It is springtime at the University of Washington—the cherry trees are blooming and new life is bursting forth all around. With graduation approaching, a new life lies ahead for many of our students as well. We will watch them move on from the UW with great pride and high hopes, eager to learn about the myriad ways they will carry forth what they have learned from anthropology. With that in mind, this issue of AnthropoLog highlights and celebrates some of the surprising and inspiring… Read more
Congratulations to Holly Barker, Lecturer in Anthropology, winner of the University of Washington 2013 Distinguished Teaching Award! This award is given to only a few faculty members each year.
Since 1988, when Holly first went to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) as a Peace Corps volunteer, she has spent much of her life working with Marshallese people both in Micronesia and the United States. Her research focuses on the history of the U.S. nuclear testing program in the RMI and the… Read more
An anthropologist at NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. The head of a Seattle-based strategy and design studio.Specialists working on global health issues in developling countries. The director of the UW's Office of International Programs and Exchanges. What do all these Anthropology alumni have in common? Their anthropology degree has informed their career choices.
Karma Norman’s career as an anthropologist is the result of both an extended fishing expedition and a shifting… Read more
Many of us are familiar with the fact that the age of our parents when they conceive us may have a host of consequences in our later lives. But did you know that having an older father—and indeed, having an older grandfather—may bestow genetic advantages for a longer, healthier life? This is the startling finding that professor Dan Eisenberg, newly hired by the department, uncovered in his recent research.
Dan was a graduate student at Northwestern University when he first got involved in… Read more
As engaging as anthropology courses on campus may be, nothing beats having a field experience. The department offers plenty of field opportunities for students, from an archeaology field school to study abroad courses. This issue of Anthropolog highlights three current Anthropology offerings: exploration seminars in Tahiti and South Africa, and a new agroecology and permaculture field school on a Colorado farm.
Professor Devon G. Peña teaches popular classes on agroecology, the… Read more
The Department of Anthropology Honors Program is gaining a university-wide reputation for offering excellent training, close mentorship, and diverse research experiences. Because the program is limited to 15 students per year, it also offers students a unique, close-knit academic community. Each student participates in professional skills seminars on topics such as proposal writing, and undertakes a yearlong independent research project, either nationally or internationally, which is guided by… Read more
The Anthropology department recently hosted the first in a series of new events about careers: “Finding One’s Path in Anthropology: An exploration of career paths for anthropology students after college.”
The joyful occasion of graduation can also be a very stressful time for undergraduates, as they try to figure out how to put their acquired knowledge and skills to use in the next stage of their lives. This is especially true for anthropology majors, since a bachelor’s degree in anthropology… Read more
Leah Isquith, a first-year student in Biocultural Anthropology, has received the Daris Swindler Endowed Fellowship this year. Leah’s work will explore how the demographic shift from rural to urban living influences women’s social networks, food security, and child feeding strategies among indigenous families in Guatemala. Leah is hoping to understand how families reconcile the costs of migration and hazards of urban life with the perceived long-term benefits. Her work also explores the… Read more
We would like to take this opportunity to thank those generous donors who contributed to our efforts this past year. We believe that anthropology makes a world of difference and we want you to know that you make a world of difference to us!
David Agoada, DPMAnn S. Anagnost, Ph.D.Bank of America FoundationMs. Christine M. BerubeLaada Myroslava Bilaniuk, Ph.D.Dr. Ruth G. BryanChoice Hotels International FoundationCurtis Wienker TrustMs. Kathleen Reilly DanceyLydia A. DeSantis… Read more
Faculty and Alums: New Books
Ann Anagnost co-edited a volume together with Andrea Arai andHai Ren entitled Global Futures in East Asia: Youth, Nation, and the New Economy in Uncertain Times (Stanford University Press, 2013). It gathers together ethnographic explorations of what it means to be living in post-miracle times, especially for youth striving to understand themselves and their place in the world. It includes essays by a number of alumni from the Department of Anthropology:Hai… Read more
Recent Graduates: New Jobs and Post-Docs
Alejandro Ceron (sociocultural), who will defend his dissertation this spring, has accepted a tenure-track position in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Denver.
David H. Giles (sociocultural), who will defend his dissertation this spring, has accepted a visiting faculty position in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Damarys Espinoza (sociocultural), who will defend her… Read more