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Anthropology Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Entanglements of Teenage Food Security Within High School Pantries in Pinellas County, Florida , Karen T. Díaz Serrano

The Applicability of the Postmortem Submersion Interval Estimation Formula for Human Remains Found in Subtropical Aquatic Environments , Kara L. DiComo

Early Agricultural Lives: Bioarchaeological Inferences from Neolithic and Early Copper Age Tombs in the Central Po Valley, Italy , Christopher J. Eck Jr.

The Process of Government in Clearwater, Florida , Picot deBoisfeuillet Floyd

“I Was Doing the Best with What I Had”: Exploring Student Veterans’ Experiences with Community Reintegration, Food Insecurity, and Health Challenges , Jacquelyn N. Heuer

Transformative Psychedelic Experiences at Music Events: Using Subjective Experience to Explore Chemosocial Assemblages of Culture , Gabrielle R. Lehigh

“We Need to Have a Place to Vent and Get Our Frustrations Out”: Addressing the Needs of Mothering Students in Higher Education using a Positive Deviance Framework , Melissa León

“They’re Still Trying to Wrap Their Head Around Forever”: An Anatomy of Hope for Spinal Cord Injury Patients , William A. Lucas

Foodways of the Florida Frontier: Zooarchaeological Analysis of Gamble Plantation Historic State Park (8MA100) , Mary S. Maisel

The Impacts of Disability Policy and its Implementation on Deaf University Students: An Applied Anthropological Approach , Tailyn Marie Osorio

“I’m Still Suffering”: Mental Health Care Among Central African Refugee Populations in the Tampa Bay Area , C. Danee Ruszczyk

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Immigration-Related Stressors, Pregnancy, Birth, and Post-Partum Experiences of Women Living Along the US-Mexico Border , Isabela Solis

Clinically Applied Anthropology: A Syndemic Intervention. , Jason W. Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

An Assessment of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Individuals Gender Affirming Health Care Practices in the Greater Tampa Bay , Sara J. Berumen

Mound-Summit Practices at Cockroach Key (8HI2) Through the Lens of Practice Theory , Chandler O. Burchfield

Crafting a Scene: The Nexus of Production and Consumption of Tampa Bay Craft Beer , Russell L. Edwards

Applied Anthropology of Addiction in Clinical Spaces: co-Developing and Assessing a Novel Opioid Treatment Pathway , Heather Diane Henderson

Japan’s COVID 19 Infection Rate: A Focus on Tokyo Neighborhoods , Lauren Koerner

Farmers’ Organizations and Development Actors in a Pandemic: Responses to Covid-19 and the Food-Energy-Water Nexus , Atte Penttilä

An Ideology of Racism: Community Representation, Segregation, and the Historical Cemeteries of Panama City, Florida , Ethan David Mauldin Putman

“Even If You Have Food in Your House, It Will Not Taste Sweet”: Central African Refugees’ Experiences of Cultural Food Insecurity and Other Overlapping Insecurities in Tampa, Florida , Shaye Soifoine

Afro-Latinx and Afro-Latin Americans in the United States: Examining Ethnic and Racial Experiences in Higher Education , Glenda Maria Vaillant Cruz

Black Cemeteries Matter: The Erasure of Historic Black Cemeteries in Polk County, Florida , Juliana C. Waters

An Anthropology with Human Waste Management: Non-Humans, The State, and Matters of Care on the Placencia Peninsula, Belize , William Alex Webb

An Edgefield Ceramic Assemblage from the Lost Town of St. Joseph, Northwest Florida , Crystal R. Wright

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Aspiring to “Make it Work”: Defining Resilience and Agency Amongst Hispanic Youth Living in Low-Income Neighborhoods , Sara Arias-Steele

“I Wish Somebody Called Me, Told Me Not to Worry”: Evaluating a Non-Profit’s Use of Social Support to Address Refugee Women’s Resettlement Challenges , Brandylyn L. Arredondo

Of Body and Mind: Bioarchaeological Analysis of Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Anatomization and Institutionalization in Siena, Italy , Jacqueline M. Berger

Cannabis Capitalism in Colorado: An Ethnography of Il/legal Production and Consumption , Lia Berman

Analyses Of Woodland Check-Stamped Ceramics In Northwest Florida , John D. Blackburn

“Here Come the Crackers!”: An Ethnohistorical Case Study of Local Heritage Discourses and Cultural Reproduction at a Florida Living History Museum , Blair Bordelon

Privies as Portals: A Ceramic and Glass Bottle Analysis of a Late 19th Century Household Privy in Ellenton, FL , Shana Boyer

Making Change in the Nickel City: Food Banking and Food Insecurity in Buffalo, NY During the COVID-19 Pandemic , Sarah E. Bradley

Ware and Tear in Ancient Tampa Bay: Ceramic Elemental Analyses from Pinellas County Sites , McKenna Loren Douglass

Rethinking Settlement Patterns at the Weeden Island Site (8PI1) on Florida’s Central Gulf Coast , Heather E. Draskovich

Listening to Women: Using a Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Women’s Desires and Experience During Childbirth , Nicole Loraine Falk Smith

Archaeology and Seasonality of Stock Island (8Mo2), a Glades-Tradition Village on Key West , Ryan M. Harke

How Culture and Storytelling Can Influence Urban Development: An Ethnographic Look at the Community-Driven Revitalization of Newtown in Sarasota, Florida , Michala Head

Educational Experiences of Congolese Refugees in West-Central Florida High Schools , Michaela J. Inks

Constructing 'Child Safety': Policy, Practice, and Marginalized Families in Florida's Child Welfare System , Melissa Hope Johnson

"We're the Lucky Ones": A Social Network Analysis of Recovery After the Iowa Derecho , Kayla C. Jones

How Race is Made in Everyday Life: Food, Eating, and Dietary Acculturation among Black and White Migrants in Florida, U.S. , Laura Kihlstrom

Tourism, Education, and Identity Making: Agency and Representation of Indigenous Communities in Public Sites within Florida. , Timothy R. Lomberk II

Pregnancy and Fertility Amongst Women with the MTHFR C677T Polymorphism: An Anthropological Review , Caroline A. MacLean

A Biocultural Analysis of the Impacts of Interactions Between West Africans and Europeans During the Trans-Atlantic Trade at Elmina, Ghana , Heidi Ellen Miller

The Distribution in Native Populations from Mexico and Central America of the C677T Variant in the MTHFR Gene , Lucio A. Reyes

Politics vs. The Environment: The Spatial Distributions of Mississippian Mound Centers in Tampa Bay , Adam J. Sax

Seasonality, Labor Organization, and Monumental Constructions: An Otolith Study from Florida’s Crystal River Site (8CI1) and Roberts Island Shell Mound Complex (8CI40 and 41) , Elizabeth Anne Southard

Eating and Body Image Disorders in the Time of COVID19: An Anthropological Inquiry into the Pandemic’s Effects on the Bodies , Theresa A. Stoddard

The Early Medieval Transition: Diet Reconstruction, Mobility, and Culture Contact in the Ravenna Countryside, Northern Italy , Anastasia Temkina

The Science of Guessing: Critiquing Ancestral Estimation Through Computer Generated Statistical Analysis Within Forensic Anthropology in a Real-World Setting , Christopher J. Turner

Listening to Queens: Ghana's Women Traditional Leaders as a Model for Gender Parity , Kristen M. Vogel

Site Suitability Modeling in the Sand Pine Scrub of the Ocala National Forest , Jelane M. Wallace

Our Story, Our Homeland, Our Legacy: Settlement Patterns of The Geechee at Sapelo Island Georgia, From 1860 To 1950 , Colette D. Witcher

Identifying Skeletal Puberty Stages in a Modern Sample from the United States , Jordan T. Wright

Pollen-Vegetation Relationships in Upper Tampa Bay , Jaime E. Zolik

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Maternal Social Status, Offspring 2D:4D Ratio and Postnatal Growth, in Macaca mulatta (Rhesus Macaques) , Juan Pablo Arroyo

Social Exclusion of Older Mossi Women Accused of Witchcraft in Burkina Faso, West Africa , Clarisse Barbier

Fields Brook Superfund Site: Race, Class, and Environmental Justice in a Blasted Landscape , Richard C. Bargielski

The Effects of Feudalism on Medieval English Mobility: A Biological Distance Study Using Nonmetric Cranial Traits. , Jonathan H. Barkmeier

Before the Storm: Water and Energy Utilities, Human Vulnerability and Disaster Risk , Cori D. Bender

Recipes for the Living and the Dead: Technological Investigation of Ceramics from prehistoric Sicily. The case studies of Sant’Angelo Muxaro and Polizzello , Gianpiero Caso

Save Water Drink Wine: Challenges of Implementing the Ethnography of the Temecula Valley Wine Industry into Food-Energy-Water Nexus Decision-Making , Zaida E. Darley

İYo luché! : Uncovering and Interrupting Silencing in an Indigenous and Afro-descendant Community , Eileen Cecelia Deluca

Unwritten Records: Crime and Punishment in Early Virginia , Jessica L. Gantzert

‘It’s Been a Huge Stress’: An In-Depth, Exploratory Study of Vaccine Hesitant Parents in Southern California , Mika Kadono

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for Elemental Analysis in Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology , Kelsi N. Kuehn

Middle Woodland Mounds of the Lower Chattahoochee, Lower Flint, and Apalachicola River Basin , Michael H. Lockman

Overturning the Turnbull Settlement: Artifact Analysis of the Old Stone Wharf in New Smyrna Beach, Florida , Tracy R. Lovingood

“They will think we are the Cancer Family”: Studying Patterns of Cancer Disclosure and Communication among Indian Immigrants in the United States , Kanan Mehta

Museum Kura Hulanda: Representations of Transatlantic Slavery and African and Dutch Heritage in Post-Colonial Curaçao , April Min

Nurses and Needlesticks: Perceptions of Stigma and HIV Risk , Bethany Sharon Moore

Circadian Rhythms and the Embodiment of Social Zeitgebers: Linking the Bio and Social , Tiffany R. Moore

Civic Engagement amid Civil Unrest: Haitian Social Scientists Working at Home , Nadège Nau

“Placing our breasts on a hot kerosene lantern”: A Critical Study of Microfinancialization in the Lives of Women Entrepreneurs in the Informal Economic Sector in Ibadan, Nigeria , Olubukola Olayiwola

Domestic Life during the Late Intermediate Period at El Campanario Site, Huarmey Valley, Peru , Jose Luis Peña

Archaeology and the Philosopher's Stance: An Advance in Ethics and Information Accessibility , Dina Rivera

A South Florida Ethnography of Mobile Home Park Residents Organizing Against Neoliberal Crony Capitalist Displacement , Juan Guillermo Ruiz

From Colonial Legacy to Difficult Heritage: Responding to and Remembering An Gorta Mór , Ireland’s Great Hunger , Katherine Elizabeth Shakour

The Role of Financial Insecurity and Expectations on Perspectives of Mental Health Services among Refugees , Jacqueline M. Siven

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Trauma Analysis in Cases of Child Fatality , Jaime D. Sykes

Governmentality, Biopower, and Sexual Citizenship: A Feminist Examination of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Experiences of 18-24 Year-Olds in the U.S. Southeast , Melina K. Taylor

Characterizing Childhood and Diet in Migration Period Hungary , Kirsten A. Verostick

An Ethnography of WaSH Infrastructures and Governance in Sulphur Springs, Florida , Mathews Jackon Wakhungu

A Plan for Progress, Preservation, and Presentation at the Safety Harbor Museum and Cultural Center , Amanda L. Ward

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Pathways to Parenthood: Attitudes and Preferences of Eight Self-Identified Queer Women Living in Tampa Bay, FL , Emily Noelle Baker

"It's Not Addiction Until You Graduate": Natural Recovery in the College Context , Breanne I. Casper

Tales of Trafficking: Performing Women's Narratives in a Sex Trafficking Rehabilitation Program in Florida , Jaine E. Danlag

Perceptions of Infrastructure, Flood Management, and Environmental Redevelopment in the University Area, Hillsborough County, Florida , Kris-An K. Hinds

Eating in America: Easing the Transition for Resettled Refugees through an Applied Anthropological Intervention , Emily A. Holbrook

Genetic Testing and the Power of the Provider: Women’s Experiences with Cancer Genetic Testing , Dana Erin Ketcher

An Archaeological Investigation of Enslavement at Gamble Plantation , S. Matthew Litteral

“Right in the Trenches with Them”: Caregiving, Advocacy, and the Political Economy of Community Health Workers , Ryan I. Logan

Exploring Variations in Diet and Migration from Late Antiquity to the Early Medieval Period in the Veneto, Italy: A Biochemical Analysis , Ashley B. Maxwell

Least of My Worries: Food Security, Diet Quality, and Antiretroviral Adherence among People Living with HIV , Charlotte Ann Noble

The Tampa Gym Study: An Ethnographic Exploration of Gyms, Female Gym-Goers and The Quest for Fitness in Tampa, FL , Danielle Reneé Rosen

Environmental Legacies of Pre-Contact and Historic Land Use in Antigua, West Indies , Anthony Richard Tricarico

“What I Hadn’t Realized is How Difficult it is, You Know?”: Examining the Protective Factors and Barriers to Breastfeeding in the UK , Cheyenne R. Wagi

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

“I Want Ketchup on my Rice”: The Role of Child Agency on Arab Migrant Families Food and Foodways , Faisal Kh. Alkhuzaim

Exploring Explicit Fanfiction as a Vehicle for Sex Education among Adolescents and Young Adults , Donna Jeanne Barth

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Home > SBS > ANTHRO > Anthropology Department Dissertations Collection

Anthropology Department Dissertations Collection

Current students, please follow this link to submit your dissertation.

Dissertations from 2024 2024

Behavior and Ecology of the Kinda baboon , Anna H. Weyher, Anthropology

THE POSSIBILITIES OF PROTOCOLS: PATHWAYS TO RELATIONAL KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN A SETTLER COLONIAL CONTEXT , Julie Woods, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2023 2023

The Abolition of Care: An Engaged Ethnography of the Progressive Jail Assemblage , Justin Helepololei, Anthropology

PUBLIC HEALTH, INDUSTRIALIZATION AND TUBERCULOSIS OUTCOMES AMONGST WOMEN IN 19th-20th CENTURY CLEVELAND , Sarah Mathena, Anthropology

Sociocultural and familial factors associated with symptom experience at midlife among women in Nagaland, India , Peteneinuo Rulu, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2022 2022

Reclaiming the future through Small-Scale Agriculture: Autonomy and Sustainability in the Caribbean , Dana M. Conzo, Anthropology

Violence and Indigenous Women in Mexico: Towards an Unsettled Feminist Ethnography of (in)Security , Ana Del Conde, Anthropology

BALL OR DIE: UNDERSTANDING BLACK MALE STUDENT-ATHLETE COUNTERSTORIES AT AN HWCU , Derek J. Doughty, Anthropology

Beyond Revolutionaries, Victims, and Heroic Mothers. Reproductive Politics in War and Peace in Colombia , Vanesa Giraldo Gartner, Anthropology

Rules of Recognition: Indigenous Encounters with Society and the State , Erica Kowsz, Anthropology

“ETHNICITY IN THE CLOUDS:” HERITAGE GOVERNANCE IN POST-DISASTER QIANG COMMUNITIES IN SICHUAN PROVINCE, CHINA , Ying Li, Anthropology

Digital Indigeneity: Digital Media's Uses for Identity Formation, Education, and Activism by Indigenous People in the Northeastern United States , Virginia A. McLaurin, Anthropology

NAHUATL DISCOURSES AND POLITICAL SPEECHES AS WAYS TO NEGOTIATE THE RACIAL MONOLINGUAL IDEOLOGY OF THE MEXICAN STATE IN HIDALGO, MEXICO , Vanessa Miranda Juárez, Anthropology

Blood for Bread: Kurdish Kolbers, State Violence, and Another Call for Militant Anthropology. (A Dissertation Portfolio) , Ahmad Mohammadpour, Anthropology

The survivors of the train: disability, testimonio, and activism in migrants with disabilities , claudia j. morales, Anthropology

Making the Old City: Life Projects and State Heritage in Rhodes and Acre , Evan Taylor, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2021 2021

Diversity and Evolution of Human Eccrine Sweat Gland Density , Andrew W. Best, Anthropology

Liberation and Gravy: An Engaged Ethnography of Queer and Trans Power in Georgia , Elias Capello, Anthropology

THE PROMISE OF EMPOWERMENT: REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE, DECOLONIAL FEMINISMS, AND THE CASES OF FORCED STERILZIATION IN PERU , Julie Chaparro, Anthropology

A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE SYMPTOMS AND CAREGIVING IN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO , Eric Erastus Griffith, Anthropology

Above the Oxbow: The Construction of Place on Mount Holyoke , Danielle R. Raad, Anthropology

The Boundaries of Safety: The Sanctuary Movement in the Inland Empire , Cecilia I. Vasquez, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2020 2020

Monitored Reproduction: Surveillance, Labor, and Care in Pro-Natalist Turkey , Seda Saluk, Anthropology

PARALLEL POLITICS: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF THE 2013 MEXICAN EDUCATION REFORM , Ashley Sherry, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2019 2019

Production and Power at Idalion, Cyprus in the First Millennium BCE , Rebecca Bartusewich, Anthropology

Modeling the Local Political Economy of Adulis: 1000 BCE-700 ACE , Daniel Habtemichael, Anthropology

What Will You Do Here? Dignified Work and the Politics of Mobility in Serbia , Dana N. Johnson, Anthropology

RECOLLECTIONS: MEMORY, MATERIALITY, AND MERITOCRACY AT THE DR. JAMES STILL HISTORIC OFFICE AND HOMESTEAD , Marc Lorenc, Anthropology

The Political Work of Memory in Collaborative Caribbean Archaeology , Elena Sesma, Anthropology

The Politics of Return: Migration, Race, and Belonging in the Russian Far East , Lauren Woodard, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2018 2018

Embodied Heritage: Obesity, Cultural Identity, and Food Distribution Programs in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma , Kasey Aliene Jernigan, Anthropology

