What does Nike expect of their athletes, and how does the behavior of athletes outside of sports affect the company's endorsement deals? I feel that this research question should be shared because I feel that it is important to know how endorsement deals affect athletes financially and culturally by having or losing these deals from companies such as Nike. I believe Nike chooses to hand out million dollar endorsements to "Hot Commodity" or "Supernatural" athletes. Nike, having a money-making mentality, exploits the use of athletes as investments in order to make money for themsleves as a company, whereas pro athletes have the motive for a reputation and fame opposed to money, seeing that they are making millions already. I have examined how Nike punishes the athletes they sponsor by stripping them of their sponsorship and consider the types of actions Nike finds intolerable off the field of play, as well as the impact that it has on the athletes. For my research, using the methods photo analysis, interviews, and also social media analysis, I examined different Nike ads, multiple articles based on Nike, and also watched documentaries on the company. I found these methods to be very effective in my study because Nike powerfully shapes the sports industry. By continuing my research, I found that Nike bases its decision on the athlete and what they have accomplished athletically, rather than the person they truly are.

It was estimated in 2012 that over 30 million Americans watched National Football League (NFL) football each week. At the same time, over 65% of American households play computer or video games. It is no wonder then, that video games like Electronic Arts (EA) Sports’ Madden NFL has developed what could be called a cult following. Madden has produced multiple editions over the last 25 years, with the recent addition of thousands of virtual media sites dedicated to it. In the last two decades, this has allowed fans new and ever-increasing access. Does this increased access through video games like Madden NFL and the virtual media sites dedicated to them lead to the commodification of players and the perpetuation of historically entrenched stereotypes? To answer this question,  I am building off of Thomas Patrick Oates’ work in his article: New Media and the Repackaging of NFL Fandom, particularly what he refers to as “vicarious management”. Vicarious management is the “presentation of athletes as commodities to be consumed selectively and self-consciously by sports fans”. I used many of the ideas expressed by Grossman and Andrews. Throughout my research I employed the methods of participant observation, discourse analysis, photo analysis, semi-structured interviews, and surveys. The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of how vicarious management affects public perception and what steps can be taken to address the ways in which “authority, dominance and social inequality are constructed, sustained, [and] reproduced” through the platforms of video games and virtual media.

I explored the ways in which the media overshadow women’s basketball and portray men’s basketball as the dominant driving force behind the game. Methods I engaged with included social mapping of men and women’s basketball games at the University of Washington, what were the demographics of the crowd, who was present and what did this tell me about who was attending the games. I observed various photographs (photo analysis) that featured in magazines, newspapers such as Sports Illustrated, who was featuring on the cover and who was featured as the ‘main star’? Another method was interviewing, I spoke with ushers at men and women’s games, I listened to their views and what they said were the main differences between the two games, and how the University presented or advertised them. On a professional level, the NBA is the driving force behind professional basketball, yet is reserved specifically for males, therefore portraying males as sporting leaders. WNBA is a separate entity and I feel if women wish to be seen playing the sport they need to be in an entirely different league and can’t be seen playing the ‘main’ sport (through the NBA). This is just one example of the divide that is driven between these two genders and people’s eyes need to be opened as to why this exists.

In rural Kyakitanga village of the Luweero Triangle in Central Uganda, inequalities resulting from structural violence of colonialism and the post-independence regimes of Milton Obote and Idi Amin trickle down as negative effects on the local food system, which in turn degrade the environment and peoples’ health. Locals express a desire to remedy this food insecurity through modern farming techniques. My research explores the potential role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in the village’s pursuit of food sovereignty and the formation of a future food system. TEK is the usually place-based intergenerational knowledge of indigenous populations about how to thrive in a mutually evolving and beneficial relationship with the environment; as an informer of subsistence methods, TEK tends to be more environmentally sustainable and socially equitable than modern farming. My methodologies included literature review of colonial and post-colonial political economic history of Uganda, current food insecurity in rural Sub-Saharan Africa, TEK in East Africa, and examples of TEK recovery in other communities. Additionally, in Summer 2013, I will conduct participant observation and a community-based participatory action research (PAR) study involving multigenerational semi-structured individual and group interviews in the village. I will collaborate with locals in the research process and share all results with Kyakitangans as a resource for pursuing food sovereignty. My research is significant because it addresses upstream issues of local autonomy, historical trauma, and ecological factors that are often neglected in public health and development discourses in the Ugandan context, which is historically dominated by verticalization and neoliberalism. As applied anthropology, my research will promote the autonomy and agency of an oppressed community, and lead to relevant broader implications for global health and development work and discourse.

