Recomendation for Bioarchaeology programs/ POI?

[Daisy123]

So, i have decided a new tactic next application cycle- i am not going to be looking for faculty that works in the Near East ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD has bioarchaeological expertise...i will be looking for faculty that is specialized in bioarchaeology and is willing to advise a student on any region of the world. Can any of you who have applied, are applying or will be applying to these bioarchaeology departments recommend some for me- i have met a few of you on here, and i am once again reaching out to your valuable opinion. THank you all so much  i appreciate every single word 

[anthroflea]

The only one I can think of right now is Dr. Rose at the University of Arkansas.

This is his website: http://cavern.uark.edu/~jcrose/

[Daisy123]

thank you so much! i will check him out

[anthroflea]

You might already be doing this, but the way I found my potential POIs was by finding publications on the topics that interest me. They usually have a list of authors and their university affiliations. 

 

A very quick google scholar search for "bioarchaeology + middle east" turned up this publication http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oa.749/abstract from UC Berkeley. 

 

Again, you might already know/be doing all this, but I know there are plenty of other people lurking on this forum looking for similar advice;)

[pears]

You might already be doing this, but the way I found my potential POIs was by finding publications on the topics that interest me. They usually have a list of authors and their university affiliations. 

 

A very quick google scholar search for "bioarchaeology + middle east" turned up this publication http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oa.749/abstract from UC Berkeley. 

 

Again, you might already know/be doing all this, but I know there are plenty of other people lurking on this forum looking for similar advice;)

 

academia.edu is another great resource for finding papers & professors. From the folks I follow, here are some ideas:

 

• Ryan Harrod at University of Alaska - Anchorage: specializes in the bioarchaeology of violence, mostly, over a few regions. He just got his PhD from UNLV under Dr. Martin, so he's probably had great & up-to-date training. Bit of a gamble, though, as he's apparently the only bioarch-focused faculty member there.

 

• Deb Martin at University of Nevada - Las Vegas: not surprisingly, she also focuses on the bioarchaeology of violence, as well as social inequality. She's done work in Sudanese Nubia, & is doing work now in the SW US & NW Mexico.

• USF: in general, they have a really strong bioanthropology department. One of the department's "research themes" is the "biocultural dimensions of human health & illness." Besides the physical/bio folks (Himmelgreen, Kimmerle, Madrigal, & Miller), there are a few medical anthropologist staff members who focus on the same area. If I weren't dead-set on never returning to the East Coast, I would totally put in an app for their PhD program down the road.

• Sabrina Agarwal at University of California - Berkeley: one of my big nerd idols! She does cross-cultural comparative studies about the intersections of age, sex, & gender with bone frailty & maintenance, & how they contribute to the embodiment of social identities.

• Chris Stojanowski & Kelly Knudson at Arizona State University: my other big nerd idols (it's kind of embarrassing how badly I want to work with them down the road for a PhD, hah!). They do a lot of collaborative work about embodiment of social identities; Dr. Knudson is an expert of all things stable isotope analysis, & Dr. Stojanowski has done work on morphometrics & dental analysis in the SE US & the Sahara.

 

Unfortunately (sort of), most of these people are total academic superstars (read: I'm not the only one who covets the chance to work with them) &/or the programs are competitive. Still, check out their CVs - hopefully at least one of them will be of interest to you!

[Hula-hoop]

Hey Daisy123, 

 

I've taken a bunch of Dr. Judd's bioarchaeology and osteology undergrad courses/seminars. She's a very clear and considerate instructor. She's done a lot of work in Jordan and Sudan. She is one of those professors who really cares about her grad students. I will say that she usually prefers students who already have an MA and a strong focus. She's also really awesome at responding to emails quickly. 

 

http://anthropology.pitt.edu/person/margaret-judd

 

I've also hear really great things about Dr. Perry at ECU. She works primarily in Petra.

 

http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/anth/Megan-Perry.cfm

[anthropologygeek]

An easy way google field schools in the Middle East and they come up. UCSD, UCLA, Oxford, University of Arkansas, East Carolina University , UNLV, university of Copenhagen, University of Cairo, and university of Illinois Carbondale all are in some way affiliated with a field school in either Egypt or Jordan. So I guarentee all those places have a professor that works there and would provide you with enough support. That's actually a pretty good list if you ask me

[Daisy123]

THank you all so much. I will definitely look into each and every single person you all suggested. I keep learning from all of your expertise and experiences! 

[NoSleepTilBreuckelen]

Hey Daisy - what aspects of bioarchaeology are you interested in? Morphometrics, taphonomy, isotopes, something else? 

 

Also, I second what pears said about Stojanowski and Knudson - had the opportunity to work on a project with them on the Green Sahara project and their work is amazing 

Edited March 11, 2014 by NoSleepTilBreuckelen

[pears]

Hey Daisy - what aspects of bioarchaeology are you interested in? Morphometrics, taphonomy, isotopes, something else? 

