009) is back in Michigan after a tour as a Peace Corps community health development volunteer in Burkina Faso.

Jessica Ring (B.A. Archaeology 2010) has entered the Anthropology M.A. program at GW.

Please send your news bulletins to anth@gwu.edu. Thanks.

Matt LeDuc (MA 2010) is consultant at World Bank

2010-06-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Matt LeDuc (M.A.-Int Dev 2010) recently started working as a short-term consultant for the World Bank. Matt will assist in the preparation of a “Concept Note” on social sustainability in Bank-funded development projects. This study will lead to the development of a core training and certification program for social development specialists at the World Bank. The Note will include a set of recommendations regarding the main objectives of the training program, as well as its content, scope, and target audience. It will also identify gaps between existing training programs and the training needs of social development specialists at the Bank. Matt is involved in compiling the results of a questionnaire and assisting with a series of focus groups with Bank staff.

Dana Rosenstein (BA 2002) shares SAA poster award

2010-06-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Dana Drake Rosenstein (B.A. Anthropology 2002) and Prof. James Feathers shared one of the R. E. Taylor Poster Awards at the Society for American Archaeology 75th Anniversary Meeting in St. Louis for their poster "Luminescence Dating of Samples from Recent Contexts in South Africa."

As Sandra Lopez Varela, president of the Society for Archaeological Sciences, writes: "This prestigious award is named in honor of Professor Emeritus R. Ervin Taylor of the University of California at Riverside for his outstanding contributions in the development and application of radiocarbon dating in archaeological research and dedication to the founding of the Society for Archaeological Sciences. For more than a decade, receiving the Taylor R. E. award has enhanced the career of those who are now prominent young scholars and professionals." In more material terms, the winners receive a free subscription to the SAS Bulletin and a $100 bonus.

After graduating from GW, Dana went to South Africa, where she got a MSc in Archaeology from the University of Cape Town with a thesis on the technology and dating of BaTswana ceramics in northwestern South Africa. She is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arizona. Her dissertation will include the construction of a master archaeomagnetic curve for the last 500 years in northeastern South Africa using optically stimulated luminescence.

Grad Student Matt LeDuc Receives Fulbright Award to Work in India

2010-05-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

Matt LeDuc (MA 2010) was recently awarded a Fulbright scholarship to conduct research in India. He will explore the politics of cultural heritage and the effects of tourism in the town of Hampi, India. Once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hampi provides an important case study of the overlapping and sometimes competing interests of cultural heritage preservation, economic development, and “archaeological tourism.”

Matt, an International Development concentrator and teaching assistant, got his B.A. degree in Anthropology from the University of Michigan.

Heather Dingwall Wins Gamow Fellowship to Research Evolution of Human Gait

2010-05-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

Heather Dingwall, a double major in Biological Anthropology and Archaeology, has received a George Gamow Fellowship to study what ancient footprints tell about the origins of human gait. Prof. Brian Richmond is her advisor. Heather is looking forward to going to Kenya, where a team that included Dr. Richmond discovered 1.5-million-year-old hominin footprints at Ileret.

More on Gamow Fellowships: http://www.gwu.edu/~fellcent/gamow.htm

More on Ileret footprints: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;323/5918/1197

Warren Awards Announced; Eight Students Funded for Summer 2010

2010-05-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Departments of Anthropology and of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations are pleased to announce the 2010 winners of fellowships for archaeological research. This year, all the students will be working in Israel or Jordan. The winners are:

Joseph DiVirgilio (B.A. candidate, undeclared): Megiddo, Israel

Amanda Kemble (B.A. candidate, Anthropology): Megiddo

Samantha Malone (B.A. candidate, undeclared): Megiddo

Joseph Mazzariello (B.A. candidate, Archaeology): Megiddo

Clara Merchant (B.A. candidate, Anthropology): Megiddo

Katie Paul (M.A. candidate, Anthropology): Megiddo

Kyle Tomanio (B.A. candidate, Anthropology): Megiddo

Jonathan Warner (B.A., undeclared): Bir Madhkur, Jordan

This is the third year Warren awards have been made. The endowment was created by a generous gift from William Warren, a retired Foreign Service Officer, who received a B.A. in 1967 from what is now the Elliott School of International Affairs. He was American Consul in Adana, Turkey, served as Charge d'Affaires of the American Embassy in the Solomon Islands and in Samoa, and held other overseas posts. Warren established two awards, the Thomas and Ola Herbert Reidling Undergraduate Award for B.A. or B.S. candidates and the Zelma Reidling Warren Bannister and William Warren Graduate Fellowship Award for M.A. and Ph.D. candidates.

For more information, visit the Warren Fellowship page of the Anthropology Department website: http://www.gwu.edu/~anth/atgw/warren.cfm

Profs. Grinker, Lubkemann are co-editors of new book on Africa

2010-04-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

The second edition of Perspectives on Africa: A Reader in Culture, History, and Representation has just been published by Wiley-Blackwell. Editors are R. Richard Grinker, Stephen C. Lubkemann, and Christopher B. Steiner. It contains 46 articles illustrating the way scholars have described and understood African history and culture over the past several decades.

Details: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1444335227,descCd-tableOfContents.html

New M.A. concentration in Medical Anthropology approved

2010-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Anthropology Department is pleased to announce that Columbian College has approved a new concentration in Medical Anthropology for our M.A. Program, joining our successful concentrations in Museum Training and International Development. To support this program, we have also created a new graduate course, Anth 255: Topics in Medical Anthropology, to complement the existing medical anthropology seminar (Anth 254). Several courses in Public Health are options within the concentration.

