InnoAnth Lab Membership

Professor of Anthropology

Interests: Linguistics\ Phonetics,- C-V Coarticulation, Socio-Cultural Studies, Peoples & Cultures of Africa

Medical Anthropology, Public Health, Women's Health, Women's Reproductive Health and Infant Health, Menstruation, Health Policy

I intend to study Women's reproductive health in my dissertation. Having lived in multiple countries, my research interest arose from my personal experience and interest. The socio-cultural aspects I have seen in my country, where women's lives are considered private, and women's health is always less prioritized than men's health, as well as having recently experienced severe postpartum depression without any treatment or support from health care providers, piqued my future interest in advancing my research career in a women's reproductive health.

I think I will learn the anthropology research methods by using the lab. In a co-working space, the lab has many potentials to offer fellow students proper methods and ideas for doing actual research, which will help me a lot. Additionally, there is a lot of equipment available in the lab, which will help me to create my class projects like podcasts or Zine. Also, as a lab staff, I will be helping other students by mentoring and guidance.

Archaeology

Dr. Carter and I are doing 3D modeling done for an archaeology research project. This project is making its way to being finalized. I’m excited to start a new project this fall.

Lab Project: Relics, Ruins and Rascals Podcast

Anthropology, archaeology, community heritage, public archaeology, community archaeology, cultural heritage.

I am part of a foursome that does a podcast. The podcast focuses on archaeology from the perspective of four different individuals, all bringing their knowledge and expertise to the table, and discussing it in ways all people can understand. This podcast helps us reach a wider audience who may have the interest in archaeology but do not want to listen to something they cannot understand.

Vulnerability, social support/social network, gender, disaster, law

As internship director, I'm envisioning building connections and relationships with community organizations and exploring partnerships with the Innovative Anthropology Lab. In the future, I'd also like to explore the possibility of a podcast to encourage applied experiences in our program.

Lab Project: Pop Culture Podcast

Human Rights; Social Justice

I will not only be working on a podcast with a friend but also possibly a research paper that I wish to present or use for future uses. The podcast that I will be working on will be a commentary/analysis of how pop culture has impacted society in manny ways. The research paper will be on sexual discrimination in the academic fields, from why it happens to how we can help change that for the better. 

Lab Project: FACTS YouTube & Podcast Project

migration, human rights, biological anthropology, human variation, osteology, archaeology, Latinx Studies, medical anthropology, GIS/spatial analyses

Cultural Anthropology, Mexican American Studies, Cultural studies, Diversity Studies 

Diversity and Inclusion, STS, Culture Training and Education, Medical Anthropology, Anthropological Engagement with Government and Military Institutions, Applied Practice, Higher Education

In recent decades, shifting demographic and social trends have led to increased conversation around the topic of diversity in the workplace.  Different fields all talk about this topic differently, however, and often cannot agree on the importance or reason behind building diverse spaces, let alone how best to manage diverse populations. This research seeks to explore the factors that impact individual's perceptions of diversity initiatives and working with perceived personal difference in team environments, and more specifically, to understand how individuals labeled as "diverse" experience and think about diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. 
 

Lab Project: Pop Culture Podcast

Bioarchaeology, feminism, queer culture/history, forensic anthropology, fashion culture/history, and popular culture

This semester I am really wanted to put into motion a plan that Alex Cano and I have had for a podcast covering many facets of pop culture through an anthropological lens. It is an area of study that we are both really interested in, especially because we have both been apart of this culture our entre lives. I really want to dive into the rise of escapism in our society and what that looks like now versus in the past and why these changes have happened.

Sustainability, Economic anthropology, legal anthropology, cultural anthropology, innovation, biological archaeology, archaeology, business anthropology, geopolitics, history, racial and gender equality, qualitative research, and ethnographic research

I will be researching innovative ways to bring transportation and green space initiatives to New Braunfels as part of my pitch project for Social Impact in Innovation (ANTH 3331L). Being a part of this lab will get me closer to my goals of pursuing a career in innovation and anthropology. My goal is to gain different perspectives through collaborating with other imaginaries and innovation focused individuals. I want to see how we can bridge the gap that allows equal opportunities to people of all backgrounds. I plan to do this through ethnographic and qualitative research. I would also like to research different ways to integrate and promote anthropological practices and techniques in the field of innovation; especially in the tech, entertainment, and music industries.

cultural anthropology, UX research, geopolitics, colonialism, politics

Latino studies, medical anthropology, feminist

The purpose of my dissertation is to understand how ethnicity and gender impact Latina veterans' experiences in the military and by utilizing an intersectionality lens, what unique challenges they face while serving. The primary research questions are: (1) How do Latinas navigate their identity as women of color in and after the military? (2) What unique challenges did Latina women face while serving? (3) What factors played into their decision to leave the military? (4) What are Latinas' experiences and relationships with family and community during and after their service? The answer to these questions will be obtained through qualitative methods, which will include semi-structured interviews, surveys, and focus groups.
 

