The anthropology department is a place of research, new ideas, innovative teaching, public engagement, and hands-on learning. Students are encouraged to challenge conventional thinking, design their education, and to use what they learn to offer new perspectives on how we can respond to our present challenges.

We advance innovative thinking that integrates knowledge from the different subfields of anthropology (archaeology, linguistic anthropology, cultural anthropology, and biological anthropology). Nationally, we are especially known for research in the anthropology of Europe, indigenous and Afro-diasporic archaeology, community-based research methods, and for leading the way in developing a biocultural perspective on human adaptation and adaptability, enhanced by a strong foundation in political economy.