Medical Anthropology will be a 15-credit hour concentration within the 36-hour MA in Anthropology. It will be a very distinct entity within the world of anthropology graduate study, since very few schools have medical anthropology programs and those few seldom offer an M.A. degree. The program is expected to appeal to people who have earned or are working toward graduate degrees in complementary fields, such as Public Health, Public Administration, or Medicine, and who seek to add training in medical anthropology.

The concentration officially becomes available in fall 2011. Interested students should contact Prof. Barbara Miller, barbar@gwu.edu.

Derek Wildman of Wayne States speaks March 31 on evolutionary genomic perspectives on human evolution

2010-03-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Derek E. Wildman of the Wayne State University School of Medicine speaks on "Evolutionary Genomic Perspectives on Human Evolution" in an event sponsored by the Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and the GW Anthropology Society. Dr. Wildman's laboratory has two main areas of research focus: the evolutionary history of birth and labor and the evolution of primates in general. Regarding humans, it investigates "the evolution of phenotypic features such as the emergence of the greatly expanded anthropoid primate neocortex, the evolution of labor and birth, and the evolution of aerobic energy metabolism."

Dr. Wildman has appointments in the Wayne State Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. For more on him and his research, click here.

Talk, March 24: Why there is no 'European Islam'

2010-03-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

Prof. John R. Bowen speaks on "Why there is no 'European Islam': Contrasting contours of Islam in England and France." Bowen, who is the Dunbar-Van Cleve Professor of Arts and Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, discusses contrasting histories of migration, church-state relations, and political philosophy to account for the sharp divergences in Muslim experiences in England and France (with a passing nod to the United States). A focus of the talk will be the possibilities afforded in England for Muslims to construct 'shari'a councils, paralegal mediation or arbitration bodies dealing with family law and commercial disputes.

Location: 1957 E St., room 214
3 p.m.

Sponsored by the Department of Anthropology and the Institute for Middle East Studies.

Three courses added to undergraduate curriculum

2010-03-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

Three archaeology and biological anthropology courses that have been successfully offered as special topics courses have now been added to the list of regular classes:

ANTH 104: Archaeology in Film & Television

This course examines archaeology as depicted in fictional and documentary films and television. The seminar setting encourages the development critical thinking skills and examination of various contemporary archaeological issues portrayed in popular culture. Prerequisite: ANTH 3

ANTH 144: Evolution of the Human Brain

Examination of how the human brain is unique in comparison to other animals, with an emphasis on understanding our species’ distinctive neurobiology in relation to the evolution of cognitive abilities such as language, social comprehension, tool making, and abstract thinking. Prerequisite: ANTH 1
This course will be taught by Prof. Chet Sherwood in the fall of 2010.

ANTH 194: Archaeology of Ritual & Religion

This course uses cross-cultural case studies to explore religious ritual practiced in the past. Special attention is given to contemporary methods and theories used to interpret religion and ritual from the archaeological record. Prerequisite: ANTH 3

Prof. Vlach to deliver Schroedl lecture at Goucher

2010-03-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

2010 Irwin C. Schroedl Jr. Lecture Series Presents:

Dr. John Michael Vlach
Professor of American Studies and Anthropology, GWU

“‘Then I Went Into It Forcibly’: African-American Creativity in Arts and
Crafts Across Four Centuries”

Thursday, March 25, at 7 p.m.
Goucher College’s Kelley Lecture Hall (Baltimore)

http://www.goucher.edu/x39411.xml

This event is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Professor Gail Husch at 410-337-6257 or
ghusch@goucher.edu.

Prof. Cline Is Student Athlete Professor of the Year

2010-03-10T06:53:00.000-08:00

Eric H. Cline, Chair of the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and a member of the Anthropology Department, received the 2009-10 Student Athlete Professor of the Year Award. Eric was chosen by a vote of GW student athletes and was presented with his award at a basketball game February 25 -- you can see him here on the Jumbotron.

CCAS profiles Alison Brooks's work with PBS, Natural History Museum

2010-03-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

Prof. Alison Brooks was recently profiled by the Columbian College because of her scientific research and her involvement with the new human origins hall at the Smithsonian and the PBS series The Human Spark.

"Brooks’ high profile in the anthropology arena stems in part from her energy and relentless curiosity—and not a tiny bit from her daring," wrote the Arts and Sciences News Center reporter.

To read the whole feature story, click here.

Department researchers show how some ape teeth are made for the toughest times

2010-03-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

The teeth of some apes are formed primarily to handle the most stressful times when food is scarce, according to new research performed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The findings, published in December's American Journal of Physical Anthropology, imply that if humanity is serious about protecting its close evolutionary cousins, the food apes eat during these tough periods – and where they find it – must be included in conservation efforts.

The interdisciplinary team, which brought together anthropologists from George Washington University (GW) and fracture mechanics experts from NIST, has provided the first evidence that natural selection in three ape species has favored individuals whose teeth can most easily handle the “fallback foods” they choose when their preferred fare is less available.

Lead authors of the article were research scientist Paul Constantino (PhD Hominid Paleobiology 2007) and Prof. Peter Lucas.

For the GW News article, click here.

For the AJPA article, click here.

Excavations by GW students and Prof. Eric Cline show Aegean influences in Bronze Age Canaan

2010-02-26T14:01:00.000-08:00

The Canaanite city of Tel Kabri, occupied around 3500 years ago, has yielded novel evidence of contact with the Bronze Age Aegean. The most exciting finds were hundreds of fresco fragments and a floor painted in a Greek style.

