Message from Department Head
Remarkable things are happening in Anthropology, and I am excited to share them with you in this issue of Anthropos. Our academic programs continue to thrive, with yet another year of increasing undergraduate enrollment, faculty growth, and the launch of the new archaeology concentration.
In August we welcomed Arsalan Khan to the department as a new associate professor. He is a cultural anthropologist who specializes in the intersections of ritual, gender, ethics, and semiotics. In January we welcomed back Yanseung Jeong as a new assistant professor. His work focuses on forensic anthropology in the areas of decomposition and biological profile reconstruction. Sierra Bow has also joined the faculty as a full-time lecturer in archaeology. She uses non-destructive analyses of ancient rock art pigments and pottery to better understand past native peoples of the Southeast. We are also excited that recent PhD Kathleen Hauther joined the department for the spring 2024 semester as a lecturer in biological anthropology, teaching human osteology and lab-based courses in forensic anthropology. Two new staff members also joined the department, Helen Spencer, and Joey O’Dell. You can read more about the exciting work of these new faculty and staff members in this edition of the newsletter. Welcome all!
Our faculty continue to do impactful research that is attracting national and international attention. Arsalan Khan’s first book, The Promise of Piety, Islam and the Politics of Moral Order in Pakistan, was published in February, earning glowing reviews. The outstanding and long-term research relationship of Amy Mundorff, Joanne Devlin, Dawnie Steadman, and Giovanna Vidoli with the National Institution of Justice brought them well-deserved recognition in 2023. Graciela Cabana’s collaborative work to increase diversity within evolutionary anthropological sciences resulted in a prestigious three-year award from the National Science Foundation. Kandi Hollenbach, Anneke Janzen, and I received a two-year research award to explore human-plant-animal interactions in the early colonial Chesapeake. This funding will also further graduate student research and public outreach.
Last spring, the faculty gathered to celebrate the retirement of Distinguished Lecturer and forensic anthropologist Lee Jantz. An emeritus faculty member, Lee remains active working on cases with the Forensic Anthropology Center. We also celebrated the career of Professor David Anderson, who retired after more than 18 years at the university. An expert in the archaeology of the Southeast, he served as associate department head and director of graduate studies for the department for many years. David, now professor emeritus, has generously contributed funds to help establish an endowment for southeastern archaeology that will provide support to graduate students working in this area. Over the next two years, the department will seek additional funds to ensure that the endowment goals are met and that David’s legacy in southeastern archaeology is honored through the future work of our students.
For the last two years, the department has provided funding to graduate students needing research support for travel, pilot studies, and equipment. Our students work around the world on groundbreaking projects encompassing the diversity of modern anthropological inquiry. We are working to establish a long-term, sustainable source of funding for future student research needs, and welcome your support.
I recently enjoyed attending a luncheon and award ceremony hosted by the Office of Alumni Affairs in honor of the University’s Volunteer 40 Under 40 Class of 2024. I am excited and proud to report that Bonnie Johnson, who earned her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology in 2013, was recognized for her outstanding work as director of the Pride Center, the University’s LGBTQ+ resource center.
I hope you enjoy this issue of the newsletter. Please reach out if you would like to learn more about the department and our exciting plans for the coming year.
Sincerely,
Barbara Heath Professor and Head