Anthropology Department Faculty and Staff
Faculty Research at Texas State
Dynamic research on diverse biological and cultural aspects of the human condition, past and present, is a defining aspect of the Department of Anthropology. Faculty have studied lemurs, interviewed students about social media use, excavated tombs, consulted with the FDA, identified murder victims, and much more. The research agendas of department members include field and laboratory studies on four continents funded by grants, contracts, and donations. Undergraduate and graduate students are involved in all of these endeavors, in roles ranging from field school participants to paid research assistants to completing their own research projects. Additionally, the Anthropology Department offers a wide range of Research Equipment that allow our students and faculty to conduct cutting edge research and stay at the top of their filed. Our technology includes 3D digitizers, Micro-CT scanners, 3D printers, magnetic susceptibility meters, digital x-ray systems and many more.
Filter Panel
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Faculty
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Associated Faculty
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Center Faculty
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Research Professors
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Program Coordinators
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Staff
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Archaeology
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Biological Anthropology
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Cultural Anthropology
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Core Ph.D. Faculty
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Core M.A. Faculty
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Dr. Augustine AgwueleAgwueleAugustineProfessor and Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Email: aa21@txstate.edu
Office: ELA 242
Phone: 512.245.4726Primary Focus:
LinguisticsResearch Interests:
Linguistics\ Phonetics,- C-V Coarticulation, Socio-Cultural Studies, Peoples & Cultures of Africa -
Dr. Todd AhlmanAhlmanToddAssistant Professor of Practice and Director: Center for Archaeological Studies
Office: Pecos Building
Phone: 512.245.2728
Email: toddahlman@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
ArchaeologyResearch Interests:
Cultural resources management; pre-contact archaeology of Spring Lake in San Marcos, Texas; the study of African American potteries in Texas and the South; and the study of the African Diaspora in the South and Caribbean. -
Dr. Britt BousmanBousmanBrittProfessor
Email: cb26@txstate.edu
Office: ELA 232
Phone: 512.245.7787Primary Focus:
ArchaeologyResearch Interests:
Stone Age archaeology of sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Plains archaeology, hunter-gatherer technological organization, and geoarchaeology and paleoenvironmental analysis. -
Dr. Carolyn BoydBoydCarolynShumla Endowed Research Professor and Research Associate Professor
Office: ELA 255
Phone: 512.245.0727
Email: cb55@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
ArchaeologyResearch Interests:
Prehistoric art, iconographic analysis, hunter-gatherer archaeology, applied anthropology, Native American myth, ritual, cosmovision, and iconography -
Dr. Emily K. BrunsonBrunsonEmily K.Professor
Email: ebrunson@txstate.edu
Office: ELA 237
Phone: 512.245.6753Primary Focus:
Cultural AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Applied anthropology, medical anthropology, public health
Crisis and risk communication, health care equity, health policy, infectious diseases, vaccination -
Dr. Lise Byars GeorgeByars GeorgeLiseLecturer and Internship Director
Email: lbyarsgeorge@txstate.edu
Phone: 512.245.8272
Office: ELA 271CPrimary Focus:
Cultural AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Applied anthropology; disasters; gender, vulnerability and the use of social social support; ethnicity and identity; anthropology and law; transnationalism and migration -
Dr. Nick CarterCarterNickAssistant Professor
Email: npcarter@txstate.edu
Office: ELA 258
Phone: 512.245.5680Primary focus:
ArchaeologyResearch interests:
Maya archaeology and epigraphy; international heritage management; artifact imaging; ceramic analysis; polity formation and collapse. -
Dr. Elaine Y. ChuChuElaine Y.Assistant Professor
Email: elainechu@txstate.edu
Phone: 512.245.8272
Office: ELA 271DPrimary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Human variation, virtual and computational anthropology, data science, growth and development
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Mr. Adam ClarkClarkAdamSystems Sypport Specialist
Office: ELA 266A
Phone: 512.245.2535
Email: adam.clark@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Website, Marketing, Photography/Videography, Technical Support -
Dr. Christina ConleeConleeChristinaProfessor and Department Chair
Email: cconlee@txstate.edu
Office: ELA 266
Phone: 512.245.8272Primary Focus:
ArchaeologyResearch Interests:
Dynamics of complex societies, causes and consequences of collapse, early empires and colonialism, foundations and relations of power, population movements, cultural boundaries, Andean archaeology, archaeology of north-central Oregon, ceramic analysis, stable isotope analysis -
Dr. Deborah CunninghamCunninghamDeborahSenior Lecturer
Email: deborah.cunningham@txstate.edu
Office: ELA 238
Phone: 512.245.8272Primary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Evolution of East and South African hominins, the paleobiology of Homo erectus, patterns of sexual dimorphism in Australopithecus, species boundaries in the fossil record, and the effect of obesity on the trabecular architecture of the human skeleton -
Dr. Phil DeringDeringPhilAssociated Faculty
Email: pdering@msn.com
Primary Focus:
ArchaeologyResearch Interests:
Economy of Foragers, Agricultural Systems, Field Archaeology, Archaeobotany -
Dr. Beth ErhartErhartBethProfessor, Associate Dean for Academic Program in the College of Liberal Arts
Email: berhart@txstate.edu
Office: ELA 233
Phone: 512.245.3435Primary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Primate behavior and ecology -