 

Also, I second what pears said about Stojanowski and Knudson - had the opportunity to work on a project with them on the Green Sahara project and their work is amazing 

 

what. WHAT. I just had a fangirl 'splosion. I'm probably gonna send you a PM at some point about them (sorry in advance)!  

[KingScilla]

Daisy- I went to the University of Arkansas and had Dr. Rose as my advisor, so if you'd like to PM me I could give you some info.

 

Also, Dr. Dabbs from Southern Illinois University and Dr. Rose have done extensive work in Egypt together.

[Daisy123]

thank you all very much! i will do my homework then! The biggest problem for me seems to be finding people that will work outside of their geographical area with me. 

[anthroflea]

Have you decided on a specific area within bioarch you would like to specialize on? Method wise it could be topics such as isotopic analysis, trauma, paleopathology, dental macrowear, dental microwear, taphonomic studies, stress markers, development... Or maybe more specific questions than just your region such as violence, class, sex differences...

 

One way to match up with a potential POI is by your region, the others are by your methods and/or specific questions and/or time period in which you are interested. Ideally, as many of these factors as possible match or compliment your POI's interests. I think I remember reading somewhere you are interested in working in Turkey(?) So, let's say you find somebody doing research in Lebanon - but who is interested in very similar questions - this would be a pretty good match. 

 

Or, to include another example, say you are interested in a cultural group which populated more than just the region of today's Turkey. In this case, you might even find somebody who is researching the same cultural group just in a different country. 

 

To give a third example, let's say you are interested in diet and isotopic analysis. You may find a POI who is interested in diet, stable isotope analysis and at one point worked in the middle East.

 

The more overlap you find, the greater the "fit", but this doesn't mean everything has to align perfectly. You just have to be the best candidate;) 

 

If you've already run into the problem of nobody wanting to take you on even though many of these factors align, I wonder whether they have concerns about you gaining access to a site in the country you want to work in. I know some countries don't really like to give research permits to non-citizens. If any of this would be a concern, but you are certain you would get a permit/already have a site you can help out at/want to do museum work, you should stress this in your statement for next year;) (If this is a problem you've run into). 

 

I'm sure you already have plenty of experience in bioarchaeology (probably even in the middle east), but I wonder whether doing a field school with a potential POI would be a good idea? It would give you a chance to A) get to know the POI personally, meet other students who are interested in working in this part of the world and might know some professors in the field and C) you would possibly have a chance to gain experience in your POI's area of expertize. I don't know whether there are any field schools or whether you would even have the possibility to go. It's just an idea

[Daisy123]

Have you decided on a specific area within bioarch you would like to specialize on? Method wise it could be topics such as isotopic analysis, trauma, paleopathology, dental macrowear, dental microwear, taphonomic studies, stress markers, development... Or maybe more specific questions than just your region such as violence, class, sex differences...

 

One way to match up with a potential POI is by your region, the others are by your methods and/or specific questions and/or time period in which you are interested. Ideally, as many of these factors as possible match or compliment your POI's interests. I think I remember reading somewhere you are interested in working in Turkey(?) So, let's say you find somebody doing research in Lebanon - but who is interested in very similar questions - this would be a pretty good match. 

 

Or, to include another example, say you are interested in a cultural group which populated more than just the region of today's Turkey. In this case, you might even find somebody who is researching the same cultural group just in a different country. 

 

To give a third example, let's say you are interested in diet and isotopic analysis. You may find a POI who is interested in diet, stable isotope analysis and at one point worked in the middle East.

 

The more overlap you find, the greater the "fit", but this doesn't mean everything has to align perfectly. You just have to be the best candidate;) 

 

If you've already run into the problem of nobody wanting to take you on even though many of these factors align, I wonder whether they have concerns about you gaining access to a site in the country you want to work in. I know some countries don't really like to give research permits to non-citizens. If any of this would be a concern, but you are certain you would get a permit/already have a site you can help out at/want to do museum work, you should stress this in your statement for next year;) (If this is a problem you've run into). 

 

I'm sure you already have plenty of experience in bioarchaeology (probably even in the middle east), but I wonder whether doing a field school with a potential POI would be a good idea? It would give you a chance to A) get to know the POI personally, meet other students who are interested in working in this part of the world and might know some professors in the field and C) you would possibly have a chance to gain experience in your POI's area of expertize. I don't know whether there are any field schools or whether you would even have the possibility to go. It's just an idea

Thank you for all of your advise! I did run into the problem of the POIs thinking- how will she go there if none of our faculty works there? so, this is something i will  have to make loud and clear the second time around. From your advise, i think i will go with your first example- the methods. I am interested in mortuary analysis , pathologist, and dentition markers, all with the effort to trace the evolution of social complexity and how that led to urbanization in the EBA -MBA. Also, i will focus on factors such as long distance relations and metallurgy.