SMU Anthropology Newsletter
Dallas, Texas
September 2007

GRADUATE STUDENT NEWS

Steed Travel Awards and Departmental Travel Support
To aid in their presentations at the AAA and other professional meetings, Ryan Byerly, Stephanie Larchanché, Faith Nibbs, and Lia Tsesmeli were awarded Steed Travel Awards during fall 2006. In the spring 2007, the Steed Travel Award went to Stanley Guenter, Elizabeth Kobus, David Lee, Samantha Martin, Michelle Rich, Catrina Whitley, and Christopher Wolff. Additional departmental travel funds were awarded to the following students: Judy Cooper, Metin Eren, Leslie Reeder, Ryan Fisher, Julie Adkins, and Lauren Willis.

Lambda Alpha
Olivia C. Farr, Michael Fisher, and Matthew Turner were elected as members of the SMU Iota chapter of this national honorary society for students in anthropology.

Individual Activities and Accomplishments

Julie Adkins
She served as a Senior Teaching Fellow, teaching sections of "Clash of Cultures" (CF 3333) and "Culture and Diversity in American Life" (ANTH 3346) in addition to assisting with "Forensic Anthropology"(ANTH/CFB 3351). While continuing her research on homelessness in Dallas, she co-authored two papers (with Prof. Robert V. Kemper), in a special double issue, focusing on faith-based community organizations, of the journal Urban Anthropology. Julie also published the entry on "Rauschenbusch, Walter" in the Encyclopedia of Urban American History (David R. Goldfield, ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2007). She presented a paper on "Short-Term Trips, Long-Term Relationships: A Texas-Guatemala Partnership" at the 2006 AAA meeting in San Jose, CA and another paper, "Who's Really in Charge Here? Negotiated Power Between and Among Homeless Persons and Service Providers,” at the 2007 SfAA meeting in Tampa, FL. She organized, co-chaired, and served as discussant for a session on "Standing in the Gaps: Faith-Based NGOs in the Americas" at SUNTA meeting in Tampa, FL: and completed her two-year term as Student Councilor on the board of SUNTA. Outside of her strictly anthropological work, she is serving a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the Turtle Creek Chorale.

Amanda Aland
Amanda received an ISEM grant to help fund her pre-dissertation research in coastal Peru during the summer 2007.

Kristoffer Alstatt
He co-authored (with Dr. Brettell) an article entitled "The Agency of Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Biographies of the Self Employed in Ethnic and Occupational Niches of the Urban Labor Market", Journal of Anthropological Research. Kris completed the field research in the Lao People"s Democratic Republic (PDR) in December 2006 and began teaching Introductory Cultural Anthropology (ANTH 2301) as a Senior Teaching Fellow during the spring semester 2007. In his "spare" time, he worked as an ethnographer for the SMU School of Engineering, where he was tasked with helping its leaders understand the culture of the engineering school's community of students, staff, and faculty.

Martin Authier
Martin received a travel grant from the ISEM for preliminary dissertation research during summer 2007.

Tara Bond-Freeman
In April 2007, she received a travel award from the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Ryan Byerly
In addition to his earlier NSF Dissertation Improvement Grant, Ryan held a predoctoral summer fellowship from the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. On March 7, 2007, he gave a Brown Bag Lecture on the topic "The Dental Health of Prehistoric Bison from the Northwestern and Central Great Plains: Implications for Human Subsistence Patterns". He served as a Senior Teaching Fellow in spring 2007, teaching an evening section of "People of the Earth" (ANTH 2302). He was the first author of a major article in 2007 in the first-tier journal American Antiquity: Byerly, Ryan M., Judith R. Cooper, David J. Meltzer, Matthew E. Hill, and Jason M. LaBelle "A Further Assessment of Paleoindian Site-Use at Bonfire Shelter." American Antiquity 72:366-381.

