Outreach
As a subcommittee of the Western Anthropology Graduate Society (WAGS), Outreach is a group of graduate students that are passionate about improving public understanding of archaeology, biological, cultural, and linguistic anthropology. We work to provide accessible educational materials related to all fields of anthropology and archaeology and offer interactive learning experiences for young students who are passionate about STEM and the humanities. Here you’ll find information about anthropology and archaeology workshop opportunities for elementary to high school students, as well as stand-alone educational content that educators can incorporate into their classrooms and curricula. If there’s anything else you would like to see from Outreach, please reach out to anthoutreachuwo@gmail.com – we would love to hear about it!
Meet Our Team!
Maddie Hertz (She/her, Outreach Coordinator): 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 Coordinator): Hi! I’m a second year bioarchaeology MA 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 thesis uses microCT imaging and deep learning to look inside ancient Egyptian animal mummy bundles, and virtually “remove” the skeletons from mummified bundles. 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
Alexandre Mendes Cursino (They/he, Outreach Committee Member): I’m a Kariri-Puri person born in Kúánãpará, also known as Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. I’m a member of the Indigenous resurgence Maraká’nã Village in Kúánãpará. I'm a PhD student in Sociocultural Anthropology at Western, and my research delves into humans and more-than-humans relations, and Indigenous Environmental Knowledge. I live on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Chonnonton peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties, and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. Email:amendesc@uwo.ca
Bryn James-Cavan (Outreach Committee Member): Hi everyone, I'm Bryn. I am in my first year of a master's in sociocultural anthropology. My research interests are in disability and caregiving. In my free time, I enjoy crocheting and playing video games. I joined outreach because I believe it is important for anthropological knowledge to be accessible to the general public. I'm excited to practice doing so! Email: cjamesca@uwo.ca
Dima Kassem (She/her, Outreach Committee Member): Hi everyone, I’m Dima, a second-year Sociocultural MA 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 Canada. So, I’m exploring the lives of individuals living with a rare disease and their family members who have received support from children’s hospitals and document how the support and relationships change after they transition into adult health services. In my free time, I love to cook and bake (always open to trying new recipes), 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
Class Visits
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.
Diversify Your Classroom Posters
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.
These posters were created by Teegan Muggridge and Lauren Poeta in 2021-22.
Culture is Not a Costume - Halloween Posters
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
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.
Contact us:
If you’re interested in class visits or guest lectures, or if you have any questions, please contact us at anthoutreachuwo@gmail.com.