Twenty-eight GW students worked at the site last summer with Prof. Eric H Cline.

For a detailed report in GW Today, go to http://www.gwu.edu/explore/gwtoday/aroundtheworld/uncoveringanancientcivilization

Alice McKeown (MA 2002) directs Vital Signs Online for Worldwatch Institute

2010-02-24T14:31:00.000-08:00

Alice L. McKeown (MA Anth-ID 2002, BA Anth with Special Honors 2000) continues to research and publish for Vital Signs Online and other publications as part of her work at the Worldwatch Institute. She reports on such topics as the growth of organic agriculture, the mixed prospects for jobs related to biofuels, and the drastic decline in the size of coral reefs. Before going to the Worldwatch Institute in 2008, Alice worked for more than five years with the Sierra Club, where she became an expert on coal, energy policy, and air pollution.

For more, visit her Worldwatch profile.

Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala presents for the Global HIV/AIDS Program of the World Bank

2010-02-24T10:59:00.000-08:00

Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala (MA Anthropology 1985, PhD University of Natal 2000) presented on “AIDS in Southern Africa: A socio-cultural interpretation from USAID's first AIDS anthropologist” at the World Bank on February 2.The presentation discussed some of the potential reasons why HIV prevention programs have not been successful in Southern Africa. Applying an anthropological lens, the presentation examined the common pattern of sexual practices in Southern Africa that makes people especially vulnerable to HIV and suggest ways to improve HIV prevention.

Suzanne is Senior Anthropology Advisor in the Office of HIV/AIDS in the Global Health Bureau of USAID.

Erin Marie Williams (Hom Pal) receives inaugural Bouchet Society Fellowship

2010-02-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

Erin Marie Williams, a Ph.D. candidate in Hominid Paleobiology who has a 2005 Anthropology M.A. from GW, has received the inaugural fellowship for the GW chapter of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society. The society is named after the first African American to receive a doctoral degree. Erin Marie, who is completing a dissertation on stone technology and the evolution of modern humans, applied for the Bouchet Fellowship because she wanted to have the opportunity to interact with other African American Ph.D. students and find African American academic mentors.

For more: Click here

Isaac Morrison (MA 2009) teaches class in ceramics and archaeology

2010-02-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

Isaac Morrison (MA Anthropology-International Development 2009) is teaching a course at Baltimore Clayworks. Material in Context: Ceramics and Archaeology is a 6-week course that is directed towards professionals and students in the field of archaeology who wish to better understand the methods and cultural processes that go into the creation of pottery. The class aims to teach basic ceramic crafting within a scientific, historical, and theoretical context. The class will be held on Saturdays 11 am - 2 p.m., April 17- May 22. The fee is $165 for members and $185 for non-members.

Former Visiting Professor Ellen Messer Named 2009 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

2009-12-18T11:07:00.000-08:00

Anthropologist Ellen Messer has been awarded the distinction of Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.

Now a visiting professor at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, Dr. Messer had a full-time visiting appointment at the GW Anthropology Department in 2003-005 and has since taught regularly during summer sessions for the Elliott School of International Affairs, where she is a professorial lecturer.

Prof. Messer was elected as an AAAS Fellow for distinguished contributions to the field of anthropology analyzing the relations of human rights to policies concerning poverty and hunger, and food aid and security. The honor was announced Dec. 18.

“I’m terrifically pleased to receive this honor, which recognizes my life-long efforts to connect research to action,” said Messer. “As a scholar-activist, I always hope that my research on the evolution of food systems and human-rights sensibilities will help improve communications among scholars, policy makers, and field practitioners.”

Messer is conducting research and teaching this year within the Sustainable International Development (SID) program at the Heller School. She was a core faculty member and director at the Alan Shawn Feinstein World Hunger Program at Brown University, where interdisciplinary teams sought to break the links between hunger and conflict.

Her current research continues to explore the “right to food” especially in the U.S. She also teaches rights-based development courses and directs field-based practicum placements in the SID program. She has participated in multiple task forces and committees of the American Anthropological Association, addressing world food crisis and human rights concerns.

Chris Garces (MA 1999) receives Mellon fellowship and completes doctorate

2009-12-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

Chris Garces (M.A. Anthropology, 1999) has received a Mellon postdoctoral fellowship at Cornell. He also finished his doctorate at Princeton University last May while teaching several courses at Sarah Lawrence College. Dr. Garces's dissertation tracks the use of charity as a modern political instrument in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Hom Pal student Tyler Faith published in "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences"

2009-12-10T09:01:00.000-08:00

J. Tyler Faith (Hominid Paleobiology doctoral candidate) co-wrote an article in the November 23 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences exploring the mass mammalian extinction of the late Pleistocene. He and Todd Surovell, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Wyoming, examined "Synchronous extinction of North America's Pleistocene mammals" explores the mass extinction during the late Pleistocene. Faith and Surovell's findings indicate the mass extinction took place between 13.8 and 11.4 thousand years ago, a geological instant. Furthermore, the findings support the idea that human overkill, comet impact, or other rapid events caused this massive extinction, instead of a slow attrition.

Alumni Charlene Kannankeril and Stephen Voss welcome a son, Luke

2009-11-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

Charlene Kannankeril (BA, Anthropology, 2000) and Stephen Voss (BS, Computer Sciences, 2001) welcomed their son Luke Paul Kannankeril Voss into the world on September 15th, 2009. Charlene was a Cotlow Award recipient in 1999 and now works as a naturopathic physician, while Stephen was a Cotlow Award recipient in 2000 and now works as a photojournalist.

Congratulations Charlene and Stephen on your new son.

