Outreach

Maddie Hertz (She/her, Outreach Committee Member): I’m a second year bioarchaeology PhD student. I completed my MA in Anthropology here at Western in March 2023. My thesis focused on the effects of long-term swimming on the relative distribution of muscle and fat in the upper and lower limbs. My PhD research focuses on the effects of aging as related to long-term activity patterns, again, namely in swimmers. I intend to CT scan female swimmers between the ages of 45 and 55 years old to examine their upper and lower limb bones compared to age-matched runners and a control group. Not only are women less represented in this type of research, but this is a key window in aging, as it is when bone loss begins to speed up and osteoporosis (which is especially prevalent in women) begins to set in. In my free time, I like to hike, play video games or board games, and go birdwatching. I’m excited about connecting with my community and working to provide experience-based anthropology opportunities and resources to more people.Email: mhertz3@uwo.ca

Maris Schneider (She/her, Outreach Committee Member): Hi! I’m a first-year bioarchaeology PhD student from Calgary, Alberta. I completed my HBA at Mount Royal University, studying cortical bone acquisition on hand-wrist X-Rays from adolescents to young adulthood. I have a passion for using digital research methods, to preserve the integrity of the artifacts and individuals that anthropologists research. My master's, here at Western, used microCT imaging and deep learning to look inside ancient Egyptian animal mummy bundles, and virtually “remove” the skeletons from mummified bundles. I have a passion for using digital research methods, to preserve the integrity of the artifacts and individuals that anthropologists research In my free time I enjoy reading, watching movies, baking, playing field hockey and golfing. I am passionate about outreach and hope to make anthropology a discipline that is accessible to anyone at all ages. Email:mschne23@uwo.ca

Hanne Andersen (She/Her, Outreach Committee Member): Hi, I’m Hanne Andersen, a first-year master's student in the biological anthropology and archaeology stream. My main research interests are mummy studies, paleopathology and trauma, taphonomy and mortuary/funerary archaeology. Outside of school, I love to spend time with my family, walk my dogs, play hockey and row. I joined Outreach because I am very passionate about anthropology and love to teach and share it with others! If you have any questions feel free to reach out at any time. Email: hander29@uwo.ca

  
Bryn James-Cavan (Outreach Committee Coordinator): Hi everyone, I'm Bryn. I am in my second year of the master's program. My research is on caregiving and intellectual disability. In my free time, I crochet, bake and play video games in my free time. I joined outreach because I believe anthropology shold be accessible to everyone, and I love all the projects we do to support this! Email: cjamesca@uwo.ca

Dima Kassem (She/her, Outreach Committee Coordinator): Hi everyone, I’m Dima, a first-year Sociocultural PhD student. My research looks at complex and rare medical conditions that begin in childhood. I’m studying the social networks for Persons Living with a Rare Disease, their experiences within children’s hospitals and health systems, and their transitions from pediatric to adult health systems. In my free time, I love to cook and bake, draw, read, knit/crochet, go on walks, and play various sports. I joined Outreach because I’m passionate about being a part of a committee that will teach students about what anthropology truly is before they enter high school/university and allow them to experience hands-on learning from all four branches of anthropology. Email: dkassem3@uwo.ca

Meagan Hardy (She/Her, Outreach Committee Member): Hi! I’m a third-year undergraduate student doing an honours specialization in anthropology with a minor in health science.I love all things anthropology, specifically bioarchaeology. I joined Outreach because I love to talk to people about anthropology and spread the word on why the field is so amazing. Outside of school I love to try new recipes, spend time in nature, and watch comedy shows. I’m looking forward to what this year brings! Email: mhardy46@uwo.ca

Rashin Mosallai (She/They, Outreach Committee Member): Hi, I’m Rashin, I’m in my third year undergraduate program for Honours Specialization in Anthropology. I’m getting ready to start my MA in archaeology and biological anthropology in a couple years, hopefully to end up in the field or lab! In my free time, I like to tattoo, garden, make art, and read. I joined Outreach because I want to inform others, especially those who don’t know about Anthropology, that this path is a great career route they can get involved in too! Email: rmosalla@uwo.ca

