Every fall, the Department of Anthropology kicks off the school year with our Welcome Dinner! It’s always a great time to reconnect with faculty, grad students, friends, and even a few furry guests. 🐾. Here’s Ph.D. candidate Jordan Thompson with her pup, Data, an honorary member of the department!

This summer Dr. Rachel Horowitz conducted NSF-funded archaeological research in Belize with colleagues, exploring what stone tool production reveals about past economies. The team also hosted a stone tool production workshop and an Archaeology Day in the community! Link: news.wsu.edu/news/2025/09...

Graduate student Evan Leacox co-created and hosts an annual canoe journey on the Columbia River for WSU Rivers, Watersheds, and Communities (RWC) students. This August participants joined the second Hanford Reach Canoe Journey, a paddling trip designed to build relationships with place and people.

👀 The floors at the WSU Museum of Anthropology have gotten a shiny new facelift! Check out the museum on the east side of the first floor of College Hall. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free! #anthropologymuseum

📝 Writing Wednesday! PhD student RC Timilsina authored an article published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. This research shows that traditional knowledge on natural disasters is predictive specific to location and type of disaster. Article: doi.org/10.1016/j.ij...

Who doesn't like playing in dirt?? At Future Cougs Day, the Department of Anthropology and the Museum of Anthropology featured dig boxes. Pictured here are: archaeology faculty member Dr. Rachel Horowitz, museum curator Madison Pullis, and graduate student Abby Antinossi. #FutureCougs #archaeology

Funding Friday! We're proud to announce that doctoral student RC Timilsina has received a WSU Liberal Arts Scholarship for the 2025–2026 academic year. Congratulations, RC!

From September 5th to 20th, WSU Pullman and UW are teaming up to tackle hunger. This friendly competition aims to raise awareness and crucial funding for the university food pantries. Let’s beat hunger and support our students’ success! Donate here: tinyurl.com/foodpantrych...

📝 Writing Wednesday! Ph.D. Candidate Michael Gaffney first-authored an article on on how children communicate their needs through crying. This research was recently published in Human Nature, and his photo taken in Utila, Honduras made the cover image! Article: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

🔆 Summer fieldwork spotlight: PhD student Eleonora Zanetti studied cultural adaptations to climate change among the Rendille pastoralists of Kenya. She's presenting at the American Political Science Association (APSA) conference this week! Preprint here: preprints.apsanet.org/engage/apsa/...

New semester, new faculty! Today we're introducing Dr. Kristopher Smith, an evolutionary anthropologist who conducts research in East Africa. He might be a familiar face, as he's completed postdoctoral work and also taught at WSU. Welcome, Dr. Smith! Read more: anthro.wsu.edu/kristopher-s...

A special issue of PNAS on the origins of wealth inequality challenges the idea that economic growth began only with the Industrial Revolution, organized by Professor Emeritus Tim Kohler! Blog: www.pnas.org/post/update/... Issue: www.pnas.org/topic/567 Kohler’s article: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

The chair of the Department of Anthropology, Dr. Andrew Duff, was awarded the 2025 WSU College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Peer Mentoring Award. The department is fortunate to benefit from his tireless work, and we are thrilled that he has received college-level recognition. 👏 #GoCougs

Dr. Nicole Hess was awarded the 2025 WSU College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Career Achievement for Career Track Faculty for excelling at research, teaching, academic advising, and service to her community in almost two decades at WSU Vancouver. 👏 #CoCougs

👀 Current and former students spotted at the Society for American Archaeology conference in Denver, CO last month! Current Ph.D. student Jennifer Cuthbertson and Ph.D graduate Dr. Valda Black presented posters on their research. #conference #postersession #SAA2025

👀 Current & former students spotted at the Society for American Archaeology conference in Denver last month! Current Ph.D. student Jennifer Cuthbertson and Ph.D graduate Dr. Valda Black presented posters. Conferences let academics present their emerging research to a specialized audience. #SAA2025

Dr. Marsha Quinlan was awarded the 2025 WSU College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Graduate Advising and Mentoring Award. For the past 18 years, Dr. Quinlan has chaired and co-chaired 24 graduate degree committees (14 MA and 10 Ph.D. graduates) and served on 45 graduate committees! 👏 #GoCougs

At the Society for American Archaeology meeting, Dr. Tim Kohler, Emeritus Faculty, was honored by colleagues and students for his tremendous influence over the years. Pictured are speakers in the session, Dr. Kyle Bocinsky (PhD '14) interviewing Dr. Kohler, and students he has advised. #SAA2025

Graduate students Madison Hönig and Beatrice Caffe recently were honored with WSU leadership awards. Madison received a GPSA Excellence Award for Community Engagement, while Beatrice was awarded a Distinguished Leader Chancellor Award. Congratulations, Beatrice and Madison!! #GoCougs #awards

The Rivers, Watersheds, and Communities (RWC) Program is sponsoring a Walking Rivers Event on May 17 at 9:30am in Pullman as part of a worldwide movement. Anthropology graduate students and faculty members are involved in the RWC program. Registration: forms.gle/eFKjuoaKzqxs...