Judy Cooper
In addition to being the second author of the Byerly et al. article (see above), Judy authored and co-authored two other articles in 2006: "A Possible Clovis-Age Quartzite Workshop (5GN149) in Gunnison County, Colorado, "Current Research in the Pleistocene 23:96-98, and (with David J. Meltzer) "On Morphometric Differentiation of Clovis and Non-Clovis Blades, Current Research in the Pleistocene 23:143-145". She also presented a paper entitled "Spatial and Temporal Variability in the Late Prehistoric Great Plains Bison Kill Site Record", at the Plains Anthropological conference in Topeka, Kansas. At the same meeting, she also presented a poster on "Research in Bison and Human Paleoecology on the Great Plains", in a session that she organized with Ryan Byerly. At the spring 2007 SAA conference in Austin; Judy presented a paper entitled "Exploring Spatial Variability in Late Prehistoric Bison Utilization on the Great Plains."

Keith Eppich
He excavated at El Perú-Waka', the smallest of the three tombs were found there last year. Ryan also wrote a pair of Field Reports: (1) (with Varina Matute), 2007 WK-09: Addendum to "Excavaciones in the Grupo Tolok"; In Proyecto Arqueológico El Perú-Waka': Informe No. 4, Temporada 2006, edited by Hector Escobedo and David Freidel, pp. 280-305. Informe Entregado a la Dirección General d el Patrimonio Cultural y Natural de Guatemala, Guatemala. and (2) 2007 WK13: Investigations in the Grupo Chok in Proyecto Arqueológico El Perú-Waka': Informe No. 4, Temporada 2006, edited by Hector Escobedo and David Freidel, pp. 306- 364. Informe Entregado a la Dirección General del Patrimonio Cultural y Natural de Guatemala, Guatemala.

Metin Eren
He passed his Master's Examinations while serving both semesters as a teaching assistant for "The Science of Our Past"(ANTH 2363). In April 2007, he received a travel award from the Dean of Graduate Studies. In summer 2007, he participated in the field research sponsored by Prof. Meltzer's Quest Archaeological Research Fund. Subsequently, Metin departed for advanced studies in England, thanks to his NSF Fellowship.

Olivia Farr
During the 2006-2007 academic year, Olivia passed her Master's examination and advanced to candidacy for the doctoral degree, became a member of Lambda Alpha, and received a certificate of Distinguished Achievement. In April 2007, she received a travel award from the Dean of Graduate Studies. Olivia co-authored (with Ana Lucía Arroyave Prera of the Universidad de San Carlos, Guatemala) a paper titled "A Palimpsest Effect: The Multi-Layered Meanings of Termination and Dedication Ritual Activities carried out at Structure M13-1 of Waka'", in a symposium that she co-organized (with Michelle Rich) and chaired at the 72nd annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in Austin TX. In the fall semester 2007, Olivia will serve as an adjunct instructor at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX.

Ryan Fisher
In 2006, Ryan co-authored (with Robert V. Kemper) a review essay entitled "Comings and Goings: The Multiple Faces of Diaspora in Latin America," Revista Europea de Estudios Latinoamericanos y del Caribe 80 [abril]:51-57. After his doctoral candidacy exams in May 2007, he gave two conference papers, one entitled "Branding Tibet" at the Hawaii International Conference on Social Sciences, and another titled "Constructing Modern Tibetans as a Community of Remembrance"at the Cultural Constructions II : Power and/of Memory Symposium located at the University of Texas at Arlington. In summer 2007, Ryan arrived in western China to carry out his dissertation research on Tibetans dislocated from their homeland.

Lauren Gulbas
During the 2006-2007 academic year, Lauren conducted her NSF-sponsored dissertation research on female body image in Caracas, Venezuela.

James Kennell
During summer 2007, James traveled to Africa with funding from the Mary Moore Free Travel Award. He will report on his research at a fall 2007 Brown Bag Lecture.