Rouda Ramzi (She/Her, Outreach Committee Member): Hello! I’m Rouda and I’m a third year undergrad student at King’s. I’m doing an Honour Specialization in History at King’s, and a Minor in Anthropology at Western. My main areas of interest are archaeology and our material culture, as well as bioarchaeology and how the natural world influences us throughout our human history and vice versa. In my free time I like to read, do digital art, embroider, and go on walks. I joined Outreach because I want to be a part of a community that shares my interest and be involved and share that passion with others. Email: rramzi@uwo.ca

Ruby McKenna (She/Her, Outreach Committee Member): Hi there! My name is Ruby, and I am a third-year undergraduate student. I joined Outreach because I am passionate about anthropology and recognize it as an overlooked discipline. I am excited to engage with my community and current and future Western students. My goal within Outreach is to show people how anthropology can benefit them. Email: rmcken3@uwo.ca

Siena McLachlan-Dickinson (She/Her, Outreach Committee Member): Hello! I’m Siena (She/Her), an undergraduate student preparing for a bioarchaeology MA. I’ve always had a keen interest in nature, so I’m inspired by how much we can learn about our history (and prehistory) through studying biological organisms such as human, animal, and plant remains! I'm interested in the relationship between resource use and adaptation in populations. I have a particular interest in the varying success of different hominins and how that might have been impacted by their adaptation and use of resources. I'm also curious how modern humans are impacting our own adaptation and dependence on technology through the continuing changes in our resource use since the Industrial Revolution. In my free time, I love spending time outdoors, reading, dancing, and crafting. I joined Outreach because I enjoy sharing scientific and creative experiences with communities! Email: lmclach4@uwo.ca

Outreach is proud to offer anthropology and archaeology workshops to students of any age in London and the surrounding area. In the past, we have partnered with local schools and organizations, such as the Canadian Association for Girls in Science, to conduct classroom visits and host events at Western University. We aim to provide engaging, hands-on experiences to introduce students to the discipline, and we can offer lectures to give high school students a taste of the university experience. Event content, duration, and location are flexible and can be tailored to meet the needs of individual groups. 

Some examples of workshops include:

• Typology: Analysis of Ontario Archaeological Materials
• Garbology: What Can We Learn From What People Throw Away?
• Cookie Excavations: How Do We Record Archaeological Sites?
• Skull Forensics: The Stories Bones Can Tell
• Career Opportunities in Anthropology and Archaeology
• Guest Lectures from Graduate Students and Faculty (topics vary according to their area of expertise; e.g. Pandemics Past and Present)
• “Pass the Salt:” How, and What, We Communicate at the Dinner Table
• You are What You Don’t Eat: Why Food Taboos Matter
• Other workshops upon request!about_us/Outreach - Classroom Posters/DYC-Kisha-Supernant-Accessible.pdf

If you’re interested in partnering with Outreach to organize an event or workshop, please reach out to us at anthoutreachuwo@gmail.com.

Below you will find a set of posters featuring a selection of diverse figures within the field of anthropology. The aim of this project is to highlight anthropologists and their significant contributions to the field, while providing viewpoints beyond the traditional “white male” narrative that has been prevalent in our discipline. These posters are intended for teachers, educators, and others who are interested in diversifying their curriculum, and can be downloaded and incorporated into classrooms and lessons.

Barbara Voss

Bimadoshka Pucan

Jane Goodall

Jane Hill

Kisha Supernant

Laurence Ralph

Lila Abu-Lughod

Phoebe Stubblefield

Ruth Benedict

References & Resources

These posters were created by Teegan Muggridge and Lauren Poeta in 2021-22.

Cultural Appropriation is the inappropriate and unacknowledged use or adoption of cultural elements and identities that are not your own. Outreach has put together some graphics that can help inform decisions about respectful Halloween costumes. These may be posted on social media (e.g. Instagram, Twitter) or displayed in classrooms as posters or slides.

Culture is Not a Costume Instagram Graphic

Cultural Appropriation Instagram Graphics

Costume Guide Flow Chart Instagram Graphic

Costume Guide Flow Chart Poster

TV Slide

These posters and graphics were created by Emily Henry in 2022. For more information, please visit http://www.lspirg.org/costumes and https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/you-can-stop-appropriation-indigenous-cultures.