LABOR MIGRATION AND INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE IN POSTSOCIALIST RURAL ROMANIA , Alin Rus, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2017 2017

Can Long Bone Structural Variability Detect Among-Population Relationships? , Gina Agostini, Anthropology

On the Landscape for a Very, Very Long Time: African American Resistance and Resilience in 19th and Early 20th Century Massachusetts , Anthony Martin, Anthropology

Who Ate the Subfossil Lemurs? A Taphonomic and Community Study of Raptor, Crocodylian and Carnivoran Predation of the Extinct Quaternary Lemurs of Madagascar. , Lindsay Meador, Anthropology

POTTERS ON THE PENOBSCOT: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL CASE STUDY EXPLORING HUMAN AGENCY, IDENTITY, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHOICE , Bonnie D. Newsom, Anthropology

The effects of industrialization and urbanization on growth and development: A comparison of boys and girls from three Industrial European skeletal collections , Sarah Reedy, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2016 2016

A Conflict of Interest? Negotiating Agendas, Ethics, and Consequences Regarding the Heritage Value of Human Remains , Heidi J. Bauer-Clapp, Anthropology

Change of Sight, Sites of Creativity: The Visual Arts in Albania after Socialism , Sofia Kalo, Anthropology

Clay Pot Cookery: Dairy, Diet and Class during the South Levantine Iron Age II Period , Mary K. Larkum, Anthropology

Ideological Conflict Embedded in Anthropology and the Road to Restructuring the Discipline , Donna L. Moody, Anthropology

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep: An Ethnographic Analysis of the Development, Implementation, and Sustainability of a Safe Infant Sleep Education Campaign in Springfield, MA , Julie Skogsbergh, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2015 2015

Uncovering and Recovering Cleared Galloway: The Lowland Clearances and Improvement in Scotland , Christine B. Anderson, Anthropology

Illegal Hunting on the Masoala Peninsula of Madagascar: Its Extent, Causes, and Impact on Lemurs and Humans , Cortni Borgerson, Anthropology

Ts'msyen Revolution: The Poetics and Politics of Reclaiming , Robin R. R. Gray, Anthropology

The Political Ecology of Early Childhood Lead Exposure at the New York African Burial Ground , Joseph Jones, Anthropology

An Ethnography of African Diasporic Affiliation and Disaffiliation in Carriacou: How Anglo-Caribbean Preadolescent Girls Express Attachments to Africa , Valerie Joseph, Anthropology

From Green Economies to Community Economies: Economic Possibility in Massachusetts , Boone W. Shear, Anthropology

On Belonging, Difference and Whiteness: Italy's Problem with Immigration , Flavia Stanley, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2014 2014

Palm Trees y Nopales: The Commodification and Hybridization of the South Texas Borderlands , Andriana M. Foiles Sifuentes, Anthropology

Searching for a Praxis of Possibility: Civic Engagement and the Corporatized University , Deborah Keisch, Anthropology

Curious Monuments of the Simplest Kind: Shell Midden Archaeology in Massachusetts , Katharine Vickers Kirakosian, Anthropology

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY: AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF TWO CASE STUDIES HIGHLIGHTING COMMUNITY-RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS IN SPRINGFIELD, MA , Vanessa Martinez, Anthropology

Loss of Cell Surface aGal during Catarrhine Evolution: Possible Implications for the Evolution of Resistance to Viral Infections and for Oligocene Lineage Divergence , Idalia Aracely Rodriguez, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2013 2013

Framed: Native American Represtations in Contempoary Visual Mediums , Marta Carlson, Anthropology

Mind The Gap: Materiality of Gendered Landscapes in Deerfield, Massachusetts, ca. 1870 - ca. 1920 , Elizabeth Ann Harlow, Anthropology

Continuity in the Face of Change: Mashantucket Pequot Plant Use From 1675-1800 A.D. , Kimberly Carol Kasper, Anthropology

An Archaeology Of Improvement In Rural New England: Capitalism, Landscape Change, and Rural Life In The Early 19th Century , Quentin Lewis, Anthropology

Contested Subjects: Biopolitics & the Moral Stakes of Social Cohesion in Post-Welfare Italy , Milena Marchesi, Anthropology

Knuckle-Walking Signal in the Manual Phalanges and Metacarpals of the Great Apes (Pan and Gorilla) , Stacey Ann Matarazzo, Anthropology

Inhabiting Spaces, Making Places: Creating a Spatial and Material Biography of David Ruggles , Linda M Ziegenbein, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2012 2012

Biocultural Perspectives on Gender, Transitions, Stress, and Immune Function , Leo Zachary DuBois, Anthropology

Orientations of the heart: Exploring hope & diversity in undergraduate citizenship education , Mary Hannah Henderson

Virtual Black Spaces: An Anthropological Exploration of African American Online Communities' Racial and Political Agency Amidst Virtual Universalism , Kamela S Heyward, Anthropology

Remaking the Political in Fortress Europe: Political Practice and Cultural Citizenship in Italian Social Centers , Angelina Ione Zontine, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2011 2011

A Question of Comfort: Race, Whiteness, and the Creation of Diverse, Inclusive, and Engaged Learning Environments , H. Elizabeth Braun, Anthropology

Politics by Other Means: Rhizomes of Power in Argentina's Social Movements , Graciela G. Monteagudo, Anthropology

The Human Factor In Mouse Lemur (Microcebus Griseorufus) Conservation: Local Resource Utilization And Habitat Disturbance At Beza Mahafaly, SW Madagascar , Emilienne Rasoazanabary, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2010 2010

Reproductive Biology of Mouse and Dwarf Lemurs of Eastern Madagascar, With an Emphasis on Brown Mouse Lemurs (Microcebus rufus) at Ranomafana National Park, A Southeastern Rainforest , Marina Beatriz Blanco, Anthropology

Increasing the scale of inquiry: A GIS approach to archaeology, environment and landscape during the early Holocene in Central Massachusetts , Kathryn Curran

That Which Is Not What It Seems: Queer Youth, Rurality, Class and the Architecture of Assistance , Kaila Gabrielle Kuban, Anthropology

New England Terrestrial Settlement in a Submerged Context: Moving Pre-Contact Archaeology into the Twenty First Century , Kerry J. Lynch, Anthropology

Making Peace On The Island Of Love: An Ethnographic Exploration Of Peacebuilding In Cyprus. , Lisa Modenos, Anthropology

Breastfeeding and the Individual: The Impact of Everyday Stressful Experience and Hormonal Change on Breastfeeding Duration Among Women in São Paulo, Brazil , Alanna Emilia Frances Rudzik, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2009 2009

High Stakes: A Poly-Communal Archaeology Of The Pocumtuck Fort, Deerfield, Massachusetts , Siobhan M Hart, Anthropology

Cold Spring, Hot Foundry: An Archaeological Exploration of the West Point Foundry’s Paternal Influence Upon the Village of Cold Spring and its Residents , Elizabeth M. Norris, Anthropology

From “Spanish choices” to Latina /o voices: Interrogating technologies of language, race, and identity in a self -serving American moment , Ramon Solorzano

The Adoption of Shamanic Healing into the Biomedical Health Care System in the United States , Lori L. Thayer, Anthropology

“To Promote, Encourage Or Condone:” Science, Activism And The Political Role Of Moralism In The Formation Of Needle Exchange Policy In Springfield, Massachusetts, 1998–2005 , Jon E Zibbell, Anthropology

Dissertations from 2008 2008

Unwrapping the anatomical gift: Donors, cadavers, students , Carol N Coan

“Driven” women: Gendered moral economies of women's migrant labor in postsocialist Europe's peripheries , Leyla J Keough

From infancy to death? An examination of the African burial ground in relation to Christian eighteenth century beliefs , Ruth Annette Mathis

Dissertations from 2007 2007

Towards the within: Visual culture, performance, and aesthetics of acupuncture , Kevin Taylor Anderson

Historical erasure and cultural recovery: Indigenous people in the Connecticut River Valley , Margaret M Bruchac

Musculoskeletal attachment site markers and skeletal pathology of the forearm and carpal bones from Tell Abraq, United Arab Emirates, c. 2300 BC , Janet M Cope

Localization of central vasopressin V1A receptors in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) , Diane M Toloczko

The Croatian public sphere and the journalistic milieu , Richard Wallace

Dissertations from 2006 2006

Chronic pain and working women in Berkshire County: Towards a critical physical therapy , James R Brennan

An integrative analysis of how zinc in teeth reflects maternal environments and predicts infant function in a rural Mexican community , Alexis E Dolphin

Breastfeeding and bone density change , Karen L Pearce

The house of the jaguar: The engaged anthropology of Gertrude Duby Blom at Museo Na Bolom , Mary L Robison

Good Fridays, Celtic Tigers and the Drumcree Church Parade: Media, politics and the state in Northern Ireland , Thomas H Taaffe

Archaeology and normalcy: Disciplining a discipline , Joannah L Whitney

Dissertations from 2005 2005

Negotiating power: A new discourse of the maquiladora industry in Ciudad Juarez , James H Hamm

From scientific risk to paysan savoir -faire: Divergent rationalities of science and society in the French debate over GM crops , Chaia L Heller

The formulation of Turkish immigrant subjectivities in the German region of Swabia , Tilman Lanz

American Indian identity: The Menominee experience , Carol N Nepton

Dissertations from 2004 2004

Confronting the tribal zone: Toward a critical ethnohistory of colonial state formation in San Juan through the system of encomiendas, 1509–1520 , Gabriel De La Luz-Rodriguez

Of visions and sorrows: Manuel Quintín Lame's Indian thought and the violences of Colombia , Monica Espinosa Arango

Contested place, nature, and sustainability: A critical anthropo -geography of biodiversity conservation in the “Zona Maya” of Quintana Roo, Mexico , Jose Eduardo Martinez-Reyes

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• Honors & Theses

Anthropology concentrators pursue a diverse range of topics and places that covers every time period from the pre-historical to the present, and every major world area. Recent senior honors thesis have investigated:

• The relationship between the Boston Catholic Church and its Spanish-speaking members
• Islamic Finance in Malaysia
• A Cancer Ward in Kenya
• Stigma in the Lives of Unmarried Women in Contemporary China
• Challenges in Housing Rights Advocacy in Bolivia

The requirements for honors eligibility are distinguished by program. Certain honors recommendations are possible without a thesis. 

Students are encouraged to consult A Student's Guide to Reading and Writing in Social Anthropology and the AnthroWrites website.

• Archaeology Honors
• Social Anthropology Honors
• Combined Archaeology-Social Anthropology Honors

Thesis Track (12 courses)

• Including one Archaeology Graduate-Level Research Seminar (2000-level)
• ANTH 99: Thesis Tutorial in Anthropology, a full-year writing workshop, culminating in the submission of a senior thesis and an oral thesis examination.

Non-Thesis Track (10 courses)

All graduating seniors in Archaeology who are not thesis candidates and have taken a 2000-level course may be considered for a non-thesis honors recommendation of Honors (but not High or Highest Honors), provided that their concentration grade point averages calculated at the end of their next to last terms are among the highest twenty-five percent of non-thesis candidates in their graduating class in Archaeology. To be considered for a High or Highest Honors recommendation in Anthropology, a student must complete a thesis, in addition to the requirements specified above.

• Basic Concentration Requirements

All graduating seniors in Social Anthropology who are not thesis candidates may be considered for a non-thesis honors recommendation of Honors, provided that their concentration grade point averages calculated at the end of their next to last terms are among the highest twenty-five percent of non-thesis candidates in their graduating class in Social Anthropology. To be considered for a High or Highest Honors recommendation in Anthropology, a student must complete a thesis, in addition to the requirements specified above.

All graduating seniors in Combined Archaeology and Social Anthropology, who are not thesis candidates may be considered for a non-thesis honors recommendation of Honors (but not High or Highest Honors), provided that their concentration grade point averages calculated at the end of their next to last terms are among the highest twenty-five percent of non-thesis candidates in their graduating class in Combined Archaeology and Social Anthropology. To be considered for a High or Highest Honors recommendation in Anthropology, a student must complete a thesis, in addition to the requirements specified above.

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Formatting the Printed Version

Useful Sources on Formal Writing

If you would like feedback and support while writing, the Marks Family Resource Center, located at 3808 Walnut Street, is an excellent resource.  Consult their web page , where you will find links to guides on writing. They also meet with students to improve their writing one-on-one. Writing Center drop-in tutoring hours can be found here . 

You should use consistent style for your in-text citations, references cited, and writing in general.  All Undergraduate Theses submitted to the Department of Anthropology must use the formal “style guide.” We recommend the  American Anthropologist  for cultural anthropology and linguistics topics,  American Antiquity  and  Historical Archaeology  for archaeology topics, and  American Journal of Physical Anthropology  for physical anthropology and biological anthropology topics.  You must use the style guide consistently for the Abstract, Main Text, References Cited, Figures, and Tables.  All citations must have the complete reference in the section “References Cited.”  All figures must be numbered and must be referred to in the text at least once.  Online style guides are available for the following journals:

American Anthropologist :

http://www.aaanet.org/publications/guidelines.cfm

American Antiquity :

https://documents.saa.org/container/docs/default-source/doc-publications/style-guide/saa-style-guide_updated-july-2018c5062f7e55154959ab57564384bda7de.pdf?sfvrsn=8247640e_6

Historical Archaeology

http://www.sha.org/publications/for_authors.cfm

American Journal of Physical Anthropology :

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/%28ISSN%291096-8644/homepage/ForAuthors.html

All pages in your thesis should be numbered at the bottom center using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3 . . .) (including Main Text, References Cited section, Figures section, and Tables section).  The Title page is not numbered.  Any preliminary pages (Abstract, Table of Contents, or lists of Figures) use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii . . .).

Your title page is unnumbered. All text of the title page should be centered and have the same font as the main text  Your title page should have the following elements (note the use of upper and lower case):

[TITLE OF THE UNDERGRADUATE THESIS IN UPPER CASE]

[Author’s Name]

Anthropology

Submitted to the

Thesis Advisor:  [name of the Thesis Advisor]

The Undergraduate Thesis must include a formal abstract (summary) of 100-200 words at the beginning, immediately following your Title page. Your thesis abstract presents a concise summary of the thesis (research problem or issue, the methods or approach used, and results). Do not cite references in the abstract.

Anthropology generally uses in-text citations to refer to published work as you’ll see in the Style Guide above. It is better to over-cite your sources than to under-cite them!  Below are links to the Penn Library’s documentation guide and the University guide to academic integrity.  Please read these documents carefully:

http://gethelp.library.upenn.edu/PORT/documentation/

http://www.upenn.edu/academicintegrity/index.html

We discourage the use of footnotes and endnotes for “additional information.”  If necessary, use endnotes rather than footnotes.  Endnotes appear in sequence at the end of the main text as a separate section titled “Endnotes” and are numbered in sequence in the text (using a superscript font). Endnotes are single-spaced with double spaces between them.  

Your Undergraduate Thesis should include a complete “References Cited” section (this is not a “Bibliography”). Refer to the appropriate style guide ( American Anthropologist ,  American Antiquity , Historical Archaeology,  or  American Journal of Physical Anthropology ) above for details on citations.  Your References Cited section must include all and only the references that you’ve formally cited in your main text, endnotes, figures, and tables. Work with your advisor to agree on appropriate citations for archival sources, interviews, museum records, and other research data.

The Undergraduate Thesis in Anthropology is a formal document, so your figures and tables should be sharp, clear, readable and directly relevant to the topic. Your figures should be clear and legible. Scan images from publications and reduce or enlarge these to best fit the margins of your page using Photoshop or Illustrator (available on computers in the Department and in Weigle Information Commons).

Figures includes diagrams, photographs, drawings, graphics, illustrations, and maps. They will be numbered in sequence “Figure X..”. Label all of your tables “Table Y..” in a separate numbered sequence. You should mention each figure and table at least once in your text [for example:  “As Table 5 demonstrates, the alcoholic content of maize beer is low.”]  Each figure or table must have an individual caption on the page where it appears. If information or images in your figures come from published or unpublished work of others, you must include formal citations in your captions and References Cited section (“Figure 3:  Location map showing the excavations completed during the 1994 field season (after Smith et al. 1995).”

Photographs are numbered in the figure sequence. Photographs should be sharp, fit within the required margins, and have direct relevance to your thesis. Like all figures, each photograph must have a caption, must be cited in the text, and must be listed in the table of figures if you include one. You must cite the sources of any published image you reproduce, and that citation must appear in your “References Cited.”

The text, tables and figures of your thesis should have a 1-inch margin on all sides. Your text should be double spaced except for the Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, long quoted passages (“block” quotes), References Cited, Endnotes and Captions. Format these sections according to the style guide for your thesis subject area.

Choose a clear standard typeface (Times New Roman, etc.) and format pages with 12-point font throughout your document.

Gibaldi, Joseph.  2009.  MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.  7th ed. New York:  Modern Language Association of America.  A comprehensive guide to writing research papers.

Strunk, W. and E.B. White.  2005.  The Elements of Style.  New York:  Penguin Press.  Appropriate for more humanities-oriented papers (and therefore possibly for cultural- and linguistic anthropology theses).  Focuses on rules of standard English and calls attention to common errors.

Turabian, Kate L.  2007.  A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.  7th ed.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press.  Updated in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style.

University of Chicago.  2010.  The Chicago Manual of Style.  16th edition.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press.  Another classic, comprehensive style guide; extensively revised for the 16th edition.

Anthropology

What this handout is about.

This handout briefly situates anthropology as a discipline of study within the social sciences. It provides an introduction to the kinds of writing that you might encounter in your anthropology courses, describes some of the expectations that your instructors may have, and suggests some ways to approach your assignments. It also includes links to information on citation practices in anthropology and resources for writing anthropological research papers.

What is anthropology, and what do anthropologists study?