Cotlow Recipient Abigail Greenleaf finishing Peace Corps Service in Cameroon

2009-10-29T11:02:00.000-07:00

Abigail Greenleaf, (B.S. Public Health 2007, Anthropology Minor, Cotlow Award Recipient, 2006) will be finishing her Peace Corps service in Cameroon this December. Abigail's main project in Cameroon involved managing a group of women quilters; however, she also participated in an HIV testing project, several camps instructing young men and woman on topics such as environmental education, sexual health, and HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, Abigail gave a speech on the importance of education to obtaining leadership positions in Cameroon to the minority Umbororo tribe. She has since been asked to give several other speeches. Following the end of her service, Abigail plans to travel East Africa, before joining the job hunt in March.

Former Faculty Marta Camps Publishes Books

2009-09-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

Marta Camps, former Anthropology faculty member and research fellow, recently had two edited books published. One, entitled Sourcebook of Paleolithic Transitions, explores past, present, and future research on Paleolithic transitions from an anthropological and theoretical perspective using cases from around the world. The other, The Mediterranean from 50,000 to 25,000 BP: Turning Points and New Directions, details the transition to modern behaviors, art, population size, and economic patterns in the Mediterranean during the Middle to Upper Paleolithic era.

Paleolithic Transitions can be purchased at: http://www.springer.com/social+sciences/anthropology+and+archaeology/book/978-0-387-76478-8

The Mediterranean from 50,000 to 25,000 BP can be purchased at: http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/82675//Location/DBBC

Faculty Lecture: "The Hands that Built Gunston Hall" given by Professor Vlach at Gunston Hall on September 27, 2009

2009-09-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

The Hands that Built Gunston Hall
Sunday, September 27, 2009
1 P.M. to 5 P.M.
Lecture to begin at 2 P.M. at Gunston Hall (10709 Gunston Road, Mason Neck, VA 22079)

Essential to the construction of George Mason's home 250 years ago were the "hands that built it." Many of the hands belonged to Mason's slaves. Some slaves were highly skilled sawyers, carpenters, and blacksmiths, while others provided pure labor.

The Hands that Built Gunston Hall will acknowledge their efforts.
- Dr. John Michael Vlach, noted scholar of African American tradition and Professor of American Studies and Anthropology at GWU, will give an illustrated talk on 18th-century housing and the Gunston Hall plantation enslaved labor force.
- Robert M. Watson of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation will demonstrate period woodworking techniques.
- Shiloh Baptist Church of Mason Neck will perform spiritual music dedicated to the enslaved builders of Gunston Hall of Mason Neck.
- Hearth cooks will demonstrate African American foodways.

Alexandra de Sousa (PhD 2008) to run in The Great Gorilla Run

2009-09-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Alexandra Allison de Sousa (Ph.D Hominid Paleobiology, 2008) will be running in The Great Gorilla Run in London on September 26th. Participants don full-body gorilla suits and race through the streets of London in order to raise awareness and funds for the endangered wild mountain gorilla population. Currently there are fewer than 700 wild mountain gorillas left. To support Alexandra's cause or view a video of the race, follow the link below:
http://my.artezglobal.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=271136

We wish Alexandra luck in her race.

Natalie Mueller (BA 2009) finishes archaeological field school

2009-09-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Natalie Mueller (BA Anth and IAFF 2009) just finished archaeological field school through the University of Oregon. She was assisting on research in the Salmon River Valley, which is controversially dated to 12,000BP. The aim of the research goal was to clarify the chronology of the river valley. She is now applying to graduate schools.

Nisha Ramachandran (BA 2009) working for NGO in New Delhi

2009-09-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

Nisha Ramachandran (BA Anth 2009) is working as an intern for Jagori, an NGO in New Delhi. She is focusing on an action research project regarding water and sanitation, with an emphasis on women's safety.

She reports:

"A lot of things that I learned in Barbara Miller's Anth 002 and Anth 154 classes are things that I am seeing everyday in my job here. I realize how much I know about our work and how to go about addressing these issues because of her classes."

We wish Nisha continued success in her endeavors.

Claire Twomey (BA 2008) working with the Open Society Institute

2009-08-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

Claire Twomey (BA Anth and IAFF 2008) celebrated her one-year anniversary as a program associate at the Open Society Institute, a non-profit organization in New York City

She reports:

"I can't believe the year has passed so quickly. It's a little scary to tell you the truth. The organization is great, has great benefits, and really wonderful people working for them. I really consider myself lucky to have landed this job. I have traveled twice for work this year, and I might be going to Hong Kong in the winter."

Nicholas Lembo (MA 2009) joins US Chamber of Commerce, runs blog

2009-08-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

Nicholas Lembo (MA Anth/ID 2009) works at the US-India Business Council, a wing of the Chamber of Commerce, where he handles business intelligence research and run our programming calendar.

Nick recently finished a consultancy at the World Bank working to maintain the organization's blog on youth and development. This blog can be accessed at: http://youthink.worldbank.org/

In addition, Nicholas's personal blog Zzzeitgeist can be accessed at http://zzzeitgeist.blogspot.com/ According to the site description, this is a blog that "seeks to identify, explain, and link the many disparate strands of international politics and economics. How does China’s internet firewall affect its trade obligations? What's the best way to regulate international credit markets? Do mosquito nets really promote development? How can the international community address climate change without disrupting global commerce? And, most importantly, why does all of this matter?"