This project was aimed at helping UW Recycling identify inefficiencies in waste disposal and provide them with information that will assist in ascertaining their optimized waste diversion rate of 70% by 2020. Having a 70% diversion rate means that the UW would be sending 70% of its waste to recycling or compost facilities instead of a landfill. In turn, this means the University has less monetary investment in waste disposal practices while simultaneously making a beneficial and a substantial reduction in its environmental footprint. We hypothesized that individuals were not properly utilizing the trash, recycle and compost bins, and that upon evaluation of these bins we would find contamination that would allow us to identity inefficiencies. To test if waste was indeed being deposited incorrectly we chose to sort and examine trash, recycling, and compost from two locations over a five week period. During this time we documented the weights of pre-defined categories of waste and observed common trends in the waste stream. This revealed that compost was the main source of contamination in both the recycling and trash bins. The average trash and recycle bin compost contamination was 72% and 36%, respectively. However, the composition of the compost container showed that 93% of the materials in the bin were indeed compostable. These results align with our initial hypotheses. Furthermore, our study allowed us to identify possible causes for this behavior and to propose a series of measures to help mitigate it. We hope to expand this work with future efforts, including: educational outreach through trash sorts, implementing programs that engage the community and further divert waste, experimenting with new bin labeling systems, using Geographic Information System for mapping of campus compost bins for better tracking, and introducing more compost bins throughout campus buildings.

Urban farming is on the rise, not only in cities across the United States, but also around the world. From backyard gardens to large-scale community projects, people are returning to the land. This research explores the causal agents and impacts of this movement in Seattle, while also exploring why the expansion of community gardens and large-scale urban farming efforts have failed to progress as rapidly in Seattle’s sister city of Tacoma. An in-depth comparison will focus on the South Park area of Seattle and the Hilltop area of Tacoma. While much has been written about the ways in which urban agriculture has benefitted Seattle through its community gardens and large-scale urban farms, very little exists about why the same movements have not flourished in Tacoma. This project will employ a range of ethnographic methods, such as participant observation, in-depth interviews, and archival investigation into city policies and historical records. The data gathered will be used to explore the multiple and complex factors that influence—both positively and negatively—community based urban agriculture (CBUA) in the study areas.

President Obama’s recent inaugural speech included the call for equal rights for members of the GLBT community. Among the issues transgender people especially face are access restrictions to transition related health care. This project examines the implications for transgendered people in terms of access to gender-confirming surgical procedures and how this affects their quality of life. The sites of this study were the United States and Germany, two countries using the same parameters to determine if a person suffers from Gender Identity Dysphoria, the clinical diagnosis required to undergo gender-confirming procedures. In the U.S. these procedures are widely not covered because they are labeled elective or cosmetic. German law on the other hand mandates full health insurance coverage as surgery is considered a necessary and effective treatment of a clinically established condition. This project uses quantitative data collected with questionnaires and qualitative data in the form of life history interviews. It compares the results of the National Transgender Discrimination Study (n=6,540) with responses to the same questionnaire by transgender Germans (n=88). Findings indicate that access to transition related care via health insurance improves the mental and physical well-being of individuals whereas access limited due to lack of coverage can be detrimental. Life histories provided by five individuals, three Americans and two Germans, evaluated in open and closed coding according to the Grounded Theory approach, also indicate lower rates of depression and drug use in people after gender-confirming procedures. Yet due to the small size of the German sample these findings may not be representative. Furthermore, even though gender-confirming procedures are effective, they should not be understood as mandatory for everyone diagnosed with Gender Identity Dysphoria.