Anthropology is the study of human groups and cultures, both past and present. Anthropology shares this focus on the study of human groups with other social science disciplines like political science, sociology, and economics. What makes anthropology unique is its commitment to examining claims about human ‘nature’ using a four-field approach. The four major subfields within anthropology are linguistic anthropology, socio-cultural anthropology (sometimes called ethnology), archaeology, and physical anthropology. Each of these subfields takes a different approach to the study of humans; together, they provide a holistic view. So, for example, physical anthropologists are interested in humans as an evolving biological species. Linguistic anthropologists are concerned with the physical and historical development of human language, as well as contemporary issues related to culture and language. Archaeologists examine human cultures of the past through systematic examinations of artifactual evidence. And cultural anthropologists study contemporary human groups or cultures.

What kinds of writing assignments might I encounter in my anthropology courses?

The types of writing that you do in your anthropology course will depend on your instructor’s learning and writing goals for the class, as well as which subfield of anthropology you are studying. Each writing exercise is intended to help you to develop particular skills. Most introductory and intermediate level anthropology writing assignments ask for a critical assessment of a group of readings, course lectures, or concepts. Here are three common types of anthropology writing assignments:

Critical essays

This is the type of assignment most often given in anthropology courses (and many other college courses). Your anthropology courses will often require you to evaluate how successfully or persuasively a particular anthropological theory addresses, explains, or illuminates a particular ethnographic or archaeological example. When your instructor tells you to “argue,” “evaluate,” or “assess,” they are probably asking for some sort of critical essay. (For more help with deciphering your assignments, see our handout on understanding assignments .)

Writing a “critical” essay does not mean focusing only on the most negative aspects of a particular reading or theory. Instead, a critical essay should evaluate or assess both the weaknesses and the merits of a given set of readings, theories, methods, or arguments.

Sample assignment:

Assess the cultural evolutionary ideas of late 19th century anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan in terms of recent anthropological writings on globalization (select one recent author to compare with Morgan). What kinds of anthropological concerns or questions did Morgan have? What kinds of anthropological concerns underlie the current anthropological work on globalization that you have selected? And what assumptions, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies inform these questions or projects?

Ethnographic projects

Another common type of research and writing activity in anthropology is the ethnographic assignment. Your anthropology instructor might expect you to engage in a semester-long ethnographic project or something shorter and less involved (for example, a two-week mini-ethnography).

So what is an ethnography? “Ethnography” means, literally, a portrait (graph) of a group of people (ethnos). An ethnography is a social, political, and/or historical portrait of a particular group of people or a particular situation or practice, at a particular period in time, and within a particular context or space. Ethnographies have traditionally been based on an anthropologist’s long-term, firsthand research (called fieldwork) in the place and among the people or activities they are studying. If your instructor asks you to do an ethnographic project, that project will likely require some fieldwork.

Because they are so important to anthropological writing and because they may be an unfamiliar form for many writers, ethnographies will be described in more detail later in this handout.

Spend two hours riding the Chapel Hill Transit bus. Take detailed notes on your observations, documenting the setting of your fieldwork, the time of day or night during which you observed and anything that you feel will help paint a picture of your experience. For example, how many people were on the bus? Which route was it? What time? How did the bus smell? What kinds of things did you see while you were riding? What did people do while riding? Where were people going? Did people talk? What did they say? What were people doing? Did anything happen that seemed unusual, ordinary, or interesting to you? Why? Write down any thoughts, self-reflections, and reactions you have during your two hours of fieldwork. At the end of your observation period, type up your fieldnotes, including your personal thoughts (labeling them as such to separate them from your more descriptive notes). Then write a reflective response about your experience that answers this question: how is riding a bus about more than transportation?

Analyses using fossil and material evidence

In some assignments, you might be asked to evaluate the claims different researchers have made about the emergence and effects of particular human phenomena, such as the advantages of bipedalism, the origins of agriculture, or the appearance of human language. To complete these assignments, you must understand and evaluate the claims being made by the authors of the sources you are reading, as well as the fossil or material evidence used to support those claims. Fossil evidence might include things like carbon dated bone remains; material evidence might include things like stone tools or pottery shards. You will usually learn about these kinds of evidence by reviewing scholarly studies, course readings, and photographs, rather than by studying fossils and artifacts directly.

The emergence of bipedalism (the ability to walk on two feet) is considered one of the most important adaptive shifts in the evolution of the human species, but its origins in space and time are debated. Using course materials and outside readings, examine three authors’ hypotheses for the origins of bipedalism. Compare the supporting points (such as fossil evidence and experimental data) that each author uses to support their claims. Based on your examination of the claims and the supporting data being used, construct an argument for why you think bipedal locomotion emerged where and when it did.

How should I approach anthropology papers?

Writing an essay in anthropology is very similar to writing an argumentative essay in other disciplines. In most cases, the only difference is in the kind of evidence you use to support your argument. In an English essay, you might use textual evidence from novels or literary theory to support your claims; in an anthropology essay, you will most often be using textual evidence from ethnographies, artifactual evidence, or other support from anthropological theories to make your arguments.

Here are some tips for approaching your anthropology writing assignments:

• Make sure that you understand what the prompt or question is asking you to do. It is a good idea to consult with your instructor or teaching assistant if the prompt is unclear to you. See our handout on arguments and handout on college writing for help understanding what many college instructors look for in a typical paper.
• Review the materials that you will be writing with and about. One way to start is to set aside the readings or lecture notes that are not relevant to the argument you will make in your paper. This will help you focus on the most important arguments, issues, and behavioral and/or material data that you will be critically assessing. Once you have reviewed your evidence and course materials, you might decide to have a brainstorming session. Our handouts on reading in preparation for writing and brainstorming might be useful for you at this point.
• Develop a working thesis and begin to organize your evidence (class lectures, texts, research materials) to support it. Our handouts on constructing thesis statements and paragraph development will help you generate a thesis and develop your ideas and arguments into clearly defined paragraphs.

What is an ethnography? What is ethnographic evidence?

Many introductory anthropology courses involve reading and evaluating a particular kind of text called an ethnography. To understand and assess ethnographies, you will need to know what counts as ethnographic data or evidence.

You’ll recall from earlier in this handout that an ethnography is a portrait—a description of a particular human situation, practice, or group as it exists (or existed) in a particular time, at a particular place, etc. So what kinds of things might be used as evidence or data in an ethnography (or in your discussion of an ethnography someone else has written)? Here are a few of the most common:

• Things said by informants (people who are being studied or interviewed). When you are trying to illustrate someone’s point of view, it is very helpful to appeal to their own words. In addition to using verbatim excerpts taken from interviews, you can also paraphrase an informant’s response to a particular question.
• Observations and descriptions of events, human activities, behaviors, or situations.
• Relevant historical background information.
• Statistical data.

Remember that “evidence” is not something that exists on its own. A fact or observation becomes evidence when it is clearly connected to an argument in order to support that argument. It is your job to help your reader understand the connection you are making: you must clearly explain why statements x, y, and z are evidence for a particular claim and why they are important to your overall claim or position.

Citation practices in anthropology

In anthropology, as in other fields of study, it is very important that you cite the sources that you use to form and articulate your ideas. (Please refer to our handout on plagiarism for information on how to avoid plagiarizing). Anthropologists follow the Chicago Manual of Style when they document their sources. The basic rules for anthropological citation practices can be found in the AAA (American Anthropological Association) Style Guide. Note that anthropologists generally use in-text citations, rather than footnotes. This means that when you are using someone else’s ideas (whether it’s a word-for-word quote or something you have restated in your own words), you should include the author’s last name and the date the source text was published in parentheses at the end of the sentence, like this: (Author 1983).

If your anthropology or archaeology instructor asks you to follow the style requirements of a particular academic journal, the journal’s website should contain the information you will need to format your citations. Examples of such journals include The American Journal of Physical Anthropology and American Antiquity . If the style requirements for a particular journal are not explicitly stated, many instructors will be satisfied if you consistently use the citation style of your choice.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Scupin, Raymond, and Christopher DeCorse. 2016. Anthropology: A Global Perspective , 8th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Solis, Jacqueline. 2020. “A to Z Databases: Anthropology.” Subject Research Guides, University of North Carolina. Last updated November 2, 2020. https://guides.lib.unc.edu/az.php?s=1107 .

University of Chicago Press. 2017. The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Tips for Writing a Departmental Honors Thesis in Anthropology

Preparing to write a thesis, detailed thesis guidance and suggestions, tips for writing a thesis.

What habits and actions will enable success?

 An undergraduate thesis project requires discipline in planning and execution from start to finish. Some key considerations include the following.

Once you decide to complete a thesis project after preliminary discussion with your adviser, take some time to think about what you would like your finished project to look like. Read through several recently completed undergraduate thesis projects in the department, and form some general ideas about your topic, approach, and final product. Think about what might cause you to be delayed, or even unsuccessful, or how you will counter those possibilities.

Organization

Workplace, work space, calendar, materials, ideas, records, meetings, files – if you find that the level of organization in any these aspects is lacking, make the changes needed to enable your success. 

Develop a written timeline for completion. Your adviser can help you identify the key steps and milestones and the amount of time you should allocate for each. Then work backward from the thesis submission deadlines to develop your timeline.

Designing and completing the thesis project will be challenging in the midst of your other academic and student activities. However, if you don’t give the project the time and effort it requires, you will miss your deadlines and/or be disappointed in the quality of the end product. Your thesis is an extra project that will require extra time and effort to complete.

Barriers to Success

As you begin your thesis planning and throughout the project, honestly identify those factors that are preventing you from doing your best work and take the actions needed to reduce or eliminate each of those barriers.

Daily Focus and Energy

Momentum is a critical element of completing a high quality thesis project. If you do not make a daily investment, even if for only 30 minutes, to address the next actions in your thesis project, you run the risk of trying to recapture thoughts and conversations and missing key milestones along the way. Reading, thinking, discussing, planning, and writing should become routine actions for generating and maintaining momentum in your thesis project. If you find that days or even weeks have passed without much thought or action on your thesis project, identify what’s preventing you from giving your thesis the time and effort it needs and address accordingly.

Your completed thesis document should reflect your personal best in formal writing and analysis. This includes sentence composition, grammar, punctuation, style (your adviser may suggest a specific style manual), flow of ideas, accuracy, literature citations, level of thought and analysis, and overall organization. Develop an outline for each chapter in consultation with your adviser before writing the full text. Edit your work carefully after multiple readings, and ask another capable person to give you honest feedback on your draft before submitting it to your adviser.

What Is a Thesis?

A thesis is a manuscript that presents an argument or assertion and supports it through logical claims and factual evidence, or data. The thesis must be analytic rather than descriptive. While the focus of your thesis will be the discussion of some set of anthropological phenomena, it should not simply present information, however important and interesting that information may be. Rather, and in addition, the thesis should represent an analysis of the phenomena, a theoretical and interpretive understanding of them; in other words, it should have an “argument.” This may mean simply stating a good, strong causal thesis and collecting data and logical arguments to support it (remember to include significant contrary facts and theories). Avoid a paper that is only, or even mostly, descriptive. A rule of thumb is that roughly one-third of the paper should be analysis, and two-thirds should be description and presentation of evidence.

Theoretical Framework

Given these expectations, your thesis should have some theoretical component. Regardless of your topic or subfield, you are expected to develop a theoretical framework of some kind. There are several ways to do this. 

• You may wish to use theoretical propositions to frame the argument, to elaborate and sustain the analysis, and to "explain" the phenomena.
• You may wish to criticize existing theoretical propositions using your data and interpretations.
• You may wish to bring together various theories to formulate a more original model.

Your data constitutes the evidence that you will use to support your argument. The data you analyze may come from various sources. You may undertake your own research, perhaps through a stint in the field or the laboratory. Alternately, you may reanalyze data that have already been collected and published. In either case, you will probably want to supplement your data with background library and historical research. Regardless of the kind of work you do, your goal should be to provide the reader with an understanding of the problem and data. What makes your essay a thesis is that you go beyond narrative and description to include analysis and argument. What makes it anthropology is the centrality of problems and phenomena related to the concerns – archaeological, biological, or cultural – of our discipline.

The analytical nature of the senior thesis has several implications for its organization. First, of course, the whole thing has to have a point and there should be no doubt to the reader what that point is. Perhaps the best piece of advice here is to make explicit to the reader what is obvious and implicit to you, the writer, steeped as you are in your own material. This does not mean that your research must follow the “logico-deductive” pattern; in fact, anthropological research often does not present argumentation in any particular straightforward manner. However, when writing the thesis, you should try to arrange the material so that the reader will understand the direction of the whole. This requires some “big-picture” planning and organization.

Your thesis should have a beginning, a middle, and an end – in other words, an introduction, a "body," and a conclusion. The introduction should state the problem and the manner in which you are going to discuss and analyze it. The body of the thesis should present evidence in support of your argument in some explicit, logical order, so that the reader will understand the relevance or purpose of each section. Finally, the conclusion should summarize the points you have made, recapitulate the argument and its strengths and weaknesses, and perhaps address again the theoretical issues that were used in approaching and analyzing the problem; you should also explain how you have modified your view of these issues in the course of conducting the analysis.

Senior theses may range from 35 to 100 pages in length. Laboratory theses or those with heavily quantitative analyses may be 40 to 60 pages, while those with discursive arguments tend to be longer. Cultural Anthropology theses will ordinarily be between 60 to 80 pages. You should be wary of exceeding these limits in either direction. Long, verbose theses in particular are often poorly written, edited, and argued.

You should address yourself to a well-informed reader. Avoid repetition, unnecessary detail, and irrelevance in both data and analysis. Use your own style — and use this opportunity to develop your own authorial voice — but, in any case, write clearly. In the process of composing and preparing the manuscript, do not neglect the details of good expository writing. The pleasure and the understanding of the reader (and perhaps your grade) can be undercut by inattentiveness to style, form, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and citations.

Specific Points

All students completing a senior thesis should prepare a thesis proposal that addresses the following points: introduction/summary; background information; theoretical perspective and/or hypothesis to be tested; methods for collecting and analyzing data; and significance of project. This proposal should be completed prior to the beginning of the project — typically in the fall of the senior year. 

Credit Hours 

All senior thesis students must enroll in ANTH 495H for two of the three terms of their senior year. Students enrolled in this course will receive a grade of CR rather than a letter grade. These credits do not count toward the 55 hours required for the B.A. in anthropology.

IRB Approval

All projects require the approval of the Ohio University Institutional Review Board . Please plan to submit the required paperwork to the IRB two weeks prior to the commencement of data collection.

There are various sources of funding to support undergraduate research at Ohio University. These funds are often competitive. A strong thesis proposal can be transformed into a strong application for funds. These deadlines typically arise in the spring and fall quarters; be sure to maintain contact with your adviser about them.

Thesis committees involve a minimum of two and a maximum of three experts in the field. These committee members may be faculty members in anthropology or other related departments, practicing anthropologists, or other professional in related fields (for example, museum studies). At least one of the committee members (other than the adviser) must be a member of the anthropology program. Students typically approach potential committee members, after consulting with their advisers, in the fall semester .  It may be useful to provide a copy of the thesis proposal at this time in order to provide some background on the project at hand. In the spring semester, the student will schedule a full meeting of the committee to defend the conclusions of the thesis. The full thesis committee must reach a consensus on the successful defense of the thesis.

Note: The Anthropology program and the College of Arts & Sciences have specific guidelines for binding, formatting, title pages, references, notes, and tables. Please be sure to follow these guidelines closely.

Backup your computer files on a daily basis.

How should I work with my adviser in planning, conducting, and writing my thesis?  The thesis project is a joint effort between you and your adviser, but in reality, it is YOUR project. Take the initiative to schedule meetings, plan discussion topics and questions for the meetings, and make notes about what was decided at each meeting and your next actions. Schedule regular (weekly) meetings with your adviser as you plan, conduct, and write your thesis. Give your adviser ample time to read drafts of your work before you meet. Seek your adviser’s help in resolving any roadblocks along the way.

How do I obtain IRB (Institutional Review Board) approval?  Ohio University must ensure that research conducted under its jurisdiction does not present unreasonable risks to subjects or volunteers. Faculty, staff, and students conducting the research are primarily responsible for safeguarding the welfare of study participants. IRB approval of the proposed research procedures must be obtained before data collection begins. See Ohio University Research Compliance  for additional information and the IRB submission form .

What constitutes plagiarism?  A major ethical standard in research focuses on appropriately recognizing and crediting the work of others who have contributed to the body of knowledge in a given area. Plagiarism is simply using someone else’s ideas or wording without giving due credit. When you present an idea in your thesis project that originated from another source (written or spoken), even if you modified the wording or parts of the idea, credit to the original source should be given. The thesis is a scholarly work, and as such, extensive citation from the literature is expected. As you make notes from a source, indicate clearly whether your notes are a direct quote or a paraphrased interpretation. If direct quotes are used, the page number is required for a complete citation. Plagiarism software is widely available and routinely used by professors and journal editors.

What are the elements of my thesis research proposal and completed project? Undergraduate thesis projects mirror master’s thesis projects but the scope of the study and final product are usually scaled down considerably. The anthropology discipline typically uses a five-chapter approach for theses as shown on the following page. Check with your adviser for additional points. Typical page lengths (double spaced) are shown in parentheses.