Emma Parkerson (BA 2009) working for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

2009-08-21T06:56:00.001-07:00

Emma Parkerson (BA Anth and Psychology 2009) has a new position with the National Board for Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

"She reports: "[NBPTS's] mission is to maintain rigorous standards and provide a voluntary certification system for what accomplished teachers know and do. I work in the Standards, Assessment, Operations, and Research Department to organize committees for continued revision of the standards. It is a very interesting time to be a part of the education community, that's for sure!

"I'm glad to report that I find myself accessing my anthropological knowledge each day, especially since we just completed the revision of our Social Studies-History and English as a New Language standards! I am thankful to have a strong foundational knowledge of culture, language, and human interaction and hope that it continues to help me move toward a more international- and policy-focused career in education."

Nadia Rahman (MA 2008) married, continues studies at Oxford

2009-08-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Nadia Rahman (MA Anth/ID 2008) on her continued studies at Oxford University and recent marriage.

Regarding her studies, she reports "This will be my second year! I'm doing my D.Phil in (medical) anthropology [my research topic is still in the making, will send you more details once I have it all tweeked!]"

As for her recent marriage, she says "Josh Connelly and I did our civil ceremony here in the States this summer. Nothing fancy. No family and friends present...I'm planning on having my wedding ceremony next summer, July 2010. The wedding will be in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I expect to see many friendly and familiar GW anthro faces!"

Katie Reid (BA 2009) working with Spectrum for Living, Accepted at Seton Hall's MA Program

2009-08-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Katie Reid (BA Arch and Art History 2009) on her new position as Lead Recreation Aide with Spectrum for Living, an organization which works with developmentally and physically disabled adults.

She says "I love working with this population! I also get to use my ASL knowledge since there's several adults who are deaf and disabled."

Katie will be leaving her current job to attend the Museum Professions MA Program at Seton Hall University, New Jersey.

"Living in DC and going to school at GW has given me the knowledge and experience that I need to be successful at Seton Hall University's Museum Professions Masters Program. I made valuable connections with professors and fellow Museum employees at museums such as the NGA and Alexandria Archaeology Museum. I am looking forward to beginning the next chapter of my academic career as a grad student and fulfilling a dream of working at a museum."

Faculty News: Barbara Miller blogging about Anthropology and Connected on Twitter

2009-08-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

Barbara Miller, Professor of Anthropology & International Affairs and Associate Dean for Faculty in the Elliott School, launched her new blog, AnthropologyWorks, this week.

It is devoted to promoting anthropological knowledge about important world issues and making connections within and beyond anthropology.

http://anthropologyworks.com/

Babs is also using Twitter to promote discussion on issues of anthropology.
http://twitter.com/anthroworks

Alison Maassen (BA 2009) teaching English at Isla Mujeres, Mexico

2009-08-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

Alison Maassen (BA Anth and IAFF 2009) is living at Isla Mujeres, about eight miles off the coast of Cancun, teaching English in a low-income majority Maya community this year.

She reports:

"As the island is a popular tourist destination, the ability to speak English is a huge economic advantage for the community.

"As for plans beyond this year, I wish to refocus my studies in public health/medical anthropology, and will eventually be going to grad school for a Masters in Public Health... if anyone is coming down to the Mayan Riviera in the next year, feel free to contact me!"

Teresa Uczekaj (BS 2009) returns from working with HIV/AIDS hospital in India

2009-08-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Teresa Uczekaj (BS Bio Anth 2009) recently returned from a five-week posting at the Asha Kirana Hospital in Mysore, India.

She reports:

"[The work] was coordinated through a non-profit organization called Pro World Service Corps, the same organization I worked with in Mexico when I led International Alternative Spring Break at GW.

"While I was there I worked on two main projects and several little ones every day. One of the main projects was to collect baseline data on anemia and the progression of HIV/AIDS using in-patient records, and for the other I was asked to write a case study on the challenges facing women living with HIV/AIDS in India. Smaller projects included daily health related activities, demonstrations, and skits for the patients.

"It was an incredible experience on so many levels and I got to meet a lot of extraordinary people!"

Adam Prins (BA 2009) at Egyptian Museum in Cairo

2009-08-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

Adam Prins (BA Anth and Arch 2009) is at Cairo's Egyptian Museum working to update their database and cataloging system. This position comes subsequent to his employment at an archaeological excavation in Cyprus earlier this summer, where he worked to create digital maps for future publications of the project's findings.

Adam reports:
"In January I will be traveling to the Dakhleh Oasis in Egypt to dig at a Roman city called Amheida (known in the ancient world as Trimithis). All the while, I'll be applying to graduate school and hopefully starting my Master's degree next fall."

Alumni Lauren Deal and Phil Karash to present in panel on performance and identity construction

2009-08-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

GW Alumni Lauren Deal (BA Anth with Honors 2009) and Phil Karash (MA Anth 2008) will be participating in a panel entitled:

"Staging the Self: Examinations of Performance and the Construction of Identity" hosted by the National Association of Student Anthropologists.

The panel will take place on Wednesday, December 2 in Philadelphia.

Lauren Deal, who will be chairing the panel, says:

"Both Phil and I are very excited because it's our first presentation at the AAA's. Also, both of our papers are based on research done at GW, supervised by Alex Dent.

My paper is titled: "From the Larynx to La Traviata: Ideologies of Science and Construction of Voice in Bel Canto Pedagogy", which is based on my undergraduate thesis research.

Phil's paper is titled: "Going to see a man about a Horse: Examining Masculinity in Public Space in Restrooms", which is based on research done for his Master's thesis here at GW."

