Spring 2024 Newsletter
Greetings from the Department of Anthropology,
With so many exciting things happening in Anthropology right now, we wanted to share with you news and updates from our department.
This issue of the newsletter emphasizes some of the path-breaking science emerging from our department, but read carefully and you will find the same abiding themes of interdisciplinarity and intellectual cross-pollination that infused the department during your time here. Our four-field engagement with anthropology thrives, and has been recognized through major awards honoring our work in socio-cultural anthropology and archaeology and restorative justice. Likewise, our newly endowed Beeman Lectureship ensures that current and future students will continue to be exposed to the breadth of anthropological scholarship.
On those occasions when you find yourself remembering your time in Anthropology—some class or professor, a project or interaction—know that we are doing the same: recalling a student’s insightful comment or exciting lab result or deep discussion during office hours.
We would love to know where life has taken you, so send us a note, drop by the department, or consider sharing memories or advice with our current students by telling your story. Our many public events are also a great way to stay engaged in the anthropology community, whether you can attend in person or join us online.
Warm regards,
Kieran McNulty
Professor and Chair
Genetics Lab to Revisit the Past
Comparing ancient and modern DNA helps us understand human evolution. The anthropological genetics lab seeks to reconstruct histories and draw connections between ancient and modern civilizations, especially in understudied populations.
Read "Genetics Lab to Revisit Past"
New Studies Push Back Evidence for Open Habitats in Africa by More Than 10 Million Years
Two new studies recently published in Science outline a paleoecological reconstruction of early ape fossil sites in eastern Africa dated to the Early Miocene—between 23 and 16 million years ago—showing early apes lived in a wide variety of habitats, including open habitats like scrublands and wooded grasslands that existed 10 million years earlier than previously known. Professor Kieran McNulty is the lead author and organizer of the decade-long project.
Read a research summary of the project findings
The Intersection of Discovery and Discrepancy
Kat Hayes, the college's 2024 Dean's Medalist, is challenging many of the inherently destructive practices of archaeology while centering representation and inclusion.
Read "The Intersection of Discovery and Discrepancy"
Bringing Together Modern and Tibetan Medicine
As a recipient of the College of Liberal Arts Emerging Alumni Award, Tenzin Nambul (BA ‘11) merges modern and Tibetan medicine with a shared vision of enhancing healthcare for everyone.
Read "Bringing Together Modern and Tibetan Medicine"
Our Graduate Students
Field work and research are essential experiences for our graduate students. Last summer, the Beverly & Richard Fink Summer Fellowships helped provide these valuable opportunities for some of our talented and accomplished students. Many thanks to Beverly and Richard for making these opportunities possible.
Madelaine Walker shares how the Fink Summer Fellowship helped her pursue research work in western Kenya and uncover truths about the evolution of primates. Read "An Investigation into Human Evolution"
Laura Pott’s research project is helping to advance their field’s understanding of DNA in the African diaspora. Read "The DNA of Diaspora"
Selena Bernier’s Fink Summer Fellowship helped her find her research direction bringing Indigenous perspectives to narratives about Minnesota’s geology and mining history. Read "Forging an Indigenous Narrative: Unearthing Minnesota's Copper Legacy"
In Case You Missed It—Alumni Stories
Studying anthropology provides invaluable insights into human societies across the globe, fostering a deeper appreciation of our shared humanity. Our alumni are prepared to ask the deep questions about life and to make connections in their communities—their degrees take them near and far.
Dawn Fleming (BA ‘86) is the author of Claim Your Dream Life: How to Retire in Paradise on a Shoestring Budget. Read "Living the Dream in Mexico"
Congratulations to alum Emma Burns (BA '11) for being recognized in the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal 2023 40 Under 40 list for her nonprofit work. Read "2023 40 Under 40: Emma Burns aims to help St. Paul shine."
Stephen F. Gudeman Lecture
"Settler Colonial Apologia in Two Acts” Dr. Audra Simpson, Columbia University
What is the work of an apology upon a) time b) justice c) governance? This study examines two modalities of the apology—one at the level of the state and one at the level of the individual to take up questions of purported repair in settler colonial contexts.
April 8, 2024
RSVP by Friday, March 29
Attend in person or by Zoom
William O. Beeman Lecture
We are grateful and pleased to announce the launch of the William O. Beeman Lectureship in Archaeology, Biological Anthropology & Linguistics. Professor Emeritus William Beeman, past chair of the Department of Anthropology, endowed a lectureship to bring experts in these fields to the University of Minnesota. Watch for an announcement and invitation in fall 2024.
2024 Alumni Award Nominations Are Now Open
Let us know which College of Liberal Arts alumni you think deserve extra-special recognition. Submit your nomination by May 31, 2024, to have your candidate considered for an alumni award.
Learn more about CLA alumni awards and submit a nomination
Make a Difference in Your Community During Day of Service
Make plans to join a U of M Alumni Association Day of Service event in your area, a virtual service opportunity, or choose an independent service project meaningful to you. Since 2015, the U of M Alumni Association's Day of Service has brought together a global community of alumni and friends to serve in their communities. Events run through the month of April. Choose from more than a dozen Day of Service opportunities, learn about Virtual Day of Service, or register an independent project.
Support the Department of Anthropology