Elizabeth Kobus
Liz received funding from the department and the GSA to present her poster about tourism in Northeast Wisconsin at the SfAA annual meeting in Tampa, FL, at the end of March 2007. She also received an NSF ethnographic training grant in support of her research in Uganda during June and July 2007 among people affected by the construction of the Bujagali hydroelectric project. Upon her return to the US, she authored an opinion piece in the September 21, 2007 online edition of the Advance Titan entitled "Culture Shock Enriches Value of Studying Abroad."

Stephanie Larchanché-Kim
She received two dissertation research grants, one from the Wenner-Gren Foundation and the other from the NSF. Her research project is entitled: “The Cultural Politics of Immigrant Health Among West African Households in Paris, France.” While there, she also will be preparing a joint doctoral degree at the School of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS). In November 2006, Stephanie presented a paper at the AAA in San Jose, co-authored with Carolyn Sargent, and entitled "Delivering Better Lives: Structural Violence and the Logic of Malian Women's Strategies to Seek Maternal Healthcare in France." The session was organized by Carolyn Smith-Morris and entitled: 'Violence-Induced Migration and its Impact on Reproduction." She also had an article entitled "Liminal Lives: Immigration Status, Gender, and the Construction of Identities Among Malian Migrants in Paris" (co-authored with C. Sargent), published in the September issue of the American Behavioral Scientist.

David Lee
David presented a paper ("Ritual and Remembrance at the Northwest Palace Complex, El Perú-Waka'", with Jennifer C. Piehl, Laura Gámez, Mary Jane Acuña, and Varinia Matute) at the SAA annual meeting in spring 2007. This paper was part of a session on El Perú-Waka' chaired by Michelle Rich and Olivia Farr.

Samantha Martin
She presented a paper titled “The Crossroads of Stigma: The Social Construction of Hepatitis C” a t the 2006 AAA meeting in San Jose, CA. With support from the Paul Steed Travel Award, Samantha also attended the March 2007 SfAA conference in Tampa, FL, where she presented a paper titled “Monetary Compensation: ‘Giving Back’ to the Community.” She was working as an evaluator for Native Images, a non-profit American Indian organization in Tucson, and completed the evaluation of their Strengthening the Circle Program, a domestic violence prevention program for young Native women. Currently, Samantha is working at Pima Community College as a Research Specialist.

Faith Nibbs
After receiving a three-year graduate fellowship from the Department of Energy, Homeland Security , Faith was active in several different out-of-class activities: She developed a Hmong museum display in the Fondren Library; she published her first journal article, “The Texas Two Step, Hmong Style: A delicate dance between culture and ethnicity” in Hmong Studies Journal 2006 (7) 1-34. At the AAA in San Jose, Faith presented a paper “A Hmong Birth and Authoritative Knowledge: A Case study of choice, control, and the reproductive consequences of refugee status in American childbirth” at a panel on “Violence-Induced Migration and its Impact on Reproduction,” chaired by Carolyn Smith-Morris. She also was invited to present this research at the Hmong National Conference in Detroit. Faith was awarded a summer internship with the Department of Homeland Security in the FEMA Disaster Preparedness division to work on an interdisciplinary team developing culturally sensitive and effective communicative processes to marginalized communities in times of major disasters.

Kylie Quave
She received a travel grant from ISEM and a Graduate Dean's Travel Award for summer fieldwork in Peru. Kylie also received Honorable Mention for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in the 2006-2007 national competition.

Leslie Reeder
She received funds from ISEM in support of her field work. she also participated in Prof. Meltzer's Quest Archaeological Research Fund project during summer 2007.

Michelle Rich
After coming to the end of her three-year NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, in 2007 Michelle received a research grant from the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc (FAMSI) Research Grant for analyzing carbon, matrix, pigment and textile samples collected during her dissertation field research. In April 2007, she received a travel award from the Dean of Graduate Studies. She presented a paper (with Varinia Matute and Jennifer C. Piehl) at XX Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala in Guatemala City, July 24-28, 2006. The paper was titled “Ritual Behavior on the Sacred Mountain: The Mirador Complex at El Perú-Waka’.” With Olivia Farr, Michelle organized a session at the SAA meeting in Austin, TX in April about the El Peru-Waka' archaeological project. It is called “Ritual Behavior and Displays of Power at El Peru-Waka.” There are 12 participants from the project and two external discussants, Drs. Steve Houston and Takeshi Inomata.