In the past few years, there have been some prominent sexual assault scandals in American sports, such as the Pennsylvania State University football and Duke University lacrosse scandals, as well as a variety of lesser known cases. I am interested in how the mainstream and alternative media depict sexual assault in sports, and what values and social norms are revealed by these depictions. Do media portrayals of sexual assault in sports change depending on the race, gender, and age of the victim and perpetrator? I predict that these portrayals will follow common racial and gender discourses in America by vilifying black men accused of sexual assault more than white men, and minimizing or normalizing the rape of adult women. The rape of children, especially young boys, is more shocking and therefore elicits a stronger media response. I will investigate this question through discourse analysis of news articles, news websites, and blogs, and through analyzing the images that accompany the articles and blogs. My research will be linked to the feminist concept of rape culture. It will also build upon work such as the article Innocent Until Proven Innocent, a discourse analysis of the Duke lacrosse rape scandal written by David J. Leonard. In his analysis, he concludes that after the accusation of upper class white male athletes by a black woman, the mainstream media framed the case as showing unfair prejudice against white men and unfair credibility given to the black woman’s story just because of her race. By analyzing portrayals of sexual assault in sports, I hope to shed light upon cultural assumptions, values, and stereotypes that surround sexual assault in sports, and in the United States in general.

The media impacts sports in many ways by reporting stories as a way to distract an athlete. There are many stories in the sports industry where the media attacks an athlete and their personal life through outlandish stories. Some examples of this are how many athletes are targeted through their girlfriends. Manti Te’o and his hoax girlfriend, AJ McCarron’s girlfriend during the BCS national title game, Tiger Woods’ affair and Hope Solo and Jeramy Steven’s domestic abuse are some stories that the media has focused much of their attention on. Most importantly, how does the media shape cultural norms about significant others of athletes? I will be looking at popular culture and media to analyze what impact media has on an athlete’s relationship. From my personal experience I believe that the media propagates stories exponentially out of proportion. To challenge my hypothesis I will use the methods of photo voice, interview and discourse analysis of pop culture. An article written by Paul Husselbee and Kevin Stein shows an analysis of Tiger Woods’ scandal breaking down what exactly happened during his affair. This article focused on what was going on during trials and the aftermath. ESPN and other sports broadcasting companies made his affair a worldwide issue. Most media articles are written to get more people to tune into the story rather than laying out the complete truth. This research is important because people follow media and believe everything that is being broadcasted without looking at the fine print and details. I believe I will find that the media has a significant impact on fans when they view athletes. If more people realize there is more to a story than what is being shown, then stories would not be so extreme.

Archaeological excavations at the Rimrock Draw Rockshelter site (35HA3855), located in southeastern Oregon, revealed a three-part stratigraphic series of eolian deposits underlain by silty clays, and orange sandy clay sediments. These are found in nearly all excavated units of the rockshelter. Excavation units contained Western Stemmed points that date between 8,000 to 12,000 years in age, frequently in sediments that lack a uniform stratigraphy due to post-depositional alteration and sediment mixing from burrowing animals. However; Unit 11 is the exception, revealing a thick tephra lens underlain by distinct layers of banded black and gray prismatic clay, then by bone fragments of a large mammal that may be megafauna. These features mark a significant change in stratigraphic clarity, offering researchers the most clearly defined stratified deposits in the site thus far. The goal of this research is to establish a stratigraphic framework using geoarchaeological methods including particle size analysis for grain size distributions; geochemical analysis of collected sediment samples to test soil pH levels; electrical conductivity; and organic loss on ignition to determine the nature of the paleoenvironment. Also, this project offers an interdisciplinary collaboration to chronologically date this unique sequence of deposits using electron microprobe analysis on two collected tephra samples, and radiometric dating on bone fragments found near the bottom of the Unit 11. I expect the results of these methods to show strong andic-type soil properties, give a statistically meaningful stratigraphic division of depositional units, and provide several chronological dates to be used as marker horizons. Together, these results will demonstrate the strong associative context between excavated archaeological material and the stratigraphic record.

