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New study reveals how breastfeeding mothers adapt to environmental stress
Can a mother’s body protect her breast milk even if she is malnourished? Yes. In her new study, Dual Behavioral–Physiological Buffering of Mothers’ Milk Facilitates Drought Adaptability of Pastoralists and Agropastoralists in Northern Kenya, Dr. Masako Fujita examines how environmental challenges—like drought—affect the nutrition and health of 221 breastfeeding mothers living in northern Kenya. “During a severe drought, we found that mothers protect both their own nutrition and the nutrients in their breast milk—safeguarding their babies—through a combination of social support, behavioral choices, and biological responses,” Fujita said. By Louise Henderson
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MSU helps advance efforts to reduce ligament injury in dog knee replacements
An unexpected collaboration between forensic anthropologists and veterinarians could help reduce ligament injuries during total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries in dogs. Dr. Joe Hefner, a forensic anthropologist, and Savannah Holcombe, a doctoral student at Michigan State University (MSU), partnered with researchers from MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Cambridge Veterinary School to improve the accuracy of identifying collateral ligament attachment points in dogs. Their goal is to enhance surgical planning by providing orthopedic veterinarians with more precise imaging and anatomical reference points. Hefner explained many TKRs in dogs are less successful due to the limited visibility of the lateral and…
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Anthropology researchers examine COVID-19’s ongoing impact on families and nations
A new open-access publication features the work of Dr. Heather Howard, associate professor of anthropology at Michigan State University, and MSU doctoral candidate Priyanka Jayakodi. The book, titled Covid’s Chronicities: From Urgency to Stasis in a Pandemic Era, examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved from a global emergency to a state of chronic unpredictability. Drawing on research from across five continents, the volume documents the pandemic’s continuing impact on health systems, economies and communities, while also highlighting the creativity and resilience of local responses. The full publication is available as a free PDF. By Louise Henderson
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Discovery of ancient wolf mandibles links the Illinois Hopewell to Michigan
The discovery of two 2,000-year-old modified wolf mandibles has provided new insight linking the Illinois Hopewell to southern Michigan. Professor Emeritus Dr. William Lovis of the Department of Anthropology at Michigan State University and the late Maurice O. Haag published an article in Illinois Archaeology, “Cut and Polished Wolf Mandible Segments from the Quanicassee River Drainage, Michigan,” revealing evidence that connects these artifacts to the Illinois Hopewell. Lovis said the mandibles were intentionally modified in a style used by the Illinois Hopewell, a Native American civic and ceremonial complex that existed in the Midwest before European contact, particularly in Ohio and…
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Anthropology doctoral student Gungun Islam wins Shao Chang Lee Award
Gungun Islam, an anthropology doctoral student, won first place in the 2024-2025 Shao Chang Lee Best Paper Competition. Islam said receiving this award was a ‘powerful reminder’ that her research is significant. “It’s rewarding to see my hard work, long hours of research, and emotional investment in the topic recognized in such a tangible way,” she said. “It reaffirmed that the questions I am exploring and the lens I bring to my research are contributing something valuable to broader conversations.” Shaped by her everyday experiences, Islam’s decision to pursue a graduate degree in anthropology grew from her curiosity to understand how…
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From Passion to Purpose: Adena Norwood’s Inspiring Journey to Commencement Speaker
It’s one of those rare warm and sunny days in early April when I meet Adena Norwood for the first time. The sky is perfectly blue, and for a minute, I remember why I enjoy living in Michigan. As I walk into a local East Lansing coffee shop, I hear the barista call Adena’s name. I wave and introduce myself. I’m instantly drawn to her bubbly energy, authentic smile and poised demeanor as she welcomes me to a table in the corner for us to talk. Immediately, I see why Adena was selected by the Dean’s Student Advisory Council…
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MSU to create first-of-its-kind database for analyzing human remains
When a medical examiner needs help identifying a deceased person and determining how that person died, they turn to forensic anthropologists. To aid in the identification of unknown human remains, forensic anthropologists are often called upon to create a biological profile, or an estimation of the unknown individual’s age, biological sex, social race (or ancestry) and stature. If you’ve watched the TV show, “Bones,” in which the FBI teams up with a forensic anthropologist to solve federal cases that may involve murder and human skeletal remains, you have some familiarity with the field of forensic anthropology. However, the real work…
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Anthropology student wins Outstanding Student Award for Undergraduate Research
Melissa Teja, a junior majoring in anthropology, started her journey at Michigan State University (MSU) seeking a communications degree. But after taking Introduction to Archaeology and participating in a study abroad field school in Belize her freshmen year, something changed her mind. “I cannot think of a month that went better for me, where I was constantly covered in dirt and bugs,” she said. “I loved it.” Two years later, the College of Social Science’s Dean’s Student Advisory Council named Teja the recipient of the 2025 Undergraduate Research Award. “Archaeology and anthropology involve listening to people’s stories through data and…
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Spartan Spotlight: Claire Siegert
Last week, we had the opportunity to visit Dr. Monir Moniruzzaman’s Medical Anthropology class during student presentations. Claire Siegert, a sophomore anthropology student, and her group presented on a case study discussing global health issues and programs. Discover her story and learn how this class broadened her perspectives. What interested you about obtaining a degree in anthropology? When I started at MSU I hadn’t thought I would be obtaining a degree in anthropology. It had been a lifelong interest, but I didn’t know much about it as a career path or the sort of research it involved. I started at…
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MSU forensic anthropologists use AI to enhance and accelerate human identification
An interdisciplinary team comprising of faculty and doctorial students from the Department of Anthropology and Computer Science and Engineering, have found a way to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help forensic anthropologists identify individuals faster and more efficiently. Members of the Michigan State University Forensic Anthropology Lab (MSUFAL), including Dr. Carolyn Isaac, Dr. Todd Fenton, Dr. Joseph Hefner, and doctoral student Alexis VanBaarle, co-authored a new study which analyzed over 5,000 chest radiographs, identifying different regions of interest (ROIs) that aid in identifying a person. The study used deep neural networks, a type of AI program, which allow for…