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Associate Professor Dr. Joe Hefner and Ph.D. Candidate Micayla Spiros co-publish in the University of Florida Press’ Forensic Anthropology Journal
Department of Anthropology Associate Professor Dr. Joe Hefner and Ph.D. Candidate Micayla Spiros and co-authors Sherry Nakhaeizadeh, Tim J.U. Thompson, Ruth M. Morgan, Viktor Olsson, Alexandra Berivoe, and Martin Arvidsson published their work in the University of Florida Press’ Forensic Anthropology Journal. The article is titled “Using Eye-Tracking Technology to Quantify the Effect of Experience and Education on Forensic Anthropological Analyses.” The article discusses how the human interpretation of analytical outputs is a significant challenge in forensic science, making it vital to explore the application of protocols as we enhance our practices. This study assesses decision making in forensic anthropological…
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Associate Professor Dr. Masako Fujita co-authors article in Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health
Department of Anthropology Associate Professor Dr. Masako Fujita and co-authors Katherine Wander, Siobhan Mattison, Blandina Mmbaga and others publish in Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health. The article is titled “Tradeoffs in milk immunity affect infant infectious disease risk.” The article discusses research on milk immune activity, a new area of research, among almost 100 breastfeeding mother–infant dyads in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The study used a new lab-based technique and described how mothers’ milk differed in their immune responses to some bacteria, and followed the infants to see whether those receiving milk with stronger responses in lab were less likely to develop infectious diseases. They found support for this with…
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Assistant Professor Dr. Lucero Radonic, Ph.D. Candidate Cara Jacob, alumna Dr. Rowen Kalman, and community partner Yvonne Lewis co-publish in Case Studies in the Environment
Department of Anthropology Assistant Professor Dr. Lucero Radonic, Ph.D. Candidate Cara Jacob, alumna Dr. Rowen Kalman, and community partner Yvonne Lewis co-publish in Case Studies in the Environment. The article is titled “Questionable Quality: Using Photovoice to Document Women’s Experiences of Water Insecurity in Flint, USA.” The article discusses a Flint, Michigan based community-based participatory research project documenting grassroots narratives about the impacts of water insecurity on the lives of women. Read the full article at: https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2022.1706476 Abstract: “Household water insecurity is a global problem; one not escaped by residents of high-income nations. In this article, we review a community-based…
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MSU Anthropology Undergraduate Spotlight: Senior Jackson Schooley
“I’ve made life-long friends that I have met in my Anthropology classes,” said senior Jackson Schooley, who graduated May 2022 with a degree in Anthropology. A lifelong learner of language and people, Jackson found the human-centric discipline in the MSU Department of Anthropology to be a perfect marriage of his interests. “Anthropology gives us a unique role to play in the fight against injustices: one characterized by empathy, curiosity, and a deep understanding of the ways contemporary issues intersect with other aspects of our lives and identities.” Schooley sees his major as a tool that can help address the things…
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MSU Anthropology professor receives Fulbright Scholarship for linguistic anthropology research in France
Dr. Chantal Tetreault, MSU Department of Anthropology associate professor, received a Fulbright Scholarship to research Arabic language education and policy in Paris, France, for six months. Dr. Tetreault’s academic background is linguistic and cultural anthropology, and her research focuses on the connection between language change and cultural change. In past research, she has focused on youth in France of Algerian or North African descent. “Some of the basic kinds of principles that I work with regarding language practices have to do with social identity, notions about belonging, social exclusion, and particularly as they relate to gender and ethnicity,” she said. …
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MSU Campus Archaeology Program assists with replacement of a WWI veteran’s plaque on campus
MSU recognizes former student, WWI veteran ahead of Memorial Day University corrects name on plaque, hosts private rededication ceremony As the nation honors the sacrifices of the veterans who have fought for its freedoms and made the ultimate sacrifice, Michigan State University is honoring the legacy of one Spartan veteran in particular for his lasting impact on campus. World War I veteran Cosmer Magnus Leveaux served in the U.S. Army as Corporal, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 119th Field Artillery, 32nd Division. Leveaux was a student in forestry and part of the class of 1918. He enlisted in the Army on…
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Announcing the Retirement of Joan Reid, Department of Anthropology Academic Program Coordinator
Joan Reid is retiring from Michigan State University after 32 years, having served in three other campus roles before becoming the Academic Program Coordinator for the Department of Anthropology in 2015. Reid plays an invaluable role in helping Anthropology graduate students matriculate through the program, assisting them from their prospective student visits all the way until graduation. In her role as Academic Program Coordinator, Reid keeps graduate students informed of important deadlines and program requirements, assists with paperwork and department procedures, compiles reports, maintains academic and personnel files for graduate students, and provides key support to the department chair, graduate…
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Ph.D. Students Emily Milton and Jeff Burnett Awarded Department Funding for Research in Archaeology
We are happy to announce the award recipients for the Department of Anthropology Archaeology Fellowships. Ph.D. student Emily Milton received funding from the William A. Lovis Research Fund in Environmental Archaeology, the Lynne Goldstein Fellowship, and the Alumni and Friends Expendable Fund for Archaeology; and Ph.D. student Jeff Burnett received funding from the Lynne Goldstein Fellowship. Each of the funds support archaeology students in the Department of Anthropology at MSU: for the Alumni and Friends Expendable Fund for Archaeology, the fund is intended to encourage archaeology students who have demonstrated the capacity to achieve educational and professional goals, the motivation…
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MSU Anthropology professor and undergraduate participate in Smithsonian global oyster study
Dr. Sanchez, MSU Department of Anthropology assistant professor, and his colleague Dr. Michael Grone, California Department of Parks and Recreation, contributed to the global study of Indigenous oyster fisheries, which synthesized over a century of archaeological findings from the San Francisco Bay Area. The synthesis of these data was supported by MSU Anthropology major Emily Westfall. “I participated in the research to contribute to reimagining Indigenous-environmental relationships, specifically Indigenous fisheries, within archaeological, biological, and ecological literature,” Dr. Sanchez said. “So often, Indigenous relationships with culturally important species, such as oysters, are often minimized. I believe it is critical to center…
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MSU alum named Executive Director of the Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan
In September 2021, the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan (HLCOM) named MSU alumna Dr. Isabel Montemayor-Vazquez the executive director, and she began her role that same month. Dr. Montemayor-Vazquez received both her master’s and doctorate’s degrees from the MSU Department of Anthropology. “I was interested in this position because it marries my political science background and applied activist driven anthropology background perfectly,” Dr. Montemayor-Vazquez said. “In this position, I can advocate for the needs of the community, work with non-profit organizations serving the Latinx community, train different state agencies on structural and systemic inequities, and most importantly, contribute to policy change.”…