Alumni Charlene Kannankeril and Stephen Voss welcome a son, Luke

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.