Medical Anthropology, Queer Studies, Gender Studies, Health Equity, SRHR, Substance abuse

This semester, I plan to conduct a workshop focused on using software for qualitative data analysis, such as Atlas.ti, NVivo, and MAXQDA. The goal is to provide members of the Innovative Anthropology lab and students with hands-on demonstrations and practical skills for analyzing qualitative data using these tools. Additionally, I will arrange workshop on citation management software, including Mendeley and EndNote, to help students and members to use referencing of academic sources ethically.
 

Lab Project: Relics, Ruins and Rascals Podcast

Olmec Iconography, Mesoamerican Archaeology, and Native American Belief Systems

My current research focuses on Olmec iconography, Mesoamerican archaeology, and indigenous belief systems. My research explores the concept of the World Tree throughout the chronology of Mesoamerica. The ideological concept of the World Tree can be found in ancient and living cultures throughout the world. Many cultures located in Mexico and Mesoamerica have incorporated this tradition in their ancient indigenous art, ceremonies, and recorded oral histories. The ideology of a culture may evolve or transform due to internal and external factors over time, however sacred principles can be hidden in plain sight or be kept secret by those who protect these ancient practices.

About Relics, Ruins and Rascals: In this podcast we attempt to demystify, debunk, and delve into the various facets of Archaeology and Anthropology through rambunctious discussions and distinguish guests.

Disaster/recovery, disability, mental health, medical anthropology

Bureaucracies and social support networks play vital roles in disaster planning, mitigation, and recovery processes. Specifically, bureaucracies (i.e., government agencies, educational institutions, or aid agencies) engage in practices of knowledge production and resource allocation that can hinder or help recovery efforts on an individual or community level. Social capital, in the form of social support networks, similarly impact the quality of recovery based on the strength of said networks and their ability to be effectively mobilized. These two hindering/helping factors will be examined in two contexts: hurricane recovery in K-12 schools following Hurricane Matthew and Harvey, and how higher-education institution(s) response to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the health and education of first-generation college students.

Spring 2023 Pilot Study:  This semester I'll be taking part in a pilot-study, in which we recruit two library (belonging to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission) and implement COPEWELL self-assessments to aid in bolstering community resilience in advance of disaster events. 

Lab Project: Relics, Ruins and Rascals Podcast

Maya, Mesoamerica, Epigraphy, Iconography, Archaeology, Queer studies, Latin American studies, Sexuality, Latinx studies, Gender Studies, Anthropology

My research attempts to identify elements of regional or local artistic styles within the ceramic assemblages located in various sites within the Dolores region of Peten, Guatemala. From this, I wish to also identify variations within these groups as they may indicate external influences and pressures placed on artistic and stylistic traditions. Doing so will clarify economic and political relationships between polities.

About Relics, Ruins and Rascals: In this podcast we attempt to demystify, debunk, and delve into the various facets of Archaeology and Anthropology through rambunctious discussions and distinguish guests.

Sustainability, harm reduction, conservation, food justice, film, ethnography 

My research is currently over investigating alternative restaurant models and nonprofit land management income strategies for my graduate thesis. My hope is to identify a mutually beneficial relationship between a restaurant model that is a non-profit and a nature preserve, where profits can go towards supporting a wildlife conservation/land management effort.

German, Germanic studies, linguistics, queer studies, feminism, translation, language preservation

I intend to learn more about how I can apply linguistic anthropological methods to study the historical preservation of endangered dialects like Texas-German, as well as learn about how translated texts are affected by cultural biases. If sufficient progress is made, I hope to develop a research project that I can present at one of Texas State's student conferences.

biological anthropology, conservation and biology 

I will be doing anthropology/biology projects and research projects for my classes. These projects will mostly be including information regarding the cultural significance of anthropology and biology. I may also use the podcast equipment to further my research in anthropology. 

archaeology, migration patterns, climatology, bioarchaeology, geography, dendrochronology

I will be working on my paper for writing in anthropology. We will be working on a passion paper; mine being on the topic of the migration routes of the ancient natives into the Americas. I hope to get a good jump on my thesis and maybe learn about starting a podcast.

Applied Anthropology, Border studies, Ethnographic research, Latinx Studies

I will be working on my thesis proposal this semester. It will be about issues with the identification of those who die trying to cross the border in Eagle Pass, TX. Ethnographic research will be used in my thesis to help better understand why these issues are happening. 

Biological anthropology, linguistics, cultural anthropology, archeaology, aquatic biology, biology, paleozoology, paleontology, evolution, ecology, behavior, water, birds, mammmals, insects, reptiles, amphibians

I would love to conduct research of the evolution of linguistics and cultures and how they intertwine. 

Professor of Anthropology

Interests: Maya, anthropology of religion, culture, theory, and field research methods

human biology, comparative anatomy and physiology with nonhuman primates, metabolism, obesity, and nutrition

I will be learning the ins and outs of podcast production and how to write compelling and engaging episodes. I will also hone in my science communication skills and interview abilities. I plan to interview anthropologists about exercise science/health/and nutrition topics.

digital anthropology, science and technology studies, AI, social media, internet culture

My master's thesis focuses on how AI philosophies influence Central Texan entrepreneurs' perceptions and conceptions of the future. My research interests lie in artificial intelligence, science and technology studies, social media, and internet culture. 