At this year's Society for American Anthropology conference in Denver, several of our archaeology faculty presented on their research. Pictured are Drs. Samantha Fladd, John Blong, and Rachel Horowitz. #archaeology #conference #SAA2025

At this year's Society for American Archaeology conference, graduate students Jordan Thompson and Madeline Jennings were presented the geoarchaeology fellowship and the Indigenous graduate student scholarship. Congratulations! Award links: tinyurl.com/nhck2d2t & tinyurl.com/4as2276b #SAA2025

Department members were recently honored with CAS awards: Andrew Duff, Faculty Peer Mentoring; Nicole Hess, Outstanding Career Achievement; Marsha Quinlan, Excellence in Graduate Advising; Ollie Shannon, Excellence in Teaching. We''ll feature the awardees' accomplishments in upcoming weeks!

📢 Are you looking for hands-on experience working as an archaeologist in the field of cultural resource management (CRM)? Consider applying for the Summer 2025 Anthropological Internship! Application link with more information: forms.office.com/Pages/Respon...

Earlier this year Dr. John Blong was featured on Ask Dr. Universe, a WSU-based science podcast for kids! Dr. Blong discusses his work as an archaeologist who studies, among other things, fossilized 💩 ! Listen here: buff.ly/8mLt6Xt, on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. #archaeology #podcast #askdruniverse

We’re excited to announce our next WSU Anthropology Colloquium! Dr. Monica Keith of Vanderbilt University will give a talk on Friday, April 11th, at 3:30pm in College Hall 220 and on Zoom. Zoom Meeting ID: 959 4734 5006 Passcode: 312198

Ever wonder why we gossip? Earlier this year Dr. Nicole Hess was featured in an episode of the BBC podcast "Why Do We Do That?" where she discusses her research on the evolution of gossip. Listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p... Also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. #podcast #gossip

Last week was the WSU Academic Showcase, a poster exhibition for the WSU community to display research, scholarship, and creative work in Beasley Coliseum. Here is Dr. John Blong presenting his research on climate change impacting food systems in the Great Basin. #archaeology #foodsystems

Reminder: we're hiring! We seek a Teaching Assistant or Associate Professor who is committed to offering high-quality cultural and four-field anthropology courses in Pullman and through Global campus. Applications close at midnight on March 31! Info and link to application: buff.ly/Nkktnw8

TODAY! The Honors College and Dept of Anth are co-hosting the Bhatia Lecture, “Making Art and Writing History amidst the Ruins: perspectives from Medieval Armenia," March 27 from 4-5 pm in Bryan Hall 305. Undergrads also invited to a FREE LUNCH 12-1pm in Anthro Lounge (1st floor College Hall).

Attention Cougs anthros in Portland, OR: members of the Department of Anthropology will be in Portland for the annual meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology. All former and current Cougs are welcome to come by the Swine Bar in the Paramount Hotel TOMORROW (Thursday March 27) at 6pm.

This week several of our awesome students presented at SURCA, the Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities. Pictured are students Hayden Bewley, Katherine Tower, and Emiltze Cervantes with their independent research posters! #undergraduateresearch #GoCougs

Ph.D. candidate Jordan Thompson received a grant from the Quaternary Research Association to visit the Kansas Geological Survey at the University of Kansas. She received training in micromorphology with Dr. Justin Holcomb and analyzed sediment samples from multiple Nez Perce archaeological sites.

Congratulations to Dr. Nicole Hess, who has been promoted to the rank of Professor, career-track! See the full list of recently promoted WSU faculty here: buff.ly/QX7ch28 #professor

The Biocultural Anthropology Lab is recruiting participants in Pullman, WA & Moscow, ID for a study on breastfeeding and milk composition. All participants will be compensated! If you'd like to promote research in the department, please spread the word. Questions? Call (509) 330-6096.

Funding Friday! Dr. John Blong was featured in the WSU Office of Research newsletter for his recent NSF award. In this research, Dr. Blong will study how environmental changes impacted food choices. Learn more here: buff.ly/Ph4U9xL #NSF #research #archaeology

The WSU Department of Anthropology is hiring a Teaching Assistant or Associate Professor. This is a 3-year appointment with possibility of renewal. We seek applicants who can offer high-quality cultural and four-field anthro courses on Pullman and Global campuses. More info here: buff.ly/Nkktnw8