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WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY

  1. Institution Name:
    Wayne State University
  2. Department Title:
    Department of Anthropology
  3. Faculty in Historical Archaeology:
    1. Ryzewski, Krysta (Ph.D., Brown 2008, Assoc Prof) Historical and contemporary archaeology; landscape archaeology; urban archaeology; diaspora; colonialism; disasters and ecological stress; heritage management and public archaeology; materials science / archaeometry; digital humanities; big data; Caribbean and North America (Detroit/Midwest/New England).
    2. Killion, Thomas (Ph.D., New Mexico 1987, Assoc Prof) Mesoamerica; origins of agriculture; landscape archaeology; Native American archaeology (Midwest/Detroit); contemporary ruination in Spain; museum studies.
    3. Bray, Tamara (Ph.D., Binghamton 1991, Prof) Andean archaeology; complex societies; Inca Empire; Ecuadorian archaeology; early imperialism and statecraft; food & feasting; art & iconography; materiality-sociality; museum studies.
  4. Other Faculty:
    1. Lesnik, Julie (Ph.D., Michigan 2011, Asst Prof) Bioarchaeology; bioanthropology; evolution of the human diet; edible insects; Andes; Africa; Central Europe
    2. McCullen, Megan (Ph.D., Michigan State, 2015) Director, Gordon L. Grosscup Museum of Anthropology; ethnohistory; Great Lakes Native American archaeology, museum studies
  5. General Statement:
    Archaeology, and historical archaeology in particular, was first established as a departmental focus in 1957 by Professor Arnold Pilling (who would go on to establish the Museum of Anthropology in 1958, and contribute to the founding of the SHAs in 1967). The legacy of Dr. Pilling’s public scholarship and community-based research continues today with several faculty and student research, outreach, and training initiatives housed in the department’s Grosscup Museum of Anthropology.
    Graduate students at Wayne State University may pursue a MA or Ph.D in Anthropology with a focus in Archaeology. MA students may focus on Archaeology generally or may pursue a more specific focus in historical archaeology, public archaeology/CRM or museum studies. Ph.D. students will work towards an Anthropology degree with a special focus in an area of Archaeology that is relevant to their interests and faculty expertise. In recent years students have conducted archaeological research in Michigan, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and other parts of North America (including numerous projects in Detroit and Southeast Michigan). The Department also maintains a strong commitment to the archaeology of urban Detroit and offers fieldwork opportunities at local archaeological sites on a regular basis.
    The Archaeology and Biological Anthropology Laboratories, housed in the Grosscup Museum of Anthropology and Life Sciences Building, include facilities for mapping, computerized drafting, photography, spatial analysis, ceramic analysis, 3D printing/scanning, GIS, and statistical research, as well as comparative collections. The Grosscup Museum of Anthropology contains extensive collections of local historical and contemporary material culture that are available for student research. Wayne State is located in Detroit’s Midtown cultural district, within walking distance of several major museums, archival repositories, and libraries.
    Our graduate students with archaeology and/or museum specializations are readily employed upon graduation in a wide range of jobs related to their expertise. These jobs are located in public and private sectors and include work in cultural resource management firms, federal and local governments, industry, national research laboratories, environmental consulting firms, publishing houses, educational institutions, national parks, law firms, non-profits, and museums.
    Visit Wayne State Anthropology’s You Tube channel to listen to our students and alum talk about the benefits of their graduate training. Prospective students are encouraged to address questions about pursuing a MA degree vs. a PhD degree to the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies and the archaeology faculty. There are two annual admissions cycles for the Anthropology Master’s program (October and January), and one admission cycle for the Ph.D program (January).
  6. For More Information Contact:
    Krysta Ryzewski, Department of Anthropology, 656 W. Kirby, 3054 F/AB, Detroit, MI 48202. Email: Krysta.Ryzewski@wayne.edu; Department Website: http://www.clas.wayne.edu/Anthropology/