Ph.D. Candidate
Biography
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Subdiscipline: Biological Anthropology
Anne Riley Smith studies molecular anthropology, ancient DNA, and bioinformatics. She also has a regional interest in Latin America. She received her Master's degree in anthropology at UTK in 2019, with an interdisciplinary graduate minor in computational science. Her thesis investigated how the use of a prominent bleach-based decontamination protocol in archaeological samples may degrade, rather than eliminate, modern contaminant DNA. Before attending UTK, she received her Bachelor's degree in anthropology from Indiana University, Bloomington.
Anne is the manager of the UTK Molecular Anthropology Laboratories. She is a member of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists (AABA), American Association of Anthropological Genetics (AAAG), Paleopathology Association (PPA), and UT's Anthropology Graduate Student Association (AGSA).
In her free time, Anne enjoys visiting the Great Smoky Mountains and spending time with her dogs.
Research
Molecular anthropology, ancient DNA, laboratory methods, bioinformatics, Latin America, South America
Education
M.A., University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Anthropoloy. 2019.
- Thesis: "Bleach-Based Decontamination Treatment and Cytosine Deamination in Contaminant DNA"
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Minor in Computational Science
B.A., with Highest Distinction, Indiana University, Bloomington. Anthropology. 2016.
- Summa Cum Laude
- Departmental Honors in Anthropology
- Thesis: "Identifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis via Nested PCR Ancient DNA Analysis"
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies
- Minor in Spanish
- Minor in Geography
Professional Service
American Association of Biological Anthropologists (AABA), American Association of Anthropological Genetics (AAAG), Paleopathology Association (PPA), and UT's Anthropology Graduate Student Association (AGSA)
Awards and Recognitions
2020 University of Tennessee, Graduate Student Senate Travel Award
2016-2017 University of Tennessee, Shipley-Swann Graduate School Fellowship
2016 University of Tennessee, Graduate Student Senate Travel Award
2016 Indiana University, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Undergraduate Student Essay Contest 1st Prize
2014 Indiana University, Hutton Honors College Internship Grant
2014 Indiana University, Hutton International Experiences Program Grant
Publications
Selected presentations:
2020. "Ancient DNA Mimicry? Bleach-based Decontamination Treatment and Cytosine Deamination in Modern DNA Contaminants," poster presentation: American Association of Physical Anthropology (AAPA).
2019. Riley, Anne. "Bleach-Based Decontamination Treatment and Cytosine Deamination in Contaminant DNA." Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange (TRACE).
2016. "Tuberculosis y los Xiongnu," poster presentation: Asociación Latinoamericana de Antropología Biológica (ALAB).