Dear friends of UW Anthropology,
Welcome to the Winter 2022 Newsletter. I have the honor of serving as Interim Chair during academic year 2021/2022. You may have already heard the exciting news that Associate Professor Sven Haakanson has been named incoming Chair of Anthropology (5-year term effective July 1, 2023). Sven and I are working closely together this academic year as we support the existing programs and lay the groundwork for a bright and exciting future, and Sven’s colleagues are… Read more
Sam Dubal was in a hurry to change the world. Determined to address inequities in medicine, he earned a medical degree and a PhD in medical anthropology by the time he was 31. He published his first book a year later, before joining the UW faculty as an assistant professor of anthropology last year. One month into his new position, Dubal — an avid hiker — disappeared on Mt. Rainier. His life and stellar career were cut short.… Read more
In September 2021 UW Anthropology welcomed our inaugural cohort of three students into a new MA Program in Archaeological Heritage. This program addresses a regional need for advanced training in archaeology which is not filled by existing programs, and will provide trained practitioners with the skills necessary for careers in archaeology.
This new program was designed to give students specifically interested in… Read more
By Rachael Tamngin and Holly Barker
Anthropology graduate student Rachael Tamngin and Pacific Islander students at the Burke Museum created the first version of “Research Family” in 2013 with the guidance of Dr. Holly Barker, Curator of Oceanic and Asian Culture. Research Family came into being as a way to activate the Pacific Islander cultural collections at the Burke and to open research opportunities for students underrepresented in… Read more
At the Society for Medical Anthropology awards ceremony in early November, James Pfeiffer (Professor, Anthropology, and the School of Public Health) was awarded the "George Foster Practicing Medical Anthropology Award" - a career achievement recognition that “…recognizes those who have made significant contributions… Read more
Gov. Jay Inslee has named Leonard Forsman to the University of Washington Board of Regents. Forsman is the first native person to serve as a UW regent. He is chairman of the Suquamish Tribe, where he has served on the tribal council for more than 30 years. Forsman obtained a BA at the University of Washington in Anthropology in 1987.
Featured on Washington Governor Jay… Read more
The Department of Anthropology mourns the passing of two members of our community: Dr. William Haglund and Dr. Katherine Taylor. As biological anthropologists with a focus on forensic anthropology, both devoted their lives to giving a voice to the voiceless,… Read more