-
Society of Antiquaries elects first MSU professor Dr. Ethan Watrall as fellow
By Katie Nicpon The Society of Antiquaries elected Dr. Ethan Watrall, associate professor in the Michigan State University Department of Anthropology, as a fellow. The Society of Antiquaries was founded in 1707, and represents the oldest learned and prominent scholarly society focusing on heritage and archaeology. The society’s 3,000 elected members include some of the most prominent scholars and professionals in heritage and archaeology such as national museum directors, curators, directors of heritage preservation trusts and non-profits, and members of the UK parliament. Dr. Watrall is the first MSU professor to have ever been granted this distinction, only the fourth…
-
Alumna Assistant Professor Dr. Susan Kooiman (SIU- Edwardsville), Professor Emerita Dr. Lynne Goldstein, Professor Emeritus Dr. William Lovis and MSU Geography Professor Dr. Alan Arbogast publish in Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology
Alumna Assistant Professor Dr. Susan Kooiman (SIU- Edwardsville), Professor Emerita Dr. Lynne Goldstein, Professor Emeritus Dr. William Lovis and MSU Geography Professor Dr. Alan Arbogast publish in Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology. This collaborative paper, titled, “The Precontact Archaeology of the Michigan State University Campus and the Campus Archaeology Program (CAP)”, presents the origins and role of the MSU CAP, and in doing so frames the diverse knowledge bases and intellectual partnerships through which the indigenous pre-EuroAmerican occupation of what is now the MSU campus is currently known. Drawing on oral accounts, MSU Museum collections, CAP excavations, and linkages with the landscape evolution…
-
Anthropology undergraduate Levi Webb: Passion for the stars and the people below them
Levi Webb with other summer MSU Archaeology Field School students. Photo courtesy of Levi Webb. Levi Webb’s academic advisor suggested he add a minor in computational modeling or mathematics, a more “typical” pathway for an astrophysics major, but after taking anthropology-based ISS courses on different cultures and perspectives, Webb decided to follow his passion. “As someone who earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma in high school and, thus, came to MSU with a considerable amount of credits, I ambitiously decided to fully major in a second field that (for the most part) has nothing in common with my first field of…
-
Assistant Professor Dr. Kurt Rademaker publishes in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
Department of Anthropology Assistant Professor Dr. Kurt Rademaker and co-authors Gordon Bromley (lead-author), Aaron Putnam, Brenda Hall, Holly Thomas, Allie Balter-Kennedy, Stephen Barker, and Donald Rice publish in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface. The article, titled, “Lateglacial Shifts in Seasonality Reconcile Conflicting North Atlantic Temperature Signals” presents glacial geologic evidence from Scotland revealing patterns of late Pleistocene (Ice Age) climatic change during the Younger Dryas interval (12,900-11,700 years ago). These results improve understanding of the mechanisms of ocean-atmosphere circulation that operate across the North Atlantic region. Read the full article at: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JF006951 Abstract: The accelerating flux of glacial meltwater to the oceans due to global warming…
-
Featured Staff, Roxanne Moran
The Department of Anthropology is delighted to feature Roxanne Moran, who has been working in the department for sixteen years. Roxanne began her career at Michigan State University in March 2001. She initially worked as a teller in the Cashier’s office, then moved to Contracts & Grants. In 2006, Roxanne joined the Department of Anthropology as an Office Assistant III. Since then, she has been helping the faculty, staff, and students of the Anthropology department with various tasks such as handling the accounting and student payroll processes as well as processing expense and travel reimbursements within the department. Roxanne also…
-
New Graduate Program Director, Dr. Stacey Camp
The Department of Anthropology is pleased to announce that Associate Professor and the Director of the MSU Campus Archaeology Program, Dr. Stacey Camp is our new Graduate Program Director. Dr. Camp sees this as an excellent opportunity to get to know incoming students and help graduate students navigate their academic programs. Dr. Camp has been in administrative roles since 2013. She enjoys solving problems and finding solutions for her colleagues, staff, and students and the opportunity to promote what her students and colleagues are doing to the wider university audience. Dr. Camp joined MSU as an associate professor of anthropology in 2017, but…
-
Department of Anthropology Graduate Student Publications: 2022
Graduate students in the Department of Anthropology are often able to begin publishing their research in academic journals before graduating. Congratulations to our graduate students on their publications in 2022! The names of the graduate students are in bold, and the names of Anthropology faculty members are underlined. Biggs, Jack. A., Jeffrey J. Burnett, Rhian R. Dunn, Emily B. P. Milton, and Amber M. Plemons. 2022. “The Campus Archaeology Program at Michigan State University: Reevaluating Our Program during a Pandemic.” SAA Archaeological Record, 22(2):17-21. https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=16146&i=740794&p=18&ver=html5. Burnett, Jeffrey J. 2022. “Seeking Radical Solidarity in Heritage Studies: Exploring the Intersection of Black Feminist Archaeologies and Geographies in Oak Bluffs,…
-
Dr. Chantal Tetreault’s ANP 420: Language and Cultures partnership with Lab for Education & Advancement in Digital Research (LEADR) to teach students about online research was showcased in MSU Digital Humanities Newsletter
Staff members in the Lab for Education & Advancement in Digital Research (LEADR) collaborate with History and Anthropology faculty to incorporate digital research methods into a variety of classes each semester. This fall Dr. A. L. McMichael (Director, LEADR) and Dr. Chantal Tetreault (Associate Professor, Anthropology) continued a tradition of collaborating on ANP 420: Language and Cultures that began in 2014. This time they worked closely with LEADR Graduate Assistant Marcela Omans-McKeeby (PhD candidate, Anthropology) to focus students’ attention on current modes of communication and styles of language online. Read the full story here: https://us17.campaign-archive.com/?u=8be39096da7cf33f13b95046a&id=f7369bf226
-
Assistant Professor Dr. Kurt Rademaker Publishes in PaleoAmerica
Department of Anthropology Assistant Professor Dr. Kurt Rademaker and co-authors Justin A. Holcomb (lead-author), Rolfe D. Mandel, Erik Otárola-Castillo, Richard L. Rosencrance, Katelyn N. McDonough, D. Shane Miller, and Brian T. Wygal recently published in the journal, PaleoAmerica. The article, titled, “Does the evidence at Arroyo del Vizcaíno (Uruguay) support the claim of human occupation 30,000 years ago?” provides a detailed critique of a purported pre-Clovis archaeological site in Uruguay. Read the full article at: https://doi.org/10.1080/20555563.2022.2135476 Abstract: Researchers at Arroyo del Vizcaíno (AdV), Uruguay, have argued that human occupation dates prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (33,000–31,000 cal BP) based on the presence of purported stone…
-
Anthropology professor and former chair Dr. Jodie O’Gorman receives distinguished award and reflects on career
By Katie Nicpon During the annual Midwest Archaeological Conference (MAC), Dr. Jodie O’Gorman, MSU Department of Anthropology professor, received the Distinguished Career Award that recognizes archaeologists who have demonstrated excellence and contributed significantly and regularly to the advancement of Midwestern archaeology. “I”m honored to receive the Distinguished Career Award and I’m very grateful to those who took the time to nominate me and write in support of the nomination,” Dr. O’Gorman said. The award has deep meaning for O’Gorman because the MAC has been a valuable part of her professional life since graduate school. “I gave my first professional paper…