• Table of Contents
• Purpose: “The purpose of this study…” (one sentence).
• Methods: Usually one to two sentences on how this study was conducted and who the sample or population was.
• Results: Usually two to three brief sentences on the major findings from the study.
• Conclusion: One to two sentences on the major implications or ramifications from the study.
• Provides the background and setting needed to put the problem in proper context and justifies the need for the study.
• Contains facts, trends, and points of view (opinions) as drawn from the professional literature in anthropology and any relevant areas. The presentation of these key points should flow from general trends and concerns to the specific problem/challenge that you will address in your thesis research.
• Provides a logical lead-in to a clear statement of the problem, which is followed by the purpose of the study and the research objectives that you will pursue.
• Chapter 1 also includes a list of any assumptions and limitations, as well as a section (Significance of the Study) that explains what groups could potentially benefit from the study and how/why.
• Presents the results of previous research related to your study topic, organized by the key variables in your study. A conceptual model showing the relationships among variables related to your research problem can also be included.
• For survey research or other quantitative study, Chapter 2 indicates the theory upon which the study is based. Qualitative studies usually build theory rather than apply or test theory. Thus, in these studies less attention is given to theory in Chapter 2. Provides the rationale for hypotheses (if stated).
• Describes in detail the step-by-step procedures used in collecting and analyzing data.
• Possible sections of Chapter 3 include research design, subject selection, instrumentation, data collection, data analysis, chapter summary and others. Talk with your adviser about adjustments in this chapter if you are undertaking a qualitative study.
• Reports all results obtained, including appropriate statistics and descriptions of data.
• Includes facts only – what was found with explanation, but not interpretation or conjecture by the researcher. Is organized and written around objectives of the study (research questions or hypotheses).
• Briefly summarizes intent, procedures, and findings of study.
• States conclusions based upon findings (first point in paper where the researcher is allowed to include his or her own interpretations).
• Describes how findings support or refute related studies (Implications for Current Knowledge).
• Describes implications of findings for those groups affected by the program/findings (Implications for Practice).
• Includes recommendations for practice based upon findings and conclusions, if applicable.
• Includes recommendations for further research.
• Includes copies of all correspondence, instrumentation, and other written communication used in carrying out the research.
• Includes special lists (i.e., expert panel members, etc.).
• Includes complete bibliographic information for all references cited in the text (use accepted style manual, such as APA, American Antiquity, or other professional guidelines decided with your adviser).

Note : Chapters 1-3 above constitute the thesis research proposal. In writing the proposal, verb tense is future tense (e.g., “will be”). Note that specific rules apply to verb tense. With few exceptions, past events and past research/writings should be described using past tense verbs. Past trends that still continue should be described using present perfect tense (e.g., has been). Present tense is used only to describe the contents of a table or other section in the thesis itself and when stating conclusions. The use of “it” and “there” to begin sentences should be avoided, unless “it” clearly refers to a preceding noun.

Other Considerations

Your thesis research should address a known, real problem in anthropology. Your project will be designed and conducted in an attempt to help resolve the identified problem. Thus, your research problem can be drawn from your personal experiences and observations, from others’ observations and opinions, or from previous research. The problem you choose to research should be related to a significant or major problem, as generally viewed by experts in the profession.  A key question to ask as you and your adviser discuss potential thesis projects is, “Who needs and could benefit from this research?” The second fundamental question to ask when identifying your research topic and interpreting the results is, “So what?” That is, of what value will/is the research, to whom, and why? Your study should attempt to inform or solve a problem in the field. Try to go beyond merely describing a situation or population and design your study so it has the potential to provide solutions.

Keeping these aspects in mind throughout your research and in developing your conclusion will make your thesis better.

Here are additional guidelines, similar to the above, but include more insight about certain parts of the thesis and common mistakes. 

• The introduction should establish a chain of reasoning/logic and smoothly flow from one key point to the next.
• Chapter 1 summarizes the “opinion literature” on your topic.
• Use the most recent references available, and use original sources unless they are out of print.
• Use past tense or present perfect tense in your writing. Only use future tense for the proposal to describe what you will do.
• Common grammatical errors include using “data” as a singular noun (should be “data are”) and beginning a sentence with “it” and “there.”
• Your list of definitions should include all terms not commonly understood. These words should be “operationally defined” for your study. For example, provide a definition and citation on motivation, followed by a statement that says, “In this study motivation was defined as the subject’s score on the Britton Motivation Questionnaire.”
• Build your reference list as you go. Cite sources using APA style, and check the elements of each citation to prevent a return trip to the library to get the missing elements.
• Limitations are any restrictions in the study – population, sample, time, geography, and so on.

A theory is a generalization or series of generalizations by which we attempt to explain some phenomenon in a systematic manner. Our field includes many theories about learning, leading, communicating. Theory is derived from research, observations, and logical analysis and is commonly presented in books and published research. Chapter 2 includes the underlying theory base for your study, research findings from past studies that are related to your topic, and a conceptual model in the form of a diagram or concept map that combines the theory and previous research (see the example on page 7), showing the relationship between variables that may influence the phenomenon you are studying. With few exceptions, previous research findings are reported in journals (e.g., Journal of Agricultural Education, Journal of Extension, Journal of Leadership Education, Journal of Applied Communications, etc.) and technical reports. Your outline for Chapter 2 should be derived from the major variables in your study. Focus on recently published research (last 10 years), while including any works that are considered classics in the field. When you find an article that seems related to your study, read the abstract to verify, then focus on the population studied, the results, and conclusions.

Chapter 3 is the research methods chapter and is based largely on the decisions you and your adviser make about how to conduct your study. Elements of Chapter 3 typically include one or more introductory paragraphs, research design (specify the design and explain its limitations), population and sample, instrumentation (the tools that you will use to collect data), data collection procedures, data analysis procedures, and a chapter summary. Talk to your adviser about modification of this outline if you are conducting a qualitative study.

Chapter 4 is where you present the findings of your research. These should be clear and carefully linked to the hypotheses that you proposed to address in your research. You should not try to link your findings to broader topics and issues in the field – this will come in Chapter 5.

Chapter 5 is the discussion and conclusion chapter. Here you should link your findings to broader topics in the field of anthropology. You should directly say how your results fill a certain research gap or address a problem in the field. Your conclusion should concisely summarize your work with a brief statement of its importance. You may provide suggestions for future directions in research, but this section should be brief (e.g., 2-3 sentences).

Final Thoughts

Completing a high quality undergraduate thesis project requires initiative, careful planning, frequent communication with your adviser, disciplined inquiry, and sound judgment and decision making. After you have completed your study, your adviser may encourage you to submit a proposal to present your research at a regional or national conference and/or to submit a manuscript to a journal for review and possible publication. Your adviser will also assist you in developing an executive summary of your research that can be shared with practitioners in the field. This is the best way to ensure that your thesis project has value by providing insight and potential solutions to a significant problem faced by one or more stakeholder groups.

 (Adapted from Department. of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida)

Theses and Dissertations

Booklets – m.a. recipients & ph.d. graduates.

• 2019-20, 2020-21, Summer 2021

2022-23 Theses, Reports, and Dissertations

Master’s Theses & Reports

Madison Aubey, MA

The Archaeology of Sovereignty: Africatown, Black Mobile, and Resistive Consumption

Chair: Justin P. Dunnavant

Amber Kela Chong, MA

Experiments in Sovereignty: Cultivating ʻĀina Momona at Waipā

Chair: Jessica Cattelino  

Dani Heffernan, MA

Constructing the “Cisgender Listening Subject”: Trans-Feminine Speakers’ Commentaries on Voice and Being Heard

Chair: Norma Mendoza-Denton  

Sally Li, MA

Racial and temporal differences in fertility-education tradeoffs highlight the effect of economic opportunities on optimum family size in the US

Chair: Brooke Scelza  

Robin Stevland Meyer-Lorey, MA

Manifest Destiny in Southeast Asia: Archaeology of American Colonial Industry in the Philippines, 1898-1987

Chair: Stephen Acabado  

Victoria Newhall, MA.

Evaluating the Role of Foodways During Large-Scale Socio-Political Transformations at Formative Tres Zapotes

Co-Chairs: Richard Lesure and Gregson Schachner  

Wanda Quintanilla Duran, MA

Chair: Jason De León  

The Force of Intimacy in a Honduran Community

Nicole Smith, M.A.

From Exile to Eviction: Garífuna Indigeneity, Land Rights, and Heritage in Roatán, Honduras

Co-Chairs: Jason De León and Justin Dunnavant

Doctoral Dissertations

Steven Ammerman, PhD

Human-Animal Interaction at the Ancient Urban Site of Sisupalgarh, India

Chair: Monica L. Smith

Spencer Chao-Long Chen, PhD

Dubbing Ideologies: The Politics of Language and Acoustic Aesthetics in Taiwan’s Mandarin-Voiceover Production

Chair: Paul V. Kroskrity

Kristine Joy Chua, PhD

Environmental, Biological, and Cultural Influences on Health and Behavior

Chair: Abigail Bigham

Rodney R. Gratreaks Jr., PhD

Talking to the Wind: Towards an Understanding of Numic Verbal Art and Language Planning in the Village of Shaxwapats

Emily Virginia Jones, PhD

A Violent Operation: Trauma Surgery, Policing, and the Politics of Care in a Los Angeles County Public Hospital

Chair: Laurie Kain Hart

Sucharita Kanjilal, PhD

Home Chefs: Indian Households Produce for the Global Creator Economy

Chair: Akhil Gupta

Andrew E. MacIver, Ph.D.

The Shang-Zhou Transition: Immanence, Power, and the Micropolitics of Encounter

Chair: Li Min

Joshua L. Mayer, PhD

Conjuring Territory: Afro-Indigenous Authority and Settler Capitalism in Nicaragua

Chair: Shannon Speed

Bianca Romagnoli, PhD

Patrolling North of 60: Military Infrastructure in Canada’s Arctic Communities

Co-Chairs: Salih Can Açiksöz and Laurie Kain Hart

Theodore Samore, PhD

Traditionalism, Pathogen Avoidance, and Competing Tradeoffs During a Global Threat

Chair: Daniel M.T. Fessler

William James Schlesinger, PhD

The Production and Governance of Risky Sexual Subjectivity in the Era of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to HIV

Chair: Salih Can Açiksöz

Saliem Wakeem Shehadeh, PhD

Researching the General Union of Palestine Students from the Diaspora

Co-Chairs: Jemima Pierre and Susan Slyomovics

Madeleine Amee Yakal, PhD

Spanish Colonialism in Bikol, Philippines: Localizing Devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia

Chair: Stephen Acabado

2021-22 Theses, Reports, and Dissertations

Master’s Theses & Reports

Emilia Rose Ørsted Holmbeck, MA

Contextualizing PTSD as Diagnosis and Intervention: Situating Trauma and the Subjective Experience of Suffering in Locally Meaningful Worlds

Co-Chairs: Douglas W. Hollan & Linda Garro  

Jewell Ruth-Ella Humphrey, MA

Harboring History: A Maritime Archaeological Analysis of an 18th Century Shipwreck in Coral Bay, St. Jan

Co-Chairs: Stephen Acabado & Justin Dunnavant  

Lillian Kohn, MA

Public Mourning, Online Spaces: Virtual Memorialization and Binational Grief in Israel-Palestine

Chair: Susan Slyomovics  

NaaKoshie Awurama Mills, MA

Par for the Corps: Black Diplomats and Race in U.S. Foreign Policy

Chair: Laurie Hart  

Abdullah Puckett, MA

Decarceration and Social Justice Activism in South Central LA

Chair: Philippe Bourgois

  Matthew James Schneider, MA

Against Accountability: Policing and Public Knowledge in Los Angeles

Chair: Hannah Appel  

Doğa Tekin, MA

Claiming Big Sur: How Places Enter Semiosis

Co-Chairs: Erin Debenport & Paul V. Kroskrity  

Kimberly Tanya Zhu, MA

Genomic Features Underlying Andean High-Altitude Adaptive Hemoglobin Levels

Chair: Abigail Bigham  

Brittany Nicole Florkiewicz, PhD

Properties of Facial Signaling in Captive Chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes )

Chair: Brooke Scelza   Yanina Gori, PhD

Re/mediating Revolution: Cultivating Solidarity in a Cuban Queer Community

Co-Chairs: Hannah Appel & C. Jason Throop  

Jananie Kalyanaraman, PhD

Window seats: Making connection through transport and mobility in Bengaluru city, India

  Eva Rose Melstrom, PhD

The Gate of Weeping: Ethiopian Women Returning from Domestic Work in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf

Co-Chairs: Douglas W. Hollan & C. Jason Throop  

Zachary Mondesire, PhD

Region-craft: An Ethnography of South Sudan’s Transnational Intelligentsia

Lauren Textor, PhD

Deserving Abandonment: Governing Pain and Addiction across U.S. Opioid Landscapes

Co-Chairs: Philippe Bourgois & Laurie Hart

2020-21 Theses and Dissertations

Master’s Theses

Sara Isabel Castro Font, MA

Hipsters, Drunks, Tourists, and Locals: Calle Loíza as a Site of Ideological Contestation

Co-Chairs: Erin Debenport & Paul V. Kroskrity

Lilit Ghazaryan, MA

Speak Beautifully – Language Policies and Practices in Public Kindergartens in Armenia

Chair: Erica Cartmill

Nicco Amedeo La Mattina, MA

“Giving the Meaning” as a Social Practice on Pantelleria: The Metasemantics of Atttunement

Chair: Alessandro Duranti

Alessandra May Laurer Rosen, MA

Semiotic Labors of Personalization: Modernization and Access in an American Yoga School

Danielle Leigh Steinberg, MA

A robust tool kit: first report of tool use in crested capuchin monkeys ( Sapajus robustus )

Chair: Jessica Lynch

Jessie Serene Stoolman, MA

Writing Letters and Reading against the Grain of Anthropology’s Past

Chair: Aomar Boum

Donghyoun We, MA

Food and Restaurants: A Review of the Literature and Exploratory Observations of Restaurant Pivots in LA in the Time of COVID-19

Madeleine Louise Zoeller, MA

Eye See You: Investigating Predictors of the Evil Eye

Chair: Joseph Manson

Farzad Amoozegar-Fassaie, PhD

The Pursuit of Happiness and the Other: Being a Syrian Refugee Child in America

Co-Chairs: Alessandro Duranti & C. Jason Throop

Theresa Hill Arriola, PhD

Securing Nature: Militarism, Indigeneity and the Environment in the Northern Mariana Islands

Chair: Jessica Cattelino

Yael Assor, PhD

Objectivity as a Bureaucratic Virtue: The Lived Experience of Objectivity in an Israeli Medical Bureaucracy

Chair: C. Jason Throop

Amanda Jean Bailey, PhD

Alluvial Hope: The Transformative Practices of Placemaking at a Montana Tribal College

Co-Chairs: Paul V. Kroskrity & Cheryl Mattingly

Hannah Addaline Carlan, PhD

Producing Prosperity: Language and the Labor of Development in India’s Western Himalayas

Alejandro Suleman Erut, PhD

Lying: an anthropological approach

Chair: H. Clark Barrett

Nafis Aziz Hasan, PhD

Techno-politics of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) – Investigating Practices and Social Relations in Indian Public Bureaucracies

Tanya Ruth Matthan, PhD

The Monsoon and the Market: Economies of Risk in Rural India

Agatha Evangeline Palma, PhD

The Migrant, The Mediterranean, and the Tourist: Figures of Belonging in Post-Austerity Palermo

Co-Chairs: Aomar Boum & Laurie Kain Hart

Sonya Rao, PhD

Privatizing Language Work: Interpreters and Access in Los Angeles Immigration Court

Alexander Malcolm Thomson, PhD

Mesologues: An Ethnobibliographic Study of Cultural and Lingual Politics in Contemporary Brittany

Co-Chairs: Laurie Kain Hart & Paul V. Kroskrity

2019-20 Theses, Reports, and Dissertations

Ulises Espinoza, MA

Intuitions on Ownership Among the Achuar of Southeastern Ecuador

Eden Franz, MA

Cultural and Interspecific Symbiosis at Salemi, Sicily: Exploring Colonial and Human-Animal Interactions Through Faunal Analysis

Joelle Julien, MA

Haitian Migration to Tijuana, Mexico: Black Migrants and the Political Economy of Race and Migration

Chair: Jemima Pierre

Eric Andrew Sinski, MA

Imagined Communities: Patriotic Sentiment Among Chinese Students Abroad in the Era of Xi Jinping

Chair: Yunxiang Yan

Sasha Lutz Winkler, MA

The Development of Sex Differences in Play in Wild White-Faced Capuchins

Katelyn Jo Bishop, PhD

Ritual Practice, Ceremonial Organization, and the Value and Use of Birds in Prehispanic Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, 800-1150 CE

Co-Chairs: Richard Lesure & Gregson Schachner

Molly Josette Bloom, PhD

Thick Sociality: Community, Disability, and Language in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation

Chair: Norma Mendoza-Denton

Courtney Evelyn Cecale, PhD

Scientific Governance and the Cultural Politics of Climate Change Adaptation in the Peruvian Andes

Amy Marie Garey, PhD

The People’s Laughter: War, Comedy, and the Soviet Legacy

Chair: Nancy E. Levine

Kotrina Kajokaite, PhD

Social relationships in wild white-faced capuchin monkeys ( Cebus capucinus ): Insights from new modeling approaches

Chair: Susan Perry

Matthew Richard McCoy, PhD

Unsettling Futures: Morality, Time, and Death in a Divided Belfast Community

Dalila Isoke Ozier, PhD

City of Magic: Aesthetic Value in the Los Angeles Magic Scene

Chair: Sherry B. Ortner

Mindy Gayle Steinberg, PhD

Legal Status and the Everyday Lives of Mexican-Origin Youth in Los Angeles: Family, Gratitude, and the High School Transition

Chair: Thomas S. Weisner

Christopher Shawn Stephan, PhD

“Focus on the Users”: Empathy, Anticipation, and Perspective-Taking in Healthcare Architecture

Anoush Tamar Suni, PhD

Palimpsests of Violence: Ruination and the Politics of Memory in Anatolia

Chair: Susan Slyomovics

Gwyneth Ursula Jean Talley, PhD

Gunpowder Women: Gender, Kinship & Horses in Moroccan Equestrian Performance

Co-Chairs: Nancy E. Levine & Susan Slyomovics

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Recent Doctoral Dissertations and MA Theses

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Puzo, Ieva (2017)  The Local LIves of Global Science: Foreign Scientists in Japan's Research Institutions .  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

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Venegas, Maria (2017)  Alienated Affliction: The Politics of Grisi Siknis Experience in Nicaragua . Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

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Fajardo, Sebastian (2016)  Prehispanic and Colonial Settlement Patterns of the Sogamoso Valley.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Kesterke, Matthew J. (2016)  The Effects of In-utero Thyroxine Exposure On Mandibular Shape in Mice.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Leeper, Bobbie J. (2016)  Evaluation of Current Methods of Soft Tissue Removal From Bone.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Li, Tao  (2016)  Economic Differentiation in Hongshan Core Zone Communities (Northeastern China): A Geochemical Perspective.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Li, Dongdong  (2016)  The Emergence of Walled Towns and Social Complexity in the Taojiahu-Xiaocheng Region of Jianghan Plain China.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Wentworth Fournier, Chelsea  (2015)  Feasting and Food Security: Negotiating Infant and Child Feeding in Urban and Peri-Urban Vanuatu. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Lin, Hao-Li  (2015)  Vanua as Environment: Conservation, Farming, and Development in Waitabu, Fiji.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Johnson, James  (2015)  Community Matters? Investigating Social Complexity Through Centralization And Differentiation In Bronze Age Pastoral Societies Of The Southern Urals, Russian Federation, 2100 – 900 BC.   Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Ikehara Tsukayama, Hugo C.  (2015)  Leadership, Crisis And Political Change: The End Of The Formative Period In The Nepeña Valley, Peru.   Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Herckis, Lauren R.  (2015)  Cultural Variation in the Maya City of Palenque.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Harmansah, Rabia  (2015)  Performing Social Forgetting in a Post-Conflict Landscape: The Case of Cyprus.   Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Garrido Escobar, Francisco Javier  (2015)  Mining and the Inca Road in Prehistoric Atacama Desert, Chile.   Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

de St. Maurice, Gregory  (2015)  The Kyoto Brand: Protecting Agricultural and Culinary Heritage.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Clark, Julia  (2015)  Modeling Late Prehistoric and Early Historic Pastoral Adaptations in Northern Mongolia's Darkhad Depression.   Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Argüello García, Pedro María  (2015)    Subsistence Economy And Chiefdom Emergence in the Muisca Area. A Study of the Valle De Tena.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Williams, James T.  (2014)  Staple Economies and Social Integration in Northeast China: Regional Organization in Zhangwu, Liaoning, China. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Sung, Shih-Hsiang   (2014)  The Flowing Materiality of Crystal: A Global Commodity Chain of Fengshui Objects From Brazil, China to Taiwan.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Romano, Francisco  (2014)  Changing Bases of Power: The Transition From Regional Classic to Recent in the Alto Magdalena (Colombia).   Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.             