For more information, visit the website www.AAANet.org

Graduate Student Erin Marie Williams featured on NPR

2009-08-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hominid Paleobiology Ph.D candidate Erin Marie Williams was featured on NPR for her work as part of a team of researchers exhuming the remains of gorillas in Rwanda descended from those studied by Diane Fossey. Williams sent a series of dispatches during her work in the field, the full texts of which can be read in the NPR article "Why Dig Up Mountain Gorillas?"

Although her focus is mainly on the evolution of the human hand and wrist, Erin Marie has now turned her attention to tracking and recording the history of these Rwandan mountain gorillas.

Before entering the Hominid Paleobiology program, Erin Marie received a GW M.A. in Anthropology (2005).

Faculty News: Barbara Miller is guest editor for special edition of journal Heritage Management

2009-08-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

Barbara Miller, Professor of Anthropology & International Affairs and Associate Dean for Faculty in the Elliott School, was the guest editor of a special edition of the journal Heritage Management that was published in spring 2009.

The theme of the issue is "Heritage Management Inside Out and Upside Down." It includes three articles by cultural anthropologists, by an archaeologist, and an introduction by Miller entitled "Heritage Management Inside Out and Upside Down: Questioning Top-Down and Outsider Approaches."

Featured articles:

"We Have Always Had the Bible” Christianity and the Composition of White Mountain Apache Heritage Thomas J. Nevins and M. Eleanor Nevins

The Q’eqchi Healers' Association of Belize An Endogenous Movement in Heritage Preservation and Management James B. Waldram, Victor Cal, and Pedro Maquin

Cultural Heritage, UNESCO, and the Chinese State: Whose Heritage and for Whom? by Robert Shepherd

The Terror of Culture Long-term History, Heritage Preservation, and the Specificities of Place by Alexander A. Bauer

Thinking about Oral History: Theories and Applications, edited by Thomas L. Charlton, Lois Myers, and Rebecca Sharpless, reviewed by Lauren E. Jelinek

Plains Apache Ethnobotany, by Julia A. Jordan, reviewed by William C. Meadows

The papers were originally presented on a panel Miller organized at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association.

Faculty News: Robert Shepherd publishes article on UNESCO and Cultural Heritage in China

2009-08-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

Robert Shepherd, Assistant Professor in the University Honors Program and the Department of Anthropology, published an article entitled, "Cultural Heritage, UNESCO, and the Chinese State" in the spring 2009 issue of Heritage Management.

Abstract:
In the past two decades, the government of the People's Republic of China has become a strong supporter of UNESCO material culture preservation efforts within China, including ethnic minority areas such as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). This article uses a range of materials including fieldwork findings, museum research, and anthropological studies of ethnicity and development in China to examine this shift in state policy from the "modernization" of minority peoples through state-directed development to cultural preservation. Major findings are that these policies serve development in a different way, by supporting political claims to regions such as Tibet through the promotion of historical and cultural ties between China and Tibet, and by fostering a rapidly expanding domestic tourism industry in minority regions.

Joanne Brucker (BA 2007) receives Harvard MA in International Educational Policy

2009-08-17T06:36:00.000-07:00

Joanne Brucker (BA Anthropology 2007), graduated from Harvard University in June with an MA in International Educational Policy.

She says that it was “a long and hard period, but so rewarding — I still am processing how much I learned.”

She is currently involved in a wide variety of activities. Along with some colleagues from Harvard, she is finishing up a project with UNICEF on inclusive education; they are writing a report for the CEE/CIS region about all the children left out of school, and she is writing the section on Roma-inclusive education in Macedonia. This summer she completed a project for SIT on their youth programs. In this role, she was part of the summer Governor's Institute Staff working on current Issues and Youth Activism. One of the programs involved a group from Iraq who came on a State Department program joint with a group of Americans. Most exciting of all for her was the final program: a joint project with Danish People's Aid and the U.S. Embassy in Denmark which brought a group of multicultural Danes to SIT for two weeks of intense leadership and active citizenship training. The program was especially rewarding and challenging for her because of her cultural background.

Joanne spent the last two weeks teaching in Danish and learning a lot about the current immigrant situation in Denmark. Joanna comments, “As I look forward I hope to continue to work in the area of youth leadership and inclusive education, particularly in Europe.”

She is also involved with another group of Harvard students working on a moral-based TV project. She is looking for a full-time job in Washington, DC, or Europe.

Congratulations Joanne!

Sarah Peacock (BS 2009) to attend Boston University forensic anthropology program

2009-08-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Sarah Peacock (BS Bio Anth 2009), who will be attending the Master's Program in Forensic Anthropology at Boston University.

She says: "Thank you for everything you did to help me get here; I couldn't have done it without you guys!"

Cotlow awardee Abigail Greenleaf with Peace Corps in Cameroon

2009-08-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Abigail Greenleaf (BS Public Health 2007), awarded a Cotlow Research Grant in 2006 for her project "The Journey of a Culture: The Sudanese Immigrant Community in Iowa City, Iowa," is in Cameroon as a health extension worker with the Peace Corps.

She reports:

"I am really enjoying my time here in Cameroon. It is an anthropological heaven! I am living in a compound with a muslim family. There are three wives and over thirty kids so someone is always explaining something to me. The wives are great and are always inviting me to go to naming ceremonies, funerals, etc. I am learning Fulfulde, the local language and hopefully will be able to speak really well by the end of my two years."

Lissa Cruzado (MA 2007) working with El Hogar de Mi Hermana to help Victims of Abuse

2009-08-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

Lissa Cruzado (MA Anth 2007) is working with the DC organization El Hogar de Mi Hermana (My Sister's Home) to help shelter and educate women who have been victims of domestic violence as well as social, economic, physical, and sexual abuse.