Mr. Gerardo GaleanaGaleanaGerardoAdministrative Assistant II
Office: ELA 266C
Phone: 512.245.5852
Email: gbg18@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Administrative Assistant for Graduate Programs (M.A. & Ph.D.) -
Dr. Timothy P. GochaGochaTimothy P.Associate Director: Forensic Anthropology Center
Office: GEB
Phone: 512.245.1900
Email: tim.gocha@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Biological Anthropology -
Dr. Michelle D. HamiltonHamiltonMichelle D.Associate Professor
Office: ELA 240
Phone: 512.245.8429
Email: mh69@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, paleopathology, trauma, taphonomy, postmortem interval, dental anthropology. -
Ms. Treena HeringtonHeringtonTreenaAdministrative Assistant III
Office: ELA 266D
Phone: 512.245.0544
Email: th36@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Budget, Departmental Operations -
Dr. Nicholas P. HerrmannHerrmannNicholas P.Professor
Office: ELA 243
Phone: 512.245.6440
Email: nph16@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Forensic and dental anthropology, geospatial and geophysical applications, eastern Mediterranean bioarchaeology -
Dr. Jodi JacobsonJacobsonJodiAssociate Director: Center for Archaeological Studies
Office: Pecos Building
Phone: 512.245.2724
Email: jodijacobson@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Archaeology -
Dr. David KilbyKilbyDavidProfessor
Office: ELA 247
Email: david.kilby@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
ArchaeologyResearch Interests:
North American Paleoindians, hunter-gatherer archaeology, Southwest prehistory, the organization of lithic technology, geoarchaeology, paleoenvironments, landscape archaeology, human evolutionary ecology, Cultural Resource Management and applied archaeology. -
Dr. Sophia MavroudasMavroudasSophiaCoordinator: Forensic Anthropology Center
Office: GEB 112
Phone: 512.245.1900
Email: sm78@txstate.edu | facts@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Biological Anthropology -
Dr. R. Jon McGeeMcGeeR. JonProfessor
Phone: 512.245.2474
Email: rm08@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Cultural AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Maya, anthropology of religion, culture, theory, and field research methods -
Dr. Ashley McKeownMcKeownAshleySenior Lecturer and Visiting Associate Professor
Office: ELA 256
Phone: 512.245.4964
Email: ahm@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
The human skeleton -
Dr. Jill PruetzPruetzJillProfessor
Office: ELA 228
Phone: 512.245.7838
Email: pruetz@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Vervet and patas monkey socioecology focusing on the influence that food availability had on female primate competition and dominance. Assessing the presence and distribution of chimpanzees in savanna habitats in Senegal. The environmental pressures that influences ape behavior in Senegal and how such behavior differs from chimpanzees living in forested environments. -
Ms. Amy ReidReidAmyCurator: Center for Archaeological Studies
Office: TRIN 120
Phone: 512.245.2724
Email: areid@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Archaeology -
Dr. F. Kent ReillyReillyF. KentProfessor and Director: Center for the Arts and Symbolism in Ancient America
Office: ELA 271
Phone: 512.245.8432
Email: fr04@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
ArchaeologyResearch Interests:
Mayan and Southeastern ideological systems and epigraphy -
Mr. Heath RobsonRobsonHeathAdministrative Assistant II
Office: ELA 266B
Phone: 512.245.6797
Email: ugr11@txstate.eduPrimary Focus
Travel and Social Media -
Dr. Monica Schoch-SpanaSchoch-SpanaMonicaResearch Associate Professor
Email: mschoch@txstate.edu
Primary Focus:
Cultural AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Culture and politics of disasters and epidemics, National security policy and history, Community resilience to extreme events, Public engagement in policy making -
Mr. C. Brandon SheffieldSheffieldC. BrandonGrant Assistant
Office: ELA 266F
Phone: 512.245.7407
Email: bsheffield@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Grants, Purchasing -
Dr. Heather SmithSmithHeatherAssistant Professor and MA Program Coordinator
Office: ELA 241
Email: heather.smith@txstate.edu
Phone: 512.245.7961Primary Focus:
ArchaeologyResearch Interests:
Paleoindian Archaeology, Paleolithic Archaeology, Human Dispersals, Lithic Technology, Fluted Projectile Points, Geometric Morphometrics, GIS, Cultural Transmission, Evolutionary Archaeology -
Dr. Kate SpradleySpradleyKateProfessor
Office: ELA 234
Phone: 512.245.6539
Email: mks@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Human biological variation, forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and quantitative methods. -
Dr. Nicole TaylorTaylorNicoleAssociate Professor and Ph.D. Program Coordinator
Office: ELA 236
Phone: 512.245.2473
Email: ntaylor@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Cultural AnthropologyResearch 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 -
Dr. Angela Kristin VandenBroekVandenBroekAngela KristinAssistant Professor
Email | akvbroek@txstate.edu
Office | ELA 271A
Phone | 512.245.4304Primary Focus:
Cultural AnthropologyResearch 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 -
Dr. Aimee VillarrealVillarrealAimeeAssistant Professor
Email: aimeevillarreal@txstate.edu
Office: ELA 271B
Phone: 512.245.7862Primary Focus:
Cultural AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Social movements in the US-Mexico borderlands; immigration and asylum; religion and transnationalism; Chicanx spiritual politics and performance; comparative ethnic studies. -
Dr. Richard WarmsWarmsRichardProfessor
Office: ELA 260
Phone: 512.245.2504
Email: r.warms@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Cultural AnthropologyResearch Interests:
West African economies, merchants, veterans of colonial armies, Islam in West African society, history of theory in anthropology, pedagogic methods. -
Dr. Daniel J. WescottWescottDaniel J.Professor and Director: Forensic Anthropology Center
Office: GEB 111
Phone: 512.245.1945
Email: dwescott@txstate.eduPrimary Focus:
Biological AnthropologyResearch Interests:
Forensic anthropology, bone biomechanics, human skeletal variation, bioarcheaology