Roman, Michael  (2014)  Migration, Transnationality, and Climate Change in the Republic of Kiribati.   Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.  

Pesantes Villa, Maria Amalia  (2014)  Out of sight out of mind: intercultural health technicians in the Peruvian Amazon.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Ornellas, Melody Li  (2014)  When a Wife is a Visitor: Mainland Chinese Marriage Migration, Citizenship, and Activism in Hong Kong.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Giraldo Tenorio, Hernando Javier  (2014)   Sources of Power and the Development of Sociopolitical Complexity in Malagana, Southwestern Colombia.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Berrey, Charles A.  (2014)  Organization and Growth among Early Complex Societies in Central Pacific Panama.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Ventresca Miller, Alicia (2013)  Social Organization And Interaction In Bronze Age Eurasia: A Bioarchaeological And Statistical Approach To The Study Of Communities.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Tulbure, Narcis (2013)  Chary Opportunists: Money, Values, And Change In Postsocialist Romania.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Sözer, Hande (2013)  Managing (In)Visibility By A Double Minority: Dissimulation And Identity Maintenance Among Alevi Bulgarian Turks.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Sol Castillo, Ricardo Felipe (2013)  Religious Organization And Political Structure In Prehispanic Southern Costa Rica. Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Roman-Lacayo, Manuel/A (2013)  Social And Environmental Risk And The Development Of Social Complexity In Precolumbian Masaya, Nicaragua.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Rak, Kimberly (2013)  Seeing Green: Gendered Relationship Expectations And Sexual Risk Among Economically Underserved Adolescents In Braddock, Pennsylvania.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Ming, Kevin (2013)  Slow Separations: Everyday Sex Work In Southern China.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

McCarthy, Rory G. (2013)  The Sikh Diaspora In Australia: Migration, Multiculturalism And The Imagining Of Home.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Lopez Bravo, Roberto (2013)  State Interventionism In The Late Classic Maya Palenque Polity: Household And Community Archaeology At El Lacandon.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Lee, Yi-Tze (2013)  Divided Dreams On Limited Land: Cultural Experiences Of Agricultural Bio-Energy Project And Organic Farming Transition In Taiwan.  Doctoral Dissertation, University Of Pittsburgh.

Hoggarth, Julie A.  (2013)  Social Reorganization and Household Adaptation in the Aftermath of Collapse at Baking Pot, Belize.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Guerra-Reyes, Lucia (2013)  Safe motherhood and maternal mortality reduction strategies: a cross cultural perspective.  Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.

Guerra-Reyes, Lucia (2013)  Changing Birth in The Andes: Safe Motherhood, Culture and Policy in Peru.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Gamez Diaz, Laura (2013)  Cosmology And Society: Household Ritual Among The Terminal Classic Maya People Of Yaxha (Ca. A.D. 850-950), Guatemala.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Marcone, Giancarlo (2012)  Political Strategies And Domestic Economy Of The Lote B Rural Elite In The Prehispanic Lurín Valley, Peru.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Macia, Laura (2012)  Dealing With Grievances: The Latino Experience In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Hooe, Todd (2012)  “Little Kingdoms”: Adat And Inequality In The Kei Islands, Eastern Indonesia.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Hamm, Megan (2012)  Activism, Sex Work, And Womanhood In North India.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Frenopoulo, Christian (2012)  The Referential Functions Of Agency: Health Workers In Medical Missions To Madiha (Kulina) Indians In The Brazilian Amazon.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

DePaoli, Lisa Coffield (2012)  "No Podemos Comer Billetes": Climate Change And Development In Southern Ecuador.  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Campbell, Roberto  (2012)  Socioeconomic differentiation, leadership, and residential patterning at an Araucanian chiefly center (Isla Mocha, AD 1000-1700).  Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.

Household Organization and Social Inequality at Bandurria, A Late Preceramic Village in Huaura, Peru.  Alejandro Jose Chu Barrera.  2011.

Kokeshi: Continued and Created Traditions/Motivations for a Japanese Folk Art Doll.  Jennifer E. McDowell.  2011.

Ideology and the Development of Social Hierarchy at the Site of Panquilma, Peruvian Central Coast.  Luis Enrique Lopez-Hurtado Orjeda.  2011.

Our Roots, Our Strength: The Jamu Industry, Women's Health and Islam in Contemporary Indonesia.  Sarah Elizabeth Krier.  2011.

An investigation of sex determination from the subadult pelvis: A morphometric analysis.  Kathleen Ann Satterlee Blake.  2011.

Carrying Out Modernity: Migration, Work, and Masculinity in China .  Xia Zhang.  2011.

Marriage Across the Taiwan Strait: Male Migrants, Marital Desire and Social Location.   Joseph Leo Cichosz.  2011.

Conditions of Social Change at El Dornajo, Southwestern Ecuador .   Sarah Ruth Taylor .  2011 .

Transfers and the Private Lives of Public Servants in Japan: Teachers in Nagasaki’s Outer Islands .   Blaine Phillip Connor .  2010 .

Oapan Nawa Folktales: Links to the Pre-Hispanic Past in a Contemporary Indian Community of Mexico .  Joanne Michel de Guerrero .  2010 .

Communal Tradition and the Nature of Social Inequality Among the Prehispanic Households of El Hatillo (HE-4), Panama .  William A. Locascio .  2010 .

Prehispanic Social Organization in the Jamastrán Valley, Southeastern Honduras .  Eva L. Martinez .  2010 .

Democracy “At Risk”? Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations, “At Risk” Youth, and Programming in Juiz de Fora, Brazil .   Penelope Kay Morrison .  2010 .

Emergent Complexity on the Mongolian Steppe: Mobility, Territoriality, and the Development of Early Nomadic Polities .  Jean-Luc Houle .  2010 .

Between the Kitchen and the State: Domestic Practice and Chimú Expansion in the Jequetepeque Valley, Peru.   Robyn E. Cutright. 2009.

Craft Specialization and the Emergence of the Chiefly Central Place Community of HE-4 (El Hatillo), Central Panama .  Adam Clayton Joseph Menzies .  2009 .

The Interaction of Androgenic Hormone and Craniofacial Variation: Relationship Between Epigenetics and the Environment on the Genome with an Eye Toward Non-Syndromic Craniosynostosis .   James John Cray, Jr. .  2009 .

The Development of Complex Society in the Volcán Barú Region of Western Panama .  Scott Palumbo .  2009 .

Huaracane Social Organization: Change Over Time at the Prehispanic Community of Yahuay Alta, Perú .  Kirk E. Costion .  2009 .

The Social and Political Evolution of Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico: An Analysis of Changing Strategies of Rulership in a Middle Formative Through Early Classic Mesoamerican Political Center .  Timothy D. Sullivan .  2009 .

Social Change in Pre-Columbian San Ramon de Alajuela, Costa Rica, and Its Relation with Adjacent Regions .  Mauricio Murillo Herrera .  2009 .

The Domestic Mode of Production and the Development of Sociopolitical Complexity: Evidence from the Spondylus Industry of Coastal Ecuador .   Alexander Javier Martin .  2009 .

Bread, Sweat, and Tears? The Ascendance of Capitalist Accumulation Strategies in the Russian Republic of Karelia, 2001-2002 .  Mark Wesley Abbott .  2008 .

The Organization of Agricultural Production on the Southwest Periphery of the Maya Lowlands: A Settlement Patterns Study in the Upper Grijalva Basin, Chiapas, Mexico .  Dean H. Wheeler .  2008 .

Donkey Friends: Travel, Voluntary Associations and the New Public Sphere in Contemporary Urban China .  Ning Zhang .  2008 .

Fashioning Change: The Cultural Economy of Clothing in Contemporary China .   Jianhua (Andrew) Zhao .  2008 .

Time and Process in an Early Village Settlement System on the Bolivian Southern Altiplano .  Jason (Jake) R. Fox .  2007 .

Social and Economic Development of a Specialized Community in Chengue, Parque Tairona, Colombia .  Alejandro Dever .  2007 .

Tracing the Red Thread: An Ethnography of Chinese-U.S. Transnational Adoption .  Frayda Cohen .  2007 .

Identity and Development in Rural Bolivia: Negotiating Gender, Ethnicity, and Class in Development Contexts .  Christine Hippert .  2007 .

Three-Dimensional Morphometric Analysis of the Craniofacial Complex in the Unaffected Relatives of Individuals with Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts .  Seth M. Weinberg .  2007 .

Cultural Politics and Health: The Development of Intercultural Health Policies in the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua .   Edgardo Ruiz .  2006 .

Ritual and Status: Mortuary Display at the Household Level at the Middle Horizon Wari Site of Conchopata, Peru .  Charlene D. Milliken .  2006 .

“Crafting” Hongshan Communities? Household Archeology In The Chiefing Region Of Eastern Inner Mongolia, PRC .   Christian Eric Peterson .  2006 .

Subsistence, Environment Fluctuation and Social Change: A Case Study in South Central Inner Mongolia .  Gregory G. Indrisano .  2006 .

Power and Competition in the Upper Egyptian Predynastic: A View from the Predynastic Settlement at el-Mahâsna, Egypt .  David Allen Anderson .  2006 .

Dusk Without Sunset: Actively Aging in Traditional Chinese Medicine .   Xiaohui Yang .  2006 .

The Organization of Agricultural Production in the Emergence of Chiefdoms in the Quijos Region, Eastern Andes of Ecuador.   Andrea Cuellar .  2006 .

The Utility of Cladistic Analysis of Nonmetric Skeletal Traits for Biodistance Analysis .  James Christopher Reed .  2006 .

Ethnography of Voting: Nostalgia, Subjectivity, and Popular Politics in Post-Socialist Lithuania .   Neringa Klumbyte .  2006 .

Risky Business: Cultural Conceptions of HIV/AIDS in Indonesia .   Piper Crisovan .  2006 .

The Mahaney Site (UB 666) -- Habitation or Special Purpose Site? .  Catherine M. Serventi .  2006 .

Food for the Dead, Cuisine of the Living: Mortuary Food Offerings from Pacatnamú and Farfán, Jequetepeque Valley, Perú .  Robyn E. Cutright .  2005 .

Czech Balneotherapy: From Public Health to Health Tourism.   Amy Speier.  2005.

Taxonomy of the Genus Perodicticus .  David Paul Stump .  2005 .

Rice Agricultural Intensification and Sociopolitical Development in the Bronze Age, central western Korean Peninsula.   Bumcheol Kim.  2005.

A Cold Of The Heart: Japan Strives To Normalize Depression .  George Kendall Vickery.  2005.

Cayuga Iroquois Households and Gender Relations During the Contact Period: An Investigation of the Rogers Farm Site, 1660s--1680s (New York) .  Kimberly Louise Williams-Shuker.  2005.

The Camutins Chiefdom: Rise and Development of Social Complexity on Marajo Island, Brazilian Amazon . Denise Pahl Schaan.  2004.

Cuban Color Classification and Identity Negotiation: Old terms in a New World. Shawn Alfonso Wells. 2004.

Natural Variation in Human Mating Strategy and the Evolutionary Significance of Mate Choice Criteria.  Helen Katherine Perilloux.  2004.

The Emergence and Development of Chiefly Societies in the Rio Parita Valley, Panama . Mikael Haller.  2004.

The Form, Function, and Organization of Anthropogenic Deposits at Dust Cave, Alabama. Lara Kristine Homsey. 2004.

Does Natal Territory Quality Predict Human Dispersal Choices? A Test of Emlen's Model of Family Formation . Elizabeth R. Blum. 2004.

Pragmatic Singles: Being an Unmarried Woman in Contemporary Japan. Tamiko Ortega Noll. 2004

Regional Settlement Patterns and Political Complexity in the Cinti Valley, Bolivia . Claudia Rivera Casanovas. 2004.

Turning Numbers Against Themselves: Religion, Statistics, and Political Distance in Romania . Mihnea Vasilescu. 2004.

(Re) Producing the Nation: The Politics of Reproduction in Serbia in Serbia in the 1980's and 1990's . Rada Drezgic. 2004.

Female Choice, Male Dominance, and the Evolution of Low Voice Pitch in Men . David Andrew Putz. 2004.

A Cultural History of the Micheal and Mary Jane Brubaker Family of Somerset County, Pennsylvania, with a Focus on Women's Marriage. John Michael Krajnak. 2004.

Cranial Content Changes in Craniosynostotic Rabbits . Wendy Kay Fellows-Mayle.  2004.

Created Unequal: Multiregionalism and the Origins of Anthropological Racism. Adam Wells Davis. 2004.

Gendered Visions of the Bosnian Future: Women’s Activism and Representation in Post-War Bosnia-Herzegovina . Elissa Lynelle Helms. 2003.

Spirtual Warfare and Social Transformation in Fiji: The Life History of Loto Fiafia of Kioa . Thomas James Mullane. 2003.

Samurai Beneath Blue Tarps: Doing Homelessness, Rejecting Marginality and Preserving Nation in Ueno Park (Japan) . Abby Rachael Margolis. 2003.

The Evolutionary Biology of the Apolipoprotein E Allele System with Special Reference to Alzheimer's Disease . Jessica Ann Garver. 2003

Setting Nets on Troubled Waters: Environment, Economics, and Autonomy Among Nori Cultivating Households in a Japanese Fishing Cooperative. Alyne Elizabeth Delaney. 2003.

Skeletal Maturation and Estimating Age-At-Death During the First Decade of Life . Frank D. Houghton Jr. 2003.

"Civil Society or a Nation-State?" Macedonian and Albanian Intellectuals Building the Macedonian State and Nation(s) . Nevena Dicheva Dimova. 2003.

Sex Determination of the Fragmented Pelvis Using Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis . Joan A. Bytheway. 2003.

Proximate Mechanisms of Kin Recogniton in Non-human Primates. Aislinn Kelly. 2003.

The Evolution of Hairlessness in Humans a a Means of Increased Vitamin D Biosynthesis . D. A. Putz. 2003.

The Evolution of the Bogota Chiefdom: A Household View . Michael H. Kruschek. 2003.

Multi-Scalar Analysis of Domestic Activities at Parker Farm: A Late Prehistoric Cayuga Iroquois Village . Tracy Sue Michaud Stutzman. 2002.

Late Intermediate Period Political Economy and Household Organization at Jachakala, Bolivia. Christine Beaule. 2002.

Indigenous Federations, NGOs, and the State: Development and the Politics of Culture in Ecuador's Amazon. Patrick C. Wilson. 2002

Wild Resources in the Andes: Algarrobo, Chanar and Palqui: Implications for Archaeology . Claudia Rivera-Casanovas. 2002.

Nonmetric Population Variation In The Skulls of Human Perinates . Seth M. Weinberg. 2002.

Intensive Agriculture and Political Economy of the Yaguachi Chiefdom of Guayas Basin, Coastal Ecuador . Florencio German Delgado-Espinoza. 2002.

Sedentism, Site Occupation and Settlement Organization at La Joya, A Formative Village in the Sierra De Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico . Valerie J. McCormack. 2002.

The Road to Health: The Experience of Tuberculosis in Southern Chile Joan Elizabeth Paluzzi. 2002.

Household and Community Organization of a Formative Period, Bolivian Settlement . Courtney Elizabeth Rose. 2001.

Emerging Cultural Markets and Private Enterprise in Urban China: Managing Change in Values, Families and Futures . David Hudgens. 2001.

Equal Education - Unequal Lives: Life Course Goals of Japanese Female Undergraduates . Judith Lynn Misko. 2001.

Women’s Economic Activities in an Industrializing Malay Village . Margaret Wolfberg Kedia. 2001.

Interisland Interaction and the Development of Chiefdoms in the Eastern Caribbean . John Gordon Crock. 2001.

Public and Private Space at Mohenjo-Daro: the Implications for Social Organization . Sara Clark. 2001.