Cruzado is serving as Coordinator of Education and has given several interviews conducted in Spanish regarding the organization's mission and upcoming events. These interviews can be read at:

El Tiempo Latino

El Pregonero

Debra Prince (MA 1999) receives teaching position at Boston University School of Medicine

2009-08-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

Alumna Debra A. Prince (MA Anth 1999) is working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the Boston University School of Medicine.

According to the School of Medicine's Website, Prince "will be teaching courses in forensic anthropology and journal club studies. Dr. Prince joins the Forensic Anthropology program after serving as a forensic anthropologist at the Joint/POW MIA Accounting Command’s Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii for the past four and a half years."

Debra is a member of The American Academy of Forensic Sciences: Physical Anthropology Section, the Society of Forensic Anthropologists, the International Association for Identification, and the American Association of Physical Anthropologists.

Her research interests include age changes in the human skeleton, skeletal biology, bone trauma, soft tissue decomposition, bioarchaeology, paleodemography, and dental anthropology."

Graduate Student Jessica Grebeldinger to marry

2009-08-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

Jessica Grebeldinger, incoming MA/IA candidate, is getting married on the weekend of August 15th. She reports:

"We're holding an intimate family wedding ceremony followed by brunch in MD and then an evening cocktail reception for friends. Unfortunately we never got around to making a website or I would definitely share. We've decided to spend a few days in the Shenandoah - not exactly sure where since we're going with my brother & his wife and they've organized everything!"

Best Wishes, Jessica.

Faculty Update: Shelly Habecker Gives Birth to Baby Girl

2009-08-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Shelly Habecker, who co-taught Development and Diaspora among other courses with Steve Lubkemann in 2008-09. She and her husband, David, welcomed Lucy Claire Habecker into the family on April 27, 2009. Lucy was born 7lb. 13 oz., 19.5 inches.

Shelly reports:

"She looks just like her dad and is getting cuter by the day. Next week she'll take her first transantlantic flight to the UK to attend my PhD graduation ceremony at Oxford University."

Welcome, Lucy!

Prof. Grinker speaks at the Autism Science Foundation

2009-08-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

As part of a series of lectures entitled "Science and Sandwiches" Professor Grinker gave a July 29 lecture on the science of autism as a cultural system.

According to the Autism Science Foundation website Dr. Grinker:

"emphasized the importance of culture in understanding how societies view illnesses, and discussed how in a variety of different historical contexts, radical shifts in how illnesses are identified, treated, and counted resulted not from new scientific discoveries but from cultural changes. Grinker then noted that a number of factors produced the global rise in autism awareness, with some being more salient than others depending upon cultural context.

"Despite the increase in awareness, Grinker noted that there is little scientific knowledge about ASD outside of North America and Western Europe. Indeed, there are insufficient data to estimate the prevalence of autism in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and the entire continent of Africa. Although, he said, most researchers expect that the onset and core symptoms of ASD are consistent across cultures, this remains an assumption. He stated that ASD experts to date know little about how genetic heterogeneity and cultural differences interact to influence the kind and range of impairments that are associated with ASD, its prevalence, course, or familial patterns. He concluded by praising advocates – including his own autistic daughter – for showing that autism can be reconfigured as possibility rather than limitation."

Trinh Tran (BA 2006) returns from Vietnam, will attend law school

2009-08-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

Trinh Tran (BA IAFF 2006) recently returned from Vietnam where she worked to help poor young women learn to be professional cooks.

She says:

"Vietnam was the best experience of my life in many ways it was a homecoming and a chance to connect with my culture and faith. I feel very blessed for the opportunity. I have decided to attend Hofstra Law School in the fall. I am happy about this new journey and am excited to get back to school again. I will put forth my best effort and seek opportunities that allow me to advocate for the poor. That's all that really matters right? Plus I am excited to be close to NYC where many opportunities are available."

Susan Bishai (MA 2008) interning at Amnesty International

2009-08-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Susan Bishai (MA Anth 2008) on her internship at Amnesty International's Refugee and Migrant Rights Program. This fall, Susan, who attends GW's law school, will also be working as a student attorney in their Immigration Clinic.

Remembering her studies at GW, Susan says:

" I miss the Anthropology department at GW quite a bit, and fondly reminisce about it with the fellow anthro students with whom I'm still in touch. The program of study (especially the development track) has come in handy many times in relation to law school (human rights; cultural property; etc) and many other aspects of my life. [Barbara Miller's] courses in particular (especially the 'Risk' course) were amongst my favorite. Of course, I've always maintained that anthropology is the THE most relevant and wide-ranging academic discipline!"

Alene Kennedy Hendricks (BA 2006) in Georgia with the Peace Corps.

2009-08-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Alene Kennedy Hendricks (BA Anth 2006), and her husband Peter are in Georgia with the Peace Corps.

She reports: "We're almost finished with pre-service training and will be sworn in as volunteers next Friday. Our permanent site is New Rustavi, a Soviet-era city in the south of Georgia near the Azerbaijan border. Despite being pretty unappealing visually, I think it'll be an interesting place to work and live the next two years. Our host family's neighborhood (soon-to-be our neighborhood!), contains a mix of Russians, Azeris, Armenians, Turks, Abhkazian IDPs and, of course, Georgians.

[Speaking of medical anthropology...] We've already had some exposure to Georgians' attitudes to illness as both Peter and I have been sick multiple times. Our host grandmother attributed the first stomach ailment I experienced to the cold bucket bath I had taken earlier in the morning. And the cause of Peter's fever was the fact that we left the windows open the night before. I'm anxious to learn more Georgian so I can get a better handle on these concepts."