Religious studies, social justices, folklore, feminism, and representation in media.

I would like to put together a video series of anthropology topics in the news or a documentary about superstitions and hometown myths. I believe that if there were more options to interact with the knowledge in the anthropology field, the participation would expand.

Applied Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, Global Health, Human-centred design.

My interest is in utilizing the tools to help my learning in my class work and dissertation, such as use of visual anthropology techniques, making podcasts, posters. I'm also curious about what other team members are working on and the strategies they are using.

primatology, conservation, visual anthropology, primate ecology, cultural anthropology, feminism, linguistics, linguistic anthropology, forensic anthropology

I would very interested to create a conservation initiative to either physically get the community together for a cleanup, or find a method to educate people not familiar with conservation on its importance for our world. I would also love to connect with others in the group to share knowledge on the vast variety of anthropological subjects and aid in any other projects that need it. 
 

medical anthropology, forensic anthropology, biological anthropology,  and applied anthropology

This semester, I hope to continue my research regarding the nursing shortages within the United States. Currently, I am combing through the available literature in order to craft a scoping review. I also wish to use this lab to work on different class projects and, when I have a better idea of what it will be, my graduate thesis. 

Anthropology of Education, Medical Anthropology, Mental health, Asian Studies, Accessibility

I am interested in creating a podcast with the intention of interviewing faculty and graduate students about their anthropological interests/research for prospective students to ""meet the faculty"" before choosing Texas State or taking a class in the department.  I am also interested in making our course material more accessible by making our textbooks into audiobooks and/or making tutorial YouTube videos about reoccurring concepts in our field. 

African studies, English language hegemony, language attitudes and identity, multilingualism, post-colonialism, sociocultural and linguistic anthropology

My aim is to develop the linguistic perspective in the InnoAnth Lab and the department as a whole by emphasizing the imperative role language plays in social and cultural research. I will be utilizing my background in phonetics and sociolinguistics to develop ethnographic resources such as fieldwork and language documentation tools, methods for interviews and cross-cultural communication, and guides for digital behavioral data collection and analysis.

Associate Professor of Anthropology

Interests: Language, gender, and identity; teasing and gossip practices; childhood obesity and body image; adolescent and emerging adult health; youth and social media; ethnographic and applied research methods; contemporary U.S. and educational research settings

feminism, oral histories, deadheads, fan and music culture, business anthropology, applied anthropology, cultural anthropology, archives, gender studies

I will be starting to develop my thesis idea and begin working on my proposal. The lab space is an excellent location to work on projects away from more crowded areas on campus as well as within Evans. For my thesis, I want to incorporate some type of visual data collection, but have no previous experience. This isn't something taught in class. I know the InnoAnth lab has tools to assist me as I learn this form of data collection new to me. 

Native American literature, feminist studies, linguistics, pop culture, horror and trauma, speculative fiction, supernatural literature.

I study ghosts in literature; how they function, what their trauma says about the situation, and how it informs an audience. I am hoping that I can branch out into the podcasting world, and find help (a program, or someone who can help) convert data into statistics. As I explore my research, and fine tune it, I am definitely looking for a community with which I can grow as a researcher. I think this lab would be a great way to begin developing those connections.

3D Printing, repatriation, archeology, culutral anthropology, heritage managment, curation, restoration of artifacts, artifact replication, experimental archeology

I will be researching and performing tasks relating to me thesis this year. I plan on trying to use 3D printing methods to help replicate artifacts belonging to people around the world, in the hopes that the replication of said artifact will allow the original artifact to be returned to its rightful owners, while the copy can continue to be used for research and museum purposes.

Director of the Innovative Anthropologies Lab
Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Interests: science and technology studies (STS); feminist STS; business anthropology, design anthropology, applied anthropology; innovation; entrepreneurship; technologies; design; futures and foresight; expertise; ignorance and agnotology; and infrastructure

Cultural Anthropology, Marriage, Gender, Kinship, Design Anthropology, STS, Screen, Interface, Virtual Ethnography

An Anthropological study of Screen and Interface in the context of Indian matrimony: Studying matrimonial (marriage) websites can reveal how design gets integrated into social norms of kinship, gender, religion, caste, and so on. I'd be looking at how technology gets socially appropriated, how it mediates intimate relations, and how 'technology in use’ is different from ‘technology in design'.

Assistant Professor of Anthropology

sanctuary movements, place justice and restorative practices, queer/trans studies

Monuments and place names as they relate to ethnic conflict, social justice, and truth and reconciliation processes in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I am also making a documentary and writing ethnography about Chicanx drag king culture as spiritual activism with a group in San Antonio called Los MENtirosos.  
 

Professor of Anthropology

Interests: West African economies, merchants, veterans of colonial armies, Islam in West African society, history of theory in anthropology, pedagogic methods.

Cultural Anthropology, RV Parks, Archaeology

My thesis is an ethnography of RV parks.