Anasazi Settlement Patterns: the Importance of Seasonal Mobility . Charlene Milliken. 2001.

Post-Saladoid Age Pottery in the Northern Lesser Antilles: Lessons Learned from Thin Section Photography . Martin Todd Fuess. 2001.

Peasants and the State: The Political economy of a Village in Maoist and Post-Mao China .Young Kyun Yang. 2000.

The Chichén Itzá - Ek Balam Transect Project: An Intersite Perspective on the Political Organization of the Ancient Maya . James Gregory Smith. 2000.

Japanese Adult Learning: Karaoke Naraigoto . Hideo Watanabe. 2000.

Inventing Indigenous Knowledge: Archaeology, Rural Development, and the Raised Field Rehabilitation Project in Bolivia . Lynn Swartley. 2000.

Valuable Women: Gendered Strategies for Success in Korean College Culture . Elise Michelle Mellinger. 2000.

A Study of Late Classic Maya Population Growth at La Milpa, Belize. John Janson Rose. 2000.

Development of the Central Nervous System and the Evolution of the Neocortex . Elizabeth Louise Dick. 2000.

Dynamical Systems Modeling in Archaeology: A GIS Approach to Site Selection Processes in the Greater Yellowstone Region . Thomas G. Whitley. 2000.

Rural Agrarian Diversity in the Late Classic (600-950 A.D.) Naco Valley, Northwest Honduras . John Douglass. 1999.

The Functional Morphology of the Lower Cervical Spine in Non-Human Primates . Susan R. Mercer. 1999.

T he Organization of Agricultural Production at a Maya Center. Settlement Patterns in the Palenque Region, Chiapas, Mexico . Rodrigo Ruben Gregorio Liendo Stuardo. 1999.

The Political Ecology of Indigenous Self-Development in Bolivia’s Multiethnic Indigenous Territory . J. Montgomery Roper. 1999.

Origins Research in Archaeology at the Turn of the Millennium and Giambattista Vico’s New Science (1744) . Stephanie Koerner. 1999.

Social Differentiation at the Kerniskey Site?: A Contribution to the Study of Emerging Social Complexity . Elizabeth Ramos Roca. 1999.

Lithic Economy and Household Interdependence Among the Late Classic Maya of BelizeLithic Economy and Household Interdependence Among the Late Classic Maya of Belize . Jon VandenBosch. 1999.

The Late Formative to Classic Period Obsidian Economy at Palo Errado, Veracruz, Mexico . Charles Leonard Fredrick Knight. 1999.

Postclassic Craft Production in Morelos, Mexico: The Cotton Thread Industry in the Provinces . Ruth Fauman-Fichman. 1999.

The Organization of Staple Crop Production in Middle Formative, Late Formative, and Classic Period Farming Households at K'axob, Belize . Helen Hope Henderson. 1998.

The 'Becoming' Mother: Transitions to Motherhood in Urban China . Suzanne Kelley Gottschang. 1998

Prehispanic Intensive Agriculture, Settlement Pattern and Political Economy in the Western Venezuelan Llanos . Rafael Angel Gassón Pacheco. 1998.

Prehispanic Change in the Mesitas Community: Documenting the Development of a Chiefdom's Central Place in San Agustín, Colombia . Víctor González Fernández. 1998.

"We Just Live Here": Health Decision Making and the Myth of Community in El Alto, Bolivia . Jerome Winston Pettus Crowder. 1998

Bases of Social Hierarchy in a Muisca Central Village of the Northeastern Highland of Columbia . Ana Maria Boada Rivas. 1998.

The Effect of Time Manipulation on the Exchange of Information in the Patient-Provider Encounter. Van Yasek. 1998.

Social Support Networks of Impaired Older Adults . Marcie Caryn Nightingale. 1998.

Early Village-Based Society and Long-Term Cultural Evolution in the South-Central Andean Altiplano. Timothy McAndrews. 1998.

Sacred Confluence: Worship, History and the Politics of Change in a Himalayan Village. Lipika Mazumdar. 1998

• Faculty/Staff Intranet
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DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY

• Undergraduate

Senior Theses and Honors

Conducting original research is central to the field of Anthropology. By undertaking original research in Anthropology students develop core skills in critical thinking, research, and written and oral communication. These skills, rooted in the holistic discipline of Anthropology, are widely applicable regardless of your career choice. Original research for the Senior Thesis may be based on library, laboratory, or field research on a topic that the student has chosen in consultation with their faculty adviser. The Senior Thesis is an opportunity for students to explore a topic of their interest in Anthropology.

Majors with an interest in pursuing original research in anthropology during their senior year identify a thesis topic and advisor during their junior year and submit an application to write a senior thesis to the Honors Coordinator by spring of junior year. The thesis requires:

• Completion of 399 in the Fall quarter of senior year
• Completion of 398 in Winter quarter of senior year

398 may be counted toward the 300-level requirements for the major. 399 is in addition to the 300-level requirements for the major

Honors in Anthropology

Students interested in pursuing honors in Anthropology are required to (1) prepare a 1-2 page project proposal and (2) secure a project advisor during their junior year. The proposal and an email from the advisor attesting to their work with the student should be sent to the Honors Coordinator, Prof. Erin Waxenbaum ( [email protected] ), by July 1 of the student’s junior year.

Students who write a thesis and whose theses and grades meet university criteria are recommended to the college for graduation with honors. Eligibility for honors includes:

• Writing an outstanding senior thesis
• 3.3 GPA overall
• 3.5 GPA in Anthropology 

Honors and awards

Students who prepare an outstanding honors thesis will be nominated for honors in anthropology to the Weinberg College Committee on Undergraduate Academic Excellence, which has the final authority to grant the honors degree. All students writing an honors thesis are also eligible for following departmental awards:

• Oswald Werner Prize for Distinguished Honors Thesis in Anthropology

This prize honors Professor Emeritus Oswald Werner’s research, teaching, fieldwork training and administrative contributions. He was a faculty member for 35 years, a department chair, founder, and director of the Northwestern University Ethnographic Field School, and an ardent supporter of undergraduate research.

• Friends of Anthropology Award for Distinguished Honors Thesis in Public Anthropology

This prize recognizes outstanding research that  matters to the communities in which the researcher works, addressing important  social issues and helping to foster change. The award was established in 2005 with funding from the "Friends of Anthropology at Northwestern" (FAN) Alumni Group.

• Elizabeth M. Brumfiel Award for Distinguished Honors Thesis in Archaeology

See a list of award-winners who have won scholarships and other prizes.

The Honors Coordinator for Anthropology is: Prof. Erin Waxenbaum 

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• Thesis Option

The thesis is a major requirement for those in the MA in anthropology thesis track.  The thesis should demonstrate the student's ability to apply knowledge and skills gained from the anthropology department's curriculum.  A desirable goal for an excellent thesis would be a work of sufficient rigor and quality that it could be considered for publication. Original data collection ("fieldwork") is recommended but not required for the thesis.  Analysis of secondary data-whether quantitative, qualitative, visual or other formats--is perfectly acceptable as long as the research is informed by a clearly articulated research question and under-girded by a research proposal.

The traditional thesis is a single document that often incorporates a literature review, definition of a problem, discussion of methods to address the problem, the subsequent research activity and results.  However, the student may design a thesis with different emphases, in consultation with their advisor.  For example the goal may instead be a more compact paper submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.  Other thesis plans may combine some research activity such as a video production, museum exhibit or an internship, with an accompanying paper.  Students pursuing the thesis option must develop a topic and research proposal that specifies their plans in the semester after their completion of 18 credit hours.

The thesis must be defended before a committee of three faculty, at least two of whom need to be on the Department of Anthropology faculty (which includes senior instructors and research faculty).  The structure of the thesis is largely determined by the  University of Colorado Denver Graduate School Rules ; i.e., a thesis must conform to the rules.

• For the thesis, students must prepare a full research proposal which must be approved by their thesis chair before beginning their research. This proposal must be completed by the semester after the student has completed 18 credit hours. Sections of the proposal should include, at a minimum:
• Introduction and statement of the problem: Should include a one sentence statement of the problem on the first page, and a discussion of its significance (i.e., why is it important that this topic be researched).
• Literature review covering theoretical and topical material.
• Research design and methods including a data analysis plan.

Note:   Wenner-Gren and National Science Foundation both provide good models and templates for the research proposal. Those in the medical anthropology track might want to consider following the NIH model, depending the nature of their research questions and career goals.

• All students proposing to work with humans or data on modern humans must apply for and receive approval from the  Human Subjects Research Committee  before they begin their research. Note: most of the material for the application will be drawn from the research proposal.
• The draft thesis must be reviewed and approved as "defensible" by the student’s thesis committee faculty chair before a thesis defense date can be set. Defensible means the chair has reviewed the draft and suggested changes have been made.
• The draft sent to the student’s committee must be substantively complete: All references must be in the text and properly formatted in a references cited section; there should be no "track changes" comments in the text; the text should be formatted according to Graduate School requirements.
• Given the complexity of faculty and student schedules, consultation on a defense date should be done as far in advance as possible.
• There must be a minimum of three weeks between the agreed-upon date for the defense and distribution of the draft thesis defined as defensible by the student’s chair. If you would like feedback from your committee members before the defense, you should plan to distribute the thesis at least 4 weeks before the defense date.

Note:  If you intend to graduate the same semester you defend your thesis, you must schedule, successfully defend, and complete all recommended changes in accordance with UC Denver Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines  . This effectively translates to having the thesis completed and “defensible” before the middle of the semester.

Your Thesis Committee

The committee generally consists of your major advisor and two other faculty members with whom you have worked during the course of your program. You may choose committee members from outside the department, particularly if they are experts in an area that you explore in the thesis. However, at least two of your committee members must be from the anthropology department. And, all committee members must belong to the Graduate Faculty.  See the rules of the Graduate School .

Thesis Preparation

Click here to obtain a copy of Directions for Preparing Masters and Doctoral Theses .

The Process of Submitting a Thesis

In the semester in which a student intends to submit the thesis for examination, he/she must first submit an  Application for Admission to Candidacy . This initiates a process of determining if the student has met all of the other requirements for the degree, and is eligible to submit a thesis. The application for candidacy form should be completed in consultation with your major advisor, and the graduate director. A  Diploma Card  is submitted at the same time, to initiate the process of preparing final records for graduation.

The completed thesis itself is then submitted for a format review. This review ensures that the material is presented in a readable format that is consistent with the standards of the university. The student then submits a  Request for Examination,  which publicly announces the exam or defense for all interested parties.

At the exam or defense, the student may be asked to revise or add to the thesis before it is approved. The revised thesis is then submitted to the examination committee for final approval, and then copies are handed in to the Graduate School. These copies are permanently kept in the library as a resource for other scholars in the field.

Thesis Submission

Questions concerning matters not discussed in this document must be directed to the thesis committee chairperson. Theses must be reviewed by the Graduate School for format review before the final examination or defense. Once the thesis is signed by the appropriate faculty committee, submit three reproduced or original copies of the thesis, two on CU bond and one on regular paper. The University keeps all three of these copies. You may also order additional copies at this time. The binding fee is due and payable when the thesis is submitted to the Graduate School. Since fees are subject to change, contact the Graduate School for current fees.

The Thesis Examination

The exam consists of a public presentation and defense of the work. The tradition calls for the following steps to be completed:

• Your thesis committee greets you, and then sends you out of the room while the chair of your committee discusses the thesis, asks if there are any particular concerns, and establishes the particular procedure for the conduct of the examination.
• After you are invited to reenter the examination room, the chair will invite you to provide a formal presentation of your research, which should generally not exceed 30 minutes in length.
• After your presentation, the committee will ask you questions about the thesis, work related to it, and perhaps general questions about theory, method, and practical implications of the research.
• When questioning is completed, you will be asked to leave the room again so that your committee may discuss the defense, and decide on whether to give you a pass or fail.
• A "pass" may take many forms, including a request for revision that must be approved by the full committee, or simply a request that revisions be reviewed by the chair.

Registration Issues

Students must be registered during the semester of their final examination/ defense. Students who choose to perform these examinations or defend their thesis on a date that falls between semesters (between Fall and Spring; Spring and Summer, or between Summer and Fall), must register for the semester immediately after their exam/defense.

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Writing your thesis statement

A thesis statement clearly identifies the topic being discussed, includes the points discussed in the paper, and is written for a specific audience. Your thesis statement belongs at the end of your first paragraph, also known as your introduction. Use it to generate interest in your topic and encourage your audience to continue reading. 

A strong thesis statement is refutable and specific. It makes a new point about theory or examines how two ideas relate in a new way. I adapts or critiques someone else's argument. Strong research thesis statements are:

• Specific : talk about a specific idea rather than a broad theme, the more concrete the better. 
• Text-based : your argument should arise from the text, your interview, or ethnographic research; it should not be an imposition of your own personal moral or ethical views. Don't cast judgment on the social actors.
• Unified : be sure that you're arguing one thing, and avoid bifurcated thesis statements.
• Not too obvious:  your paper should point out something that isn't immediately obvious to someone without a close examination of the texts or ethnographic data. Make sure that what you're writing about demands that a paper be written about it.
• Refutable : it should be possible to come up with a reasonable and valid counter argument to your thesis statement.
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Department of Anthropology

Working independently.

A senior thesis is a remarkable opportunity to undertake a "capstone" project that culminates your work as an anthropology major. Please bear in mind, however, that a successful thesis requires a great deal of self-motivated work. You should expect to put into the year-long thesis writing project at least the level of work you would put into two upper-level academic courses.

Writing a senior thesis, you are expected to demonstrate a higher level of autonomy and initiative than in regular academic courses. The onus is on you to present your advisor, in a timely fashion, the various documents that will help them to help you. These might include annotated reading lists, summaries of field notes, outlines, draft chapters, and so forth. Please don't wait to be contacted by your advisor about meeting deadlines; you should be proactive and let your advisor know ahead of time if you are falling behind on your schedule.

Ask Meaningful Questions

The thesis should ask questions that are motivated; that feel like they need to be asked. Ideally, your introduction will set up your thesis statement (that is, your statement of your central argument) with context that shows how your thesis emerges from a tension, question, or puzzle in your field data or the anthropological literature or both. Rather than simply stating "I'm interested in X and Y," it is often helpful to formulate a "why" question that your thesis will attempt to answer, or at least illuminate. For example, "Why do thousands of people abandon their comfortable lives for a week every year to participate in the Burning Man Festival?", "Why, in the three different societies under consideration, are women much more likely than men to be accused of practicing witchcraft?", "Why did empire X collapse under this particular set of conditions, while empire Y, seemingly under the same conditions, flourished?" "How" questions can also be fruitful. For instance: "How do Hawaiians sustain the notion that certain culinary and ritual practices are 'traditional' even when they are actively engaged in the process of altering them?", or "How do the power dynamics between coaches and players manifest themselves even in seemingly casual and friendly conversations?" Having an interesting question or puzzle—a "motive"—built into your thesis helps you and your reader feel the urgency or importance of your argument.

Engaging with Anthropological Literature and Ideas

The thesis should engage in some meaningful way with the anthropological literature on the subject matter, and should show proficiency in that literature. Be careful, then, not to ground your thesis primarily in literature from other disciplines (e.g. sociology, psychology) and/or trade books (written for wide audiences, without a significant academic/theoretical slant). Drawing on the insights of other disciplines is fine, but the thesis must feel anthropological at its core.

Especially if your thesis is not based in fieldwork of some kind, it does need to clearly articulate with anthropological theory in order to succeed.

In consultation with faculty members and library staff, do your very best to review thoroughly the salient anthropological and scholarly literature on your topic. Be sure to search through the various databases, including JSTOR, Academic Search Premiere, Anthropological Abstracts, and so forth. It doesn't hurt to run relevant terms through Google Scholar.

The thesis should show signs that certain core lessons of anthropology have been internalized. A sociocultural anthropology thesis should, for instance, reflect your understanding that the normally taken-for-granted conceptual categories of modern western societies are themselves subject to critical examination, and that anthropologists tend to try to understand the internal logic of cultural practices. An archaeology thesis should also reflect such approaches, and should be about the people behind the potsherds, buildings, and other objects. It should question the how and why of patterns of material culture, striving to understand the cultural contexts and natural processes that produced the archaeological data.

Whether or not your thesis directly addresses a non-western case, it may be strengthened by the comparative, cross-cultural perspective associated with anthropology. For example, a thesis concerned with modern American conceptions of pets might benefit from thoughtful engagement with anthropological work on totemism and animal symbolism in a range of nonwestern societies. A thesis on archaic states might benefit from a comparative review of the role of kinship in segmentary and unitary forms of socio-political organization.

Writing about Methodology

A successful thesis should have a methodology section that not only explains the methods used, but also justifies them carefully. If, for example, your data comes from written surveys rather than ethnography, this choice requires some explanation. If your fieldwork was constrained by logistical or social considerations, these should be explained. If you chose to focus on a particular subgroup, this choice requires some background. You should also indicate your awareness of the potential pitfalls and limitations of your chosen methods. Your methodology section often appears in your introductory chapter, but in some instances, methodological issues may be addressed in an appendix. If you used surveys or an interview guide, for instance, those usually are placed in an appendix.

You may wish to include a reflexive section, clarifying your own relationship to the topic in question. Are you studying a tradition or community that you count yourself a part of? Did you begin this project with a strong draw towards, or anxiety about, the social group in question? Why?

Titling the Thesis

Your title should be precise; rather than merely gesturing at a topic ("Gender among Boston Construction Workers") it should give the reader a more precise hint of your argument or your theoretical focus (e.g. "Rebuilding Gender: Practices of Self-Fashioning among Boston Construction Workers"). In the case of sociocultural theses, it is at times helpful for the first part of the title to incorporate an especially evocative quote by one of your informants—a quote that foreshadows the central concerns of the thesis.