Peter and I with our host family relatives, Mamuka and Salome.

We wish Alene the best of luck in Georgia!

Prof. Cline Wins Best Popular Book on Archaeology Award

2009-07-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

From Eden to Exile: Unraveling Mysteries of the Bible by Prof. Eric Cline has been chosen to receive the Best Popular Book on Archaeology 2009 Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) Publication Award for books published in 2007-2008. The formal announcement will appear in the upcoming 200th anniversary issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.

The book analyzes from an archaeological and historical perspective various "mysteries" in the Hebrew scriptures -- stories such as Noah's ark and Joshua's destruction of Jericho -- and proposes solutions that reconcile science, historical method, and traditional text.

For more on this book, visit National Geographic Books.

Barbara Miller Appointed Associate Dean

2009-07-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

On July 1st, Professor Barbara Miller joined the Elliott School administration as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs. Her new office is room 401e, 1957 E St., NW. She will continue to teach Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Anth 2) in the fall semester, a graduate seminar on Medical Anthropology in the spring (Anth 254), and a distance education version of freshmen cultural anthropology (Anth 2 DE) in the summer. To replace the two classes Professor Miller is no longer teaching, the Elliott School has hired a medical anthropologist in a postdoctoral position (see next entry under Faculty News).

Medical anthropologist Catherine Timura joins the Department

2009-07-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Catherine Timura comes to GW through a post-doctoral research and teaching appointment in the Elliott School of International Affairs. Professor Timura is a medical anthropologist who focuses on cultural change and continuity in Latin America. Her dissertation research at Yale University examined therapeutic decision-making in children's illnesses in highland Ecuador and how communities reflect upon their socioeconomic and political marginality in their explanatory models of illness. Her post-doctoral work at Vanderbilt University examined the distribution of illness beliefs and practices in western and southern Mexico and in Mexican migrant communities in Nashville, Tennessee. She has consulted for Poverty Action and the Ford Foundation on a qualitative assessment of development and microfinance projects in Honduras and Peru and has served as a consultant at the World Health Organization. She will teach a graduate seminar on Health, Healing and Change in the Andes (Anth 222) in the fall semester and the undergraduate course on Health, Illness, and Healing (Anth 154) in the spring semester. Her office will be in 1957 E St., NW.

Douglas Post Park (BA 2005) on the Timbuktu Expedition Project

2009-07-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

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 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

2009-07-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

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.

M.A. student Amanda Leonard to marry

2009-06-30T09:40:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to master's candidate Amanda Leonard (MA Anth/Museum Training) who is engaged after a three-year relationship. Her fiance, Paul Gibson, is 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 the Stanley Cup wedding cake that Paul threatened her with.

Nicole Griffin (PhD 2009) to work as research associate at Duke

2009-06-30T09:28:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to recent graduate Nicole Griffin (PhD Hominid Paleobiology 2009) on her new post-doctoral 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 during her GW career.

Katie Rhine (BA 2002) takes post as assistant professor at Kansas

2009-06-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Kathryn (Katie) Rhine (BA Anth 2002), who will be working as Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Kansas at Lawrence in August, following completion of her Ph.D. program at Brown University.

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 from GW 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 Master's in the Anthropology-Population Program at Brown.

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

2009-06-18T07:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

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.

Alumni Update: Eight Recent Graduates Accepted for Continuing Education

2009-06-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our recent graduates, several of whom have notified us of their plans to continue their college careers in anthropology or related fields.

Sarah Belkin (BA Archaeology) will pursue a Master's in Historical Archaeology at Boston University.

Estelle Charlu (BA Anthropology): a Master's in Public Health at GW.

Kim Cotterman (MA Anthropology-Intl. Devel.) will continue her studies here at GW as she pursues a second Master's in Public Health.

Rachel Navarro (BA Archaeology): a Master's in Archaeology at the University of Missouri.

Caitlyn Nordehn (BA Anthropology and Intl. Affairs): a Master's in Anthropology at GW with a concentration in International Development.

Shanyn Ronis (BA Anth and Latin American & Hemispheric Studies): a Master's in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago with partial funding.

Lyra Spang (MA Anthropology): a Ph.D in anthropology at Indiana University with four years of full funding.

Ashley Stinespring (MA Anthropology): a Ph.D in anthropology at the University of Illinois-Champaign with partial financial assistance.

We wish these students much success with their diverse and ongoing studies, and ask that other graduates keep us updated on their own endeavors.

New Hall Renamed Philip Amsterdam Hall

2009-06-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

Philip Amsterdam, the GW alumnus for whom the main Anthropology Department building is named, has had an additional building re-named in his honor. The University's Board of Trustees approved a measure early last May to rename New Hall to Philip Amsterdam Hall based on a request made by his son.

Amsterdam, who passed away in 2008, left a $5 million bequest to the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration in addition to renovating and renaming the department's Hortense Amsterdam House, which until then was Building WW.

Alumni Update: Bonnie (Richard) Dixon completes her first year in UCLA doctoral program in anthropology

2009-06-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

Bonnie Dixon, who earned her MA in Anthropology and Museum Training in 2007, has completed her first year in the Anthropology doctoral program at UCLA.

She reports:

"I am really enjoying everything here so far. It's a great department and good environment. It is a 4-field department, and even if you enter with a Master's in anthropology, they make students take core courses like the proseminars at GW. Thankfully, they waived ALL of them (except sociocultural, which can't be waived) for me after seeing my GW syllabi. ... that says something positive about the GW program."