USF Department of Anthropology

06/02/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Sherilyne Jones for a successful dissertation defense on “Heritage Without Equity: Afro-Descendant Representation, State Governance, and the Limits of Cultural Policy in Belize” supervised by Dr. Rebecca Zarger. We wish you all the best in your future career!

05/30/2026

Join us for Marie L. Meranda’s Doctoral Dissertation Defense on “An Investigation into the Longue Durée of the Maritime Cultural Landscape of LaSoye Bay, Dominica” supervised by Dr. Diane Wallman.

🗓️ Friday, June 5th

⏰ 10:00am

💻 TEAMs Meeting ID: 271 724 775 869 928 Passcode: Dh3J3X8a

05/28/2026

05/28/2026

The Florida Anthropological Society annual meeting in Punta Gorda, 8-10 May, was attended by many USF folks. Shown at the conference dinner are (left to right) Jeff Mitchem (alum), Nancy White (prof), Lee Hutchinson (alum), Bill Anderson, Jenna D’Agostino (M.A. students), Chris Hunt (alum), Declan Meadows (undergrad), Chris Newman (alum), Hui Xiao (new Ph.D.), Beth Horvath (alum), Layla Alvarado and Tyler Karge (undergrads). At this dinner Hui Xiao was awarded the FAS annual student paper prize.

05/26/2026

Did you hear? Check out Dr. Zarger’s feature on WUSF about tree loss from the 2024 hurricane.

🔗: https://www.wusf.org/environment/2026-04-29/study-2024-hurricanes-reduced-tampa-tree-canopy-almost-5-percent

05/22/2026

Join us for Sherilyne Jones’ Doctoral Dissertation Defense on “Heritage Without Equity: Afro-Descendant Representation,
State Governance, and the Limits of Cultural Policy in Belize” supervised by Dr. Rebecca Zarger.

🗓️ Monday, June 1st

⏰ 11:00am

📍SOC37

💻 TEAMs Meeting ID: 258 141 310 951 746 Passcode: nZ7m4B3i

05/21/2026

Congratulations to Mara Fizi, our 2026 scholarship winner for the Wienker Biomedical Anthropology Award. Fizi collaborated on a research project examining renal medullary carcinoma in individuals with sickle cell trait.

This scholarship honors the legacy of longtime anthropology professor Curtis Wienker, who worked at USF from 1972 until his retirement in 2003 and continued contributing in post-retirement roles, was widely respected for his expertise in forensic and biomedical anthropology, as well as for his research on human population biology among Cuban, Cuban American and African American communities.

05/19/2026

The Black Cemetery Network (BCN) conference is almost here! Join Dr. Jackson, cemetery preservation advocates, heritage practitioners, descendants, artists, and more to learn about Black cemetery erasure and preservation efforts.

🗓️ May 21 (4:30p-7:00p) & May 22 (8:30a–5:30p)

📍 USF St. Petersburg (200 6th Ave S. USC 173
St. Petersburg, FL 33701)

💻 Register (http://usf.to/bcnconference)

05/14/2026

Check out this “Day in the Lab” from Dr. Kathryn Arthur’s Heritage & Ethiopian Archaeological Landscapes lab!

05/10/2026

Congratulations to our anthrobulls! We are so proud of you 🎉

Have grad pics? Send them to us so we can show you off! 📸