• Research and Funding

Department of Anthropology

Applied Thesis

The applied thesis is the major independent project that students undertake in order to complete the master's in applied anthropology. It involves completing a significant research project that will be of practical benefit to some organization or agency. Students must design and carry out a project that utilizes the skills in applied anthropology that they gained through their master's program coursework. The project has two kinds of outcomes:

• A practical application that benefits the organization or agency that is their client
• A report to the department of anthropology, submitted both as a written document (suggested length is 65-90 pages) and a verbal presentation

The applied thesis is similar to a traditional master's thesis in that it represents a substantial effort on the student's part. It is different in that the student's project will always be directed toward the needs of a client.

Some students may conduct their projects for established practicing anthropologists in their field of interest. In other cases, clients will come from another background, but they will recognize the value that the perspective of applied anthropology can bring to their organization. Clients will generally hold fairly senior positions in their organization.

In many cases, students may choose to find an organization in the community they live in. Some students who work full-time may choose to conduct their applied thesis for the organization that already employs them.

The key to a successful applied thesis experience is excellent three-way communication between the student, their faculty advisor, and their client. The department has a set of guidelines to assist everyone in building this triangular relationship. Students prepare for the applied thesis by taking ANTH 5050 Preparation for Practice and the Applied Thesis.

The Dissertation and Thesis Manual provides definitive information on preparing your dissertation or thesis: https://tsgs.unt.edu/thesis-manual

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Go big grad: leah stirrup.

Major: Anthropology, Geology, Spanish Minor: Indigenous Studies, Archaeology, Piano (FPA) Hometown: Littleton, CO

What does graduating from Nebraska mean to you? It means that I will be able to pursue a Master’s in anthropology degree at KU this coming year and become a professional archaeologist in the near future.

Transformational moments Through my anthropology courses, I was able to find a job as a Park Naturalist at Schramm State Recreation Area. From there, I created a digital museum that served as my senior thesis about the history of Schramm Park, the oldest State fish hatchery in the state of Nebraska. It encompasses 320 million years of time and incorporates my anthropology and geology majors along with my Native American studies and archaeology minors. Creating the digital museum incorporated skills from Digital Heritage Tools with Dr Richards-Rissetto where I used ArcGIS StoryMaps and ArcGIS to create an accessible database for Nebraska residents to access history of the area. The museum will be posted on the Nebraska Game and Parks Website.

Involvement 1) Nebraska swim club, 2) Lab intern in geology department, 3) geology club

Plans after graduation I will be attending the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, and obtaining a Master’s in Anthropology with a focus in geoarchaeology.

I am most looking forward to Continuing my education and learning how earth processes affect archaeological sites.

The best thing about being a Husker is all of the research opportunities professors provide and the support systems and community you can find within your major.

Thank you message Thank you to my thesis advisors and anthropology department faculty and classmates for supporting me throughout my undergrad. Having thought provoking discussions about real-world issues from an anthropological perspective has truly been eye-opening and allowed me to pursue anthropology as a career.

'My research in New Zealand boosted my confidence as a global citizen'

Milan Taylor: Anthropology & Archaeology

A&S Communications

Milan Taylor

Anthropology & Archaeology Charlotte, N.C.

What was your favorite class and why?  

My favorite class was ANTHR 2415: Anthropology of Iran taught by Prof. Seema Golestaneh. I took this class on a complete whim after having a space in my freshman fall schedule and it ended up being the class that made me want to become an anthropologist!

What is your main extracurricular activity and why is it important to you? 

My main extracurricular is serving as the president of the Magnificent Mu Gamma Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. I joined as a sophomore when I was looking to expand my campus community and commit more of my time to service and social action in the Ithaca community. Now, as the president, I have helped other young women join our organization, and both mentoring and working alongside them brings me so much pride. I am incredibly proud of our ability to forge connections between the Cornell and Ithaca communities, as well as the sisterhood that I have on campus. I would not have been able to achieve nearly as much in my personal and academic lives without the support of my sorority!

What Cornell memory do you treasure the most?        

Attending my first home hockey game is one of my favorite Cornell memories. My friends and I bought season tickets together (and I bought a jersey to wear to every game), and were thrilled to contribute to the energy at Lynah Rink. There was a bit of a learning curve in getting the jokes we make about the other team and all the rules of hockey, but we learned quickly and were participating fully by the end of that first game.

What have you accomplished as a Cornell student that you are most proud of?

I am most proud of completing my honors thesis in archaeology, titled "The Performance of Death and Dying: Memories of Early AIDS Epidemic New York City." My research was supported by my advisors, the Cornell Institute for Archaeology and Material Studies and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship. I began my independent research in the spring of my sophomore year and stuck with the same project through senior year. I feel very thankful to have had the support of my department and my advisors as I learned what it means to conduct humanities research. I am also a Laidlaw Scholar, which allowed me to live and conduct research in New Zealand during the summer of 2022. This boosted my confidence as a global citizen as I was able to apply what I was learning at Cornell to a different context and succeed. Then, once I returned to Cornell I was able to incorporate the lessons I learned both academically and personally to not only improve my own experience, but also enrich the lives of those in my various campus communities.

If you were to offer advice to an incoming first-year student, what would you say?

I would tell an incoming freshman that it's perfectly OK to come to Cornell not knowing what you want out of your major or the college experience as a whole — what's meant for you will find you.

Every year, our faculty nominate graduating Arts & Sciences students to be featured as part of our Extraordinary Journeys series.  Read more about the Class of 202 4.

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Valerie Hu: Biology & Society

A&S Communications

Biology & Society Sunnyvale, Calif.

What is your main extracurricular activity and why is it important to you? 

When I came to Cornell, I knew I wanted to get involved in initiatives that aligned with my personal values of justice and mercy and served a community beyond the one on campus. I joined the Parole Preparation Project (now Cornell University Parole Initiative) and began working with an incarcerated person in preparation for a Parole Board hearing that determines whether he can be released on parole. Along with two other student volunteers, I liaised with community partners to establish a plan for re-entry, gathered various legal and medical documents for the parole packet, and met regularly with the parole applicant in a maximum-security correctional facility to practice for his hearing. Three and a half years later, I now consider the incarcerated applicant I work with not only a teammate and coworker, but also a friend. Through working together, we have found common ground in the pursuit of justice, the importance of family and the role of faith and prayer in guiding our lives. This year, I became a teaching assistant for the Cornell Prison Education Program, going to Auburn Correctional Facility once a week to teach incarcerated students within a French club and an anthropology course, which has allowed me to explore my interests in the intersection of education and incarceration. Due to Cornell’s resources and investment in community engagement, I had the unique opportunity to work within facilities that reveal the immense inequalities in America’s criminal legal system and to play a role in working toward a more equitable world.

What Cornell memory do you treasure the most?         

The Cornell memories I treasure the most are the evenings I’ve hosted potlucks or dinners with large groups of people at my apartment because they embody the best parts of my time at Cornell: community and bringing people together. I’ve invited close friends and acquaintances from my classes, faith community, work and clubs, many of whom do not know each other and otherwise wouldn’t cross paths, and new friendships have been formed. On these evenings, my kitchen and living room are full of conversations and laughter, and the area sometimes gets so warm because of the number of people that we have to open a window even in the winter, while we share food and discover unlikely common ground.

What are the most valuable skills you gained from your Arts & Sciences education?     

I learned how to critically examine the things I see and learn, rather than take them at face value and accept the status quo. I came into college accustomed to the type of learning that consisted of knowing facts and successfully regurgitating them on a test or essay. My eyes were opened to the beauty of academic discourse and debate in one of my first classes at Cornell. For each class topic, we read multiple scientific articles that built upon each other or disagreed with one another. As we discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each scientist’s research findings, I developed critical thinking and analysis skills. I learned not to take at face value every piece of information I am given within the context of a classroom, but gained the courage and confidence to challenge and critique other viewpoints while developing my own.    

What have you accomplished as a Cornell student that you are most proud of?

While working as an investigator at the public defender’s office in D.C., I wondered about a paradoxical observation I made: that people who have had negative experiences with the police seem to call the police a lot. At the beginning of my junior year, I had the opportunity to turn that curiosity into a semester-long research paper for Professor Joseph Margulies’ Crime and Punishment class. I began interviewing young people who have had negative encounters with law enforcement about times they have called the police. The class project evolved beyond the semester into an independent study, and eventually into my senior honors thesis. I’m most proud of my research because I learned that a small seed of curiosity can grow and mature into a full-fledged thesis project. Through my thesis, I’ve been able to combine my interests in social justice with academic pursuits, and I learned how to conduct research that has implications for public policy and social change.

Who or what influenced your Cornell education the most?     

Cru has undoubtedly influenced my Cornell education more than anything else. I came into college with an abundance of questions about meaning and purpose, both generally and personally. Through the Cru community, I have become close friends with people from so many more backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences than I thought possible. Together, we have wrestled with difficult and existential questions. The diverse set of friends offering input and encouragement has been invaluable to my growth, as I figure out who I am and why I’m here. We have also supported each other through some of the most challenging times of sorrow and loss that tested the strength and genuineness of our beliefs. The Cru community has taught me to be resilient in the face of difficulties and to find hope in something bigger than myself. I learned how to allow my personal values to fuel every pursuit —academic, extracurricular, spiritual and personal — and every moment of my life, from the biggest highlights to the utterly mundane.

Every year, our faculty nominate graduating Arts & Sciences students to be featured as part of our Extraordinary Journeys series.  Read more about the Class of 202 4.

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5/17/2024 A&S Communications

Chit Sum Eunice Ngai

Anthropology Hong Kong

What was your favorite class and why?  

Collaborative Songwriting is one of my favorite classes, because it blends learning theory and practice directly to develop students’ creative voices. Each person in our class is required to write and present three songs. This both is and isn’t as scary as it sounds: at this point in the semester, we’ve completed our first two songs, and it’s been amazing to witness our musical and personal growth.

What is your main extracurricular activity and why is it important to you? 

In junior year, I worked as a research assistant on a project investigating how technology design both exacerbated — and could address — wage theft of home care workers in the U.S. Through qualitative coding analysis of interviews with home care worker and legal and payroll experts, our team studied how interlocking sociocultural, economic and political contexts manifested in the design and implementation of digital pay processes. We co-authored a paper on our findings, which will be published in the Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work. This experience gave me practice with critically examining the contexts that give rise to institutional design processes, and deeply inspired the topic for my thesis.

What have you accomplished as a Cornell student that you are most proud of?

I am most proud of researching and writing my senior honors thesis, “It’s a Worthy Job Paying People For: Home Care Workers and Clients in Tompkins County.” My thesis examines sociocultural narratives about care work in the U.S.; how these narratives have undervalued care work and influence inadequate systemic support for people in it; and how anthropological research and ethnographic documentation can make visible the important work of care workers and clients. My interviews and fieldwork focus on home care workers and their clients in Tompkins County, N.Y. Working on my thesis trained me to persist in uncertainty, overcome perfectionism through deadlines, listen actively with empathy, and so much more.

How have your beliefs or perspectives changed since you first arrived at Cornell? 

I strive to practice bravery and authenticity. Whether it’s presenting my song to a class through stage fright, or reaching out to people for anthropology research as a quiet and shy introvert, I’ve had so many opportunities to go out of my comfort zone (even when I am often forced into it for homework!) at Cornell. My teachers, classmates and friends have also inspired me to express myself with authenticity in my projects and creative assignments. These experiences have shown me how empowering and impactful living bravely and authentically can be.

Who or what influenced your Cornell education the most?  

My parents. They’ve been on my side from every niche major I’ve considered, random hobby I’ve pursued, and career path I’ve resonated with — and that’s saying a lot. Their diligence in education and life has also propelled me to make the most of every one of my learning experiences at Cornell. My college education would not have been as fruitful as it was without their abiding support and strength.   

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Anthropology and Museum Studies

Barlow award recipients.

Ashton Asbury, Primate Behavior, MS Barlow Experience: Master's thesis research, stay tuned for more details!

Carson Black, Primate Behavior, MS Barlow Experience: Master's thesis research, stay tuned for more details!

J.P. Calcitrai, Primate Behavior, MS Barlow Experience: Master's thesis research, stay tuned for more details!

Trevon Covington, Primate Behavior, MS Barlow Experience:  Master's thesis research, stay tuned for more details!

Mars Galloway, Cultural and Environmental Resource Management, MS Barlow Experience: Master's thesis research, stay tuned for more details!

Courtney Garzone, Primate Behavior, MS Barlow Experience: Master's thesis research, stay tuned for more details!

Jonah Kathlean, Anthropology Minor Barlow Experience: Documentary film, stay tuned for more details!

Miranda Maple, Anthropology, BA Barlow Experience:  Internship in Iceland, stay tuned for more details!

Jake Miller, Anthropology, BS Barlow Experience:  Cultural Resource Management Field School, stay tuned for more details!

Claire Olney, Anthropology, BS Barlow Experience:  Cultural Resource Management Field School, stay tuned for more details!

Astra Palmer, Anthropology, BS; American Indian Studies mino Barlow Experience:  Cultural Resource Management Field School The funding from the Barlow Award provided an enriching and insightful experience with anthropology! The scholarship allowed me to attend the CRM Field School, where I not only got hands on experience with the techniques and policies of archaeology, but also bonded with the other students and professors over our love and fascination for the archaeological world. Field school activities included excavations, ground surveys, GPS work, GPR work, lithic analysis, learning the details of state and federal archaeology policies, and listening to guest lectures by professional archaeologists! The overall experience has confirmed my goal to become an archaeologist and bring new insights to the science of anthropology.

David Pitchford, Primate Behavior, MS Barlow Experience: Cornell University Ornithology Workshop, stay tuned for more details!

Kate Ramos, Anthropology, BS Barlow Experience: Cultural Resource Management Field School, stay tuned for more details!

Maya Reda-Williams, Anthropology, BS Barlow Experience: Documentary film, stay tuned for more details!

Nik Simurdak, Anthropology BS; Museum Studies Minor Barlow Experience: Cultural Resource Management Field School, stay tuned for more details!

Skyler Smith, Anthropology, BA Barlow Experience: Study abroad in China, stay tuned for more details!