Joanna Roberson
Under the sponsorship of Prof. Meltzer, Joanna received an NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant on the topic "Oxygen Isotope Signatures and the Identification of Chert in the Southern Plains." Grant period May 2004-May 2006.

Jose Santos
Jose spent the 2006-2007 year doing his dissertation fieldwork in El Salvador. He was supported by an NSF Dissertation Improvement Grant. and a Fulbright research grant.

Maeve Skidmore
She received a Graduate Dean's Travel Award for summer fieldwork in Peru.

Jay Theuer
During 2006-2007, Jay worked on his dissertation while serving as the instructor for the evening section of "Human Evolution"(ANTH 2315).

Lia Tsesmeli
She received one of the Steed Travel Awards for fall 2006 in order to present (with co-author, Robert V. Kemper) a poster entitled "Sim-tzuntzan: A GIS Approach to Community Analysis." This poster is a small component of a much larger research effort to construct a longitudinal GIS system for Tzintzuntzan.

Matthew Turner
After passing his doctoral candidacy exams, Matt traveled to Ecuador where he began his dissertation field work on the topic of domestic violence.

Peggy Varghese
After passing her doctoral candidacy exams, Peggy got the good news that she would receive NSF Dissertation Improvement Grant funding for her proposed field work in Kerala state in southern India.

Catrina Whitley
She received the Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO) Scholar Award. I was also funded by the William P. Clements Center with two grants, the first (continued from 2003) for x-rays of the SMU skeletal remains and the other to analyze the remains of Blueberry Hill in the Taos Valley. In addition, the Southwest Diagnostic Imaging Center donated free CT Scans for the SMU skeletal collection. Catrina also completed the study of all Pot Creek burials; including CT scans on most skulls (done on a pro bono basis by Southwest Diagnostic Imaging); dental casts made without charge by Drs. Hutson and Cobb at Baylor Dental School; X-rays done in the SMU Health Center with funds from the Clements Center for SW Studies; dental X-rays done without charge by Dr. Robert Williams and Dr. Kathryn Kasper. After analysis, each skeleton was sewn in a cloth bundle for repatriation. Reburial took place at Pot Creek Pueblo (Taos, NM) on Friday, July 27, 2007, with separate on-site ceremonies performed by Taos and Picuris Pueblo officials. The results of this massive and comprehensive study will be written up as part of Catrina's dissertation during the coming year. This entire project is supervised by Dr. Ron Wetherington.

Lauren Willis
She received Honorable Mention for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in the 2006-2007 national competition. In April 2007, she received a travel award from the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Chris Wolff
During the 2006-2007 academic year, Chris conducted the field work for his Ph.D. dissertation project, facilitated by an ISEM research grant. Chris also received a grant totaling almost $9,000.000 from the Nunatsiavut Government, Nain, NL, and received a research grant from the Provincial Archaeology Office of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, NL. His several recent and forthcoming publications include:

• (with Rick, Torben C, and Amanda Aland), “Middle Holocene Subsistence and Land Use on Southeast Anchorage, Santa Rosa Island, California. Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology.
• Wolff, Christopher B. The Snack Cove 2 Site: An Examination of a Middle Dorset site in Southern Labrador. In The Prehistory of the Porcupine Strand. Edited by L. Rankin and P. Ramsden, Copetown Press, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. In press.
• Królik, Hanna, Jórdezcka, Maciej, Masojc, Miroslaw; Wolff, Christopher, and Romuald Schild. Badania Combined Prehistoric Expedition, W Afryce Pólnocno-Wschodniej, Nabta Playa 2006. Poster for Institute of Archaeology, Warsaw, Poland.