Anthropology Labs
Public Ethnography Lab
Thurka Sangaramoorthy
Hamilton 109
The Public Ethnography Lab (PEL) advances the use of ethnographic methods and practice by broader publics and serves as a resource and engine for creating community-driven social change globally. PEL builds interest, support, and resources for qualitative and ethnographic research, work which is often undervalued and seen as marginal in many spaces, including academic, government, non-profit, and other sectors. Using ethnographic approaches and orientations that illustrate the interdependence of knowledge and action, PEL promotes ethnographic praxis and collaborative action-oriented scholarship to understand and alleviate contemporary social challenges. PEL creates spaces for deep community engagement with practical research tools and skills to gather timely information on emerging problems, accompany communities in problem-solving, foster new collaborations, and inform institutional and policy changes.
Historical Archaeology Laboratory
Daniel Sayers
Hamilton 108
The Historical Archaeology Laboratory (HAL) is the central repository for the artifact collections from several projects, including the “Great Dismal Swamp Landscape Study”, “Swampscapes”, and the “Great Depression Undocumented Labor Project”. These collections are the focus of ongoing analyses of 17-19th Century African American Maroon-and-Indigenous communities as well as hobos and itinerant workers of the early Twentieth Century. The collections in HAL have also been used in public outreach events, media interviews, and for engagements with descendants and tribal groups. HAL is also home to a small library of volumes pertaining to artifact analysis and dating as well as ancient and historical artifact type collections from the Mid-Atlantic region. HAL is also a teaching facility and is used periodically as the classroom for smaller courses.
Human Osteology Lab
Alanna Warner-Smith
Hamilton 209
The Human Osteology Lab trains students through hands-on experience in human osteology, bioarchaeology, and forensic anthropology. The lab provides training in osteological methods, including the identification of bones and the documentation of trauma, pathology, activity, and taphonomy. Student learning is grounded in the ethics of care for human remains and the importance of descendant community engagement and repatriation practices.
Historical Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Lab
Zev Cossin
Hamilton 208
Zev Cossin's Historical Archaeology and Cultural Heritage lab promotes the pursuit of Restorative History, a framework for making Public History a tool for justice today. The lab provides space for conversation and collaboration with students related to two primary research projects in Winnipeg Junction, MN, and Cayambe, Ecuador. Students conduct artifact analyses and interpretation of an archaeological assemblage from Winnipeg Junction, a late 19th century railroad boomtown. Students gain skills in historic artifact analysis, interpretation, photography, photogrammetry, public presentation and exhibit-building, and digital heritage. The lab promotes experiential learning and skills training in cultural heritage that equips students for careers in archaeology, cultural heritage, museums and other cultural heritage organizations.