Rhiannon Belcher, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Research, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA I am immensely grateful as the Barlow Award helped fund part of my stay in Seattle for my master’s thesis research. During my research, I was able to study the environmental use of two different species of captive lemurs and gain valuable experience in designing and conducting my own research to help me prepare for (hopefully!) future research examining lemur behavior and cognition. Kailyn Campbell, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Research, Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR I will be observing four chimpanzees at the Oregon Zoo and recording their behaviors with the goal of developing baseline data before the introduction of a new enclosure and unfamiliar chimpanzees. With the zoo in a state of construction and transition, I will also be recording the sounds and vibrations of construction throughout. I look forward to spending time at the zoo and learning more about the chimpanzee residents! Miranda Cays, Primate Behavior & Ecology, BS Barlow Experience:  Research, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, WA The Barlow Award enabled me to continue volunteering at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, in addition to getting my first research assistant experience for an alumnus of CWU's Primate Behavior program. Because of my time at CSNW, I've learned to prepare and serve meals, clean enclosures, prepare enrichment, and safely interact with the chimpanzees. Getting to build relationships with each of them has been a very rewarding process that I plan to continue over the next year. Through my work as a research assistant I gained experience digitizing records and insight into the research process. Both of these experiences have helped me develop my résumé and have made it possible for me to begin pursuing my own undergraduate research project. Elizabeth Coggeshall, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Research, Thailand The Barlow grant was instrumental in conducting my master’s research in Panah, Thailand. My research focuses on the relationship between maternal investment behaviors in long-tailed macaques and variable parasitic loads in offspring. The opportunity to afford to conduct my research in another country yields more benefits than just scientific research. I learned so much about Thai culture and Buddhism, which taught me about friendship and kindness in a way I have never experienced here in America. Creating relationships and experiencing different cultures is so crucial for learning and understanding others. My summer was indescribable - I was surrounded by the kindest people, the pluckiest monkeys, the most beautiful cultures, and unfathomable scientific opportunity. And those experiences definitely allowed me to learn a thing or two about myself! I am deeply thankful for this scientific and cultural opportunity that the Barlow award allowed me to achieve.  Bradley Esparza, Anthropology BS; Forensics Certificate Barlow Experience: Bioarchaeology Field School, Salango, Ecuador I spent three weeks in the August of 2019 working as a student in Prof. Nicole Jastremski’s Bioarch field school, located at the Museo de Salango in coastal Ecuador. Though I have traveled to Europe several times, this was my first time traveling to South America. We stayed in cabañas inside the museum compound. We worked in the labratorio and had our meals in the comedor in the building next door. Local women came in to cook our meals, so the food was always fresh. Human burials and cultural objects uncovered before a planned factory expansion back in the 1980s was the focus of our research at the field school. As a group we had two weekend outings, one to La Isla de Plata to look at blue footed boobies and humpback whales, and down the coast to the communa of Valdivia, where the oldest ceramic culture (5,000 BCE) was found in coastal Ecuador, and the nearby tourist town of Montañita. Qion Green, Museum Studies Minor Barlow Experience: Intern, Northwest African American Museum During my Barlow experience I was able to be a participating member of NAAM as well as become part of the NAAMily. My Barlow experience allowed me to gain hands-on experience working in a museum not only as a Museum Studies minor but as a Business major as well. Being able to complete my internship with NAAM has helped be build upon my studies and build relationships with people from  my community. Sydney Haglund, Anthropology BS; Forensics Certificate Barlow Experience: Bioarchaeology Field School, Salango, Ecuador This summer I had the opportunity to analyze prehistoric human skeletal remains down in coastal Ecuador. I gained invaluable hands-on experience in the different methods and techniques used in bioarchaeology. I am extremely grateful for the financial support provided by the Pete and Sandra Barlow Award, as this opportunity would not have been possible without it. This was definitely the highlight of my summer! Nik Harkins, Anthropology BS; Museum Studies Minor Barlow Experience: Cultural Resource Management Field School, WA The Barlow Award allowed me to attend the Anthropology Department’s Cultural Resource Management (CRM) field school during the summer of the 2018-2019 school year. This opportunity was more than I could have imagined, as the field school was weeks of intensive, hands-on learning. We did the work someone in the CRM field would do; recording archaeological sites and site data, processing map data, building site profiles, and even excavation! Most of this material I had read about or learned about through other classes, but there’s nothing quite like doing it in person and getting a sense for what jobs in the field are actually like. Without the Barlow Award, I would not have had this opportunity, and I would not know just how much I love archaeology and CRM. It was an opportunity I have never before had the chance to partake in and it cannot be overstated just how much I loved the experience and how much I learned. I am incredibly grateful for the chance to attend field school and am thankful to the Barlow Award for enabling this opportunity for me. Shaun Mayo, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Research, Duke Lemur Center, NC This summer I collected data for my master’s thesis at the Duke Lemur Center to identify if individuals showed hand preferences for certain types of food in their diet. With the Barlow Award, I was not only able to cover the cost of travel but also research fees for the entirety of my time at the DLC. I am grateful to Pete and Sandra Barlow for their generosity in funding my research and allowing me the opportunity to study such a unique species of primate. Emily Patton, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Research, Wildlife Waystation, CA I set out at the beginning of this summer to conduct my graduate thesis research at Wildlife Waystation, home to over 400 animals in the Angeles National Forest in California. I collected behavioral data on nine chimpanzee residents to assess how they responded to their human caregivers’ behavior during informal interactions like grooming or playing. I am curious to see whether the chimps responded differentially to their caregivers using either human-like or chimp-like behaviors during these interactions and whether their early life experiences and exposure to humans had an impact on their responses. I am very eager to analyze the data and share my results. I hope that this research will help us better understand the relationships between humans and nonhumans and discover new ways to improve the welfare of captive chimpanzees.   Roxanne Sanders, Primate Behavior & Ecology BS; Anthropology BS Barlow Experience: Biodiversity of Bhutan Field School, Bhutan While participating in the Biodiversity of Bhutan field school with Dr. Sheeran and Dr. Barlow I was not only given the opportunity to turn my primatology and cultural anthropology knowledge into hands-on experience but was taught many new skills in the field of conservation biology and wildlife ecology by numerous experts from Bhutan as well. Participating in this field school really helped me improve myself both academically and personally, as I learned many new things that will accentuate my career goals and career path, along with many new things about myself and the cultures outside of my own. I was given the opportunity to grow in many ways during this field school, and my appreciation for everyone and everything incorporated will continue to thrive in my heart always. I am and always will be thankful for being able to participate in this incredible program. Leah Shenyer, Anthropology BA Barlow Experience: Archaeological Field School, OR When I signed up for this field school, I did not know what I was getting myself into. I was nervous because this was going to be a six-week camping trip in the middle of high desert Oregon. Once the excavation was opened, the screening pit set up, and the computer station running, we were assigned a partner and unit and got to work. We were taught how to dig, record artifacts in our paperwork, what to keep on the screen, and how to enter artifacts into the electronic database. Once we got to the bottom of the excavation, we did profiles of all the walls and took samples for soil and botanical research. Out of all the possible outcomes of this experience, I never thought at the end of the six weeks that I would find myself hesitant to leave the new family I have grown to love. I never would have had the opportunity to have this amazing experience without the Barlow scholarship, I do not know to thank them enough. Maddie Spencer, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Research, South Africa I spent this past summer in Phalaborwa, South Africa at the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (C.A.R.E.) to collect observational data for my master’s thesis. C.A.R.E. is home to over 450 chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) whose lives started traumatically after losing their mothers and sometimes their entire troops. During my time at the center, I was able to observe a troop of captive chacma baboons who are awaiting re-introduction to the wild. My goal here was to provide new information to other rehabilitation sites on the benefits this process has in regard to the ultimate goal of re-introduction into the wild. My time at C.A.R.E. provided me with so many great experiences and learning opportunities. Being able to observe the individuals on a regular basis was so beneficial in helping me to learn each individual’s identity, behavior, and idiosyncrasies. It was amazing to observe how they interacted with each other and begin to understand their social system. Beyond observations, I was able to talk to management and learn from their shared experiences. I am incredibly grateful to have received the Barlow Award as it aided in helping me have this experience that taught me so many lessons, that I will carry for years to come.  Mallory Triplett, Cultural and Environmental Resource Management, MS Barlow Experience: Archaeological Research, Columbia Plateau in Kittitas and Yakima counties The funding that I received from this award allowed me to conduct the fieldwork necessary to complete my Master’s research.  My fieldwork over the summer included going to several different locations on the Columbia Plateau in search of a unique type of rock used to create prehistoric stone tools. During this process, I worked with locals and professionals who have extensive knowledge in the area in order to locate and record these unique rocks and feel fortunate to have had this experience.

Erica Beck, Anthropology BS, Museum Studies Minor Barlow Experience: CWU Archaeological Field School

This experience was amazing. I have always dreamed of doing an archaeological field school and receiving the Barlow award helped me to achieve this dream. It was so surreal. I experienced and learned so much in addition to meeting new people, and the Barlow award allowed this opportunity to be possible for me.

Sofía I. Castro-Loza, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Ethnoprimatology of Urban Cebus albifrons: An Evaluation of Human-Nonhuman Interactions and Local Perceptions in Misahullí, Ecuador

Having the opportunity to conduct my thesis research in South America is definitely the highlight of my studies to this day. I got to immerse myself in the culture of people from Waorani and Kichwa decent and their perception of the monkeys that live in their town all while studying the interactions that urban white capuchin monkeys have with locals and tourists that visit Puerto Misahuallí. I am very grateful to have received the Pete & Sandra Barlow Award because it made it possible for me to spend a month and a half in la amazonía, Ecuador studying the human-nonhuman interface.

Grace Coffman, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Visiting Intern Program, Fauna Foundation and data collection for thesis entitled "The Effect of Sound on Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)"

This summer I traveled to Quebec, Canada to intern at the Fauna Foundation. It has been an amazing and invaluable experience, where I have been able to participate in husbandry tasks like preparing meals and enrichment. I have also been collecting data for my master's thesis, which focuses on the effect of sound on chimpanzees. The Barlow Award assisted in paying for internship and equipment fees, while also giving me the opportunity to stay at the Fauna Foundation for an additional two months. I am endlessly grateful to Pete and Sandra Barlow for their generosity in funding my time here, it has been amazing!

Nakita Hesketh, Anthropology BA; Primate Behavior & Ecology BS Barlow Experience: Internship at Riverside Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, South Africa

My internship at Riverside was an incredible experience. It enabled me to work closely with baboons and vervet monkeys and taught me valuable captive husbandry skills. Working with the monkeys and meeting people from all over the world was amazing and I will never forget my time spent there. If it weren't for the Barlow Award, I would not have had the funds to participate in this exotic internship, so thank you!

Ruth Linsky, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Orangutan STR DNA Analysis

The Barlow Award allowed me to complete this microsatellite marker fingerprinting analysis as a part of my master’s research into the genetic relatedness within a wild population of Bornean orangutans. Without these funds, this important part of my thesis work would not have been possible. Many thanks to the Barlow's and the department for granting these funds and making this work possible.

Keenan O’Brien, Anthropology BS Barlow Experience: CWU Cultural Resource Management Archaeology Field School

Through conducting archaeological fieldwork over the summer of 2018, I was able to gain a much better understanding of the field of archeology as it is practiced today. It was a great pleasure to learn about prehistoric native populations in the Central Washington area, and the experience could be quite powerful at times. It was also the experience of working with my fellow students that strengthened my ability to work as a team, especially in building and maintaining team member cohesion. Through this field school, I was able to determine a much more clear path for my future in archaeology.

Rachel E. Parrish, Anthropology BA Barlow Experience: CWU Forensic Anthropology Field School

During this field school, I got to experience what a job on a forensic case is like both in the field and in the lab. I learned and practiced techniques with excavation, mapping, and documentation, and in the lab, I was able to gain practice in research, observation, and organization in a forensic setting. At the end of this field school, I was able to present the findings of my group, doing our best to explain our project in a manner that was both understandable and thorough, as it would need to be in an official forensic context. The rigors of this field school barely scrape the surface of the intensity of forensic anthropology, but there is nothing quite like hands-on learning!

Caroline Rowley, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Acoustic Analysis of Nomascus Songs as a Potential Measure of Current Health Status

My research at the Endangered Primate Rescue Center in Vietnam was a valuable experience. Over three months, I was able to collect over one hundred complete song bouts from the individuals I studied. I look forward to analyzing these songs and completing my project! As an emerging researcher, the opportunity to conduct my own research and make adjustments in the field has been a worthwhile experience. Additionally, forming connections with other conservationists and researchers who have similar or complimentary interests will be beneficial in future projects and collaborations. The Pete and Sandra Barlow award funded my housing as well as some of the necessary equipment for my research. I’m extremely grateful for their support in making my field experience possible!

Alexandra Sacco, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: An Evaluation of Individual Health Status in Free-Ranging Sympatric Saguinus imperator and Leontocebus weddelli Using Urinary Neopterin Levels and Blood Chemistry Analysis

This summer I was able to collect and analyze samples in the Peruvian Amazon to evaluate health trends in two species of tamarins. The Barlow Award was incredibly helpful to me in acquiring the lab supplies necessary to collect these data abroad.

Destiny Towery, Anthropology BS Barlow Experience: Independent research project at a burial site in Salango, Ecuador

Without the Barlow award, I would not have been able to travel down to Ecuador. Since the trip was out of pocket for me, my financial situation would not have allowed me to participate in the amazing experience I had outside of the country. This was my first time out of the country and my first time being able to do hands-on work in my field of interest, which made it an invaluable opportunity.

Elizabeth Cook, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: OPR Coastal Primate Sanctuary Internship I was an intern at OPR Coastal Primate Sanctuary in Longview, WA. I assisted the founders/caregivers with cleaning, feeding, and enrichment. I also assisted with picking up two new macaques that were retired to OPR and getting them settled in their new home. With these two additions, OPR currently houses 17 primates (mostly macaques). This was a fantastic experience and I learned a lot about captive macaque behavior and caring for primates in a sanctuary setting. The Barlow Award covered tuition and transport allowing me to focus on learning. Kailie Dombrausky, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Visiting Intern Program at Fauna Foundation, Quebec, Canada This summer I traveled to Canada where I spent ten weeks interning at a chimpanzee sanctuary. I gained valuable hands-on experience as a chimpanzee caregiver, including cleaning and preparing meals and enrichment. I also learned about chimpanzee behavior and collected data for a research project on enrichment use. The Barlow Award covered a portion of the costs, which allowed for this amazing opportunity. Jake Funkhouser, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Chimpanzee-Caregiver Relationships and Dominance Hierarchy Analyses at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest This study investigated an aging population of seven chimpanzees who were retired from biomedical research. This group of chimpanzees is especially interesting because of their unique group composition, varying life histories, and important connections with human caregivers. Specifically, this project looked at the social relationships within the chimpanzee and chimpanzee-caregiver societies to aid in sanctuary policy, husbandry, and expansion, as well as investigate the theoretical underpinnings and statistical representations of dominance relationships in this unique group of chimpanzees. Receiving the 2017 Pete & Sandra Barlow Award has been instrumental in carrying out my master's thesis research at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Because of this support, I've been able to focus on collecting this data without financial strain. This project, along with other projects supported by the Barlow Award (2015/2016), has enabled my continued investigation of captive primate welfare while challenging and developing my research ability; doing so will make me a more competitive applicant for Ph.D. programs and ensure I'm able to perpetuate the understanding of dynamic primate systems (social, structural, welfare and otherwise). Thank you to Pete and Sandra Barlow for their continued support of my education and research! Josefine Holms, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Single- and Pair-Housed Chacma Baboons' (Papio ursinus) Response to Caregivers' Use of Species-Specific Behaviors This project was conducted at the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (C.A.R.E.) in the Limpopo province in South Africa. The Pete and Sandra Barlow award helped ensure that I could pay for the equipment used during my research and provided some of the funds used towards lodging during my stay, and therefore was a vital component of my research. I spent eight weeks observing four captive Chacma baboons and their interactions with caretakers at the site. I am trying to determine if these interactions can be altered and adjusted to ensure the highest poosible welfare for captive Chacma baboons. Darian Johnson, Anthropology BA; Law and Justice, BA Barlow Experience: Archaeological field work in coastal Ecuador This field school was a wonderful opportunity to go out into the real world and learn new techniques that are difficult to practice in a classroom setting. We worked in groups to learn how to identify, document, map and excavate an actual archaeological site. Along the way, we also ran into several obstacles that we needed to overcome, such as language barriers, cultural differences, and very large spiders. But over the 6 weeks we learned how to adapt to these new challenges to complete out work more effectively. All in all, it was an incredible learning experience. Unfortunately, flying to another country for a field school is quite expensive. I wasn't sure that I would have enough money to go on this trip, but thanks to the Pete & Sandra Barlow award, I was able to comfortably afford the chance to participate in this fantastic field school. Samantha Jones, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Interspecies comparisons of captive gibbons' (Hylobatidae) intra-pair behaviors indicative of the pair bond This research took place at the Gibbon Conservation Center in Santa Clarita, California. I focused on the interactions between mated adult pairs. This is important research to help conservation efforts in programs that want to release gibbons back into the wild. The Pete and Sandra Barlow award aided in these conservation efforts by making this research possible. It covered research fees and housing at the center. I am so grateful for this award so I could conduct my research. Ruth Linsky, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Camp Leakey Relatedness, Orangutan Genetics at Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia Thanks to the Barlow Award, I was able to purchase critical genetics kits, reagents, and equipment to employ a cutting-edge methodology utilizing passively collected fecal samples and next-generation sequencing. These funds allowed me to begin work on perfecting and verifying the methods towards my master's research to acquire an unprecedented level of detail into individual orangutans' genomes and insight into the population of critically endangered orangutans at the world famous, Camp Leakey. Kristín Ocasio-Rodriguez, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Adult male-immature relationships and stress in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) I feel privileged to have worked with the rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) of Cayo Santiago in my homeland, Puerto Rico. I studied how adult male-immature relationships may be related to stress behavior indicators (e.g., scratches). The Caribbean Primate Center's fees are far from my budget, and I also had to pay for many other things while there (e.g., meals and lodging). The Barlow Award made my project's budget more bearable. I am grateful to be a recipient of this award that helped me to complete my fieldwork. Amanda Osborne, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Enrichment Assessment for Geriatric Old World Monkeys Under Human Care For this research, I collected observational, behavioral data from geriatric and young monkeys including Allen's swamp monkeys, De Brazza's monkeys and mandrills. I observed these monkeys for eight weeks at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Oregon. During this extended period of time, I was able to stay near the zoo to conduct research, due to the funding of the 2017 Pete and Sandra Barlow Scholarship. Thank you! Blanca Ponce, Primate Behavior MS Barlow Experience: Preparing the Yucatan black howler monkey for its return to the wild and assessment of Wildtrack's approach to rehabilitation and release I am eternally grateful to Pete and Sandra Barlow for their generosity. This award contributed to my very first field excursion and helped me further develop my skills as a primatologist. Pete and Sandra Barlow's award also contributed to Wildtrack's conservation efforts in Belize and helped to provide a better quality of life for monkeys that have been victims of the illegal pet trade.

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Shenlong Wang wins NSF CAREER award to create AI systems that can imagine hypothetical scenarios in the physical world

5/16/2024 Jenny Applequist

Written by Jenny Applequist

Counterfactual scenarios will be simulated to predict the outcomes of different courses of action.

Computer Science and Coordinated Science Lab professor Shenlong Wang at The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award to support the creation of AI systems that can make digital twins—that is, digital replicas—of the physical world that are capable of simulating counterfactual “what-if” scenarios, enabling users to assess the potential outcomes of actions if they are carried out in the real world.

To do so, he will need to create digital replicas with a greater “understanding” of the world than current systems, making it possible for them to “imagine” unseen scenarios rather than just represent things they’ve already observed.

Wang explained that the developed tools will be able to produce high-quality imagery with applications in the entertainment industry and in virtual and augmented reality—but, more importantly, that they could also have a “very helpful and very profound impact in the real world.”

He said the “twin worlds” will act like the real world, providing realistic observations. “The agent can then use these realistic observations to take multiple different actions and then return it to the twin world, and then the twin world can generate multiple expected outcomes. Then, we can decide which outcome we want. And then we can transfer this insight to help the agent make the right decision in the real world.”

There are multiple reasons why such a capability would be highly desirable. It would allow users to try out dangerous actions—say, new surgical techniques—in a risk-free way. It would make it possible to see what happens in scenarios for which little data are available, such as situations that are rare in real life—for example, what happens to a city’s water distribution infrastructure during a 100-year flood—without having to wait for such scenarios to happen in reality. Further, because virtual time can run much faster than real-time, models can be run forward to predict the long-term consequences of actions, even decades into the future.

“If computers can help us to make more informed predictions, we essentially have a time machine,” said Wang. “We might be able to see what’s going on in the next century!”

This diagram shows how hypothetical scenarios can be run through the world’s digital twin (right side), allowing users to “rehearse” multiple proposed solutions in the virtual world before choosing one to apply in the real world (left side).

Wang will consider two use cases in the project. One of them is autonomous driving, which is familiar territory for him. Before joining Illinois' faculty, he worked as a research scientist at Uber, building simulators to test self-driving vehicles’ safety. His second use case will be climate risk assessment for agriculture. For that, the shorter-term goal is to determine things like carbon emission levels based on ordinary mobile phone photographs of a soybean field; in the longer-term, the more ambitious goal is to gain such insights from satellite imagery.

Wang said that he’s particularly happy about the planned education and outreach components of his project. He anticipates that the strong visual appeal of the work and the excitement of being able to create one’s own virtual world will be attractive to young people. While studying computer vision and machine learning normally starts with a lot of intimidating math, he plans to offer an immersive initial experience to make this area more approachable to K through 12 schoolchildren.

Wang's Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award to Digitize and Simulate the Large Physical World via Knowledge-Grounded Scene Representation is the NSF's most prestigious award in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.

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This story was published May 16, 2024.