What cultural norms do the Rat City Rollergirls challenge and what are the implications of creating these new norms? Women and sports have by and large been at odds in America because of societal pressures and cultural norms that hyper-sexualize athletic women and undervalue their athletic achievements. Conversely, many women who challenge this are considered unwomanly and become unjustly labelled as a “beast” and often times their sexual identity becomes questioned. I will be exploring how women, specifically the all female roller derby league, the Rat City Rollergirls are challenging and creating new cultural norms by employing research methodologies such as, photo analysis, discourse analysis, ethnographies, and observations in order to answer these inquiries. It is important to study these cultural norms to elucidate a seemingly complicated and elusive societal bias towards women athletes and identify the root causes, what types of actions or behaviors continue the standard cultural norms, and how action can be taken to further challenge these long standing biases. To properly answer this inquiry I examined my own positionality regarding sports to uncover any hidden biases and then used this insight to remain open minded and unbiased while conducting further research. By analyzing the social media surrounding the Rat City Rollergirls I will be able to answer, in part, much of this inquiry. Using the Seattle Times’ online database I will deconstruct the hidden associations and meanings behind the pictures that I analyze. Furthermore, I will analyze the discourse used within these articles, as well as other social media sites, such as online forums, to see if my results are congruous with the dominant cultural norms regarding women in sport within America. The Rat City Rollergirls are challenging and changing these norms in new and exciting ways through the use of naming strategies, imagery, and events.

Social media has had a history of creating facades of cultures, and this is especially true in the scope of sports. My question then is what is the effect of social media’s portrayal of Pacific Islander athletes on the cultural image of Pacific Islander students? For many higher education campuses, Pacific Islander (PI) student populations are vastly underrepresented in the general population spectrum. Yet there exists on sports teams a vast overrepresentation of Pacific Islanders, especially in football. The issue then is the effect this has on the image of Pacific Islanders, where we are seen as either "savage" or "barbaric" but rarely academic. My research will address this issue and see if the underlying misperception stems from social media. I will also analyze the effect this portrayal has on PI student athletes. The methods I chose to analyze the issue are interviews of PI athletes, photovoice and social media analysis. Through photovoice I will contrast how social media interprets the image of PI’s as and how PIs themselves view their cultural heritage. From these methods I anticipate a qualitative understanding of how social media has propagated a false image of PI culture to the general public. Then I hope to address how we as a society can oppose this image through more accurate education of PI culture.

For my research, I was interested in the growing popularity of belly dancing in the United States, with a focus on misconceptions, stigmas, stereotypes, and the benefits that have attracted women (and some men who take classes and perform) to belly dance. I  researched these ideas that contribute to and surround belly dancing because of my personal experience as a local Seattle Belly Dancer. I was interested in both the reasons for the increase of interest and the stereotypes that need debunking. My question is: why have cultural perceptions of belly dancing shifted from a stereotype of sexualized dance to one of female empowerment and growing popularity? In order to answer this question I used participant observations, discourse analysis, photovoice and articles from both the media and scholarly. Rachel Kraus’s article titled “We are not Strippers: How Belly Dancers Manage a (Soft) Stigmatized Serious Leisure Activity” was useful in quoting and comparing her research on the stigma’s of belly dancers. From my research I found female empowerment about their bodies to be one of the core reasons for the growing popularity and also found stigma’s of the dance form being for male entertainment, which is a fallacy. The research  helped me become more aware of my community and its complexities.

I am interested in discovering the effects of tough love motivation fed from coaches to athletes. I view "tough love" motivation as an expression used by one person (i.e. coach) to treat another person (i.e. athlete) harshly, with the underlying intent to benefit this person (i.e. athlete) in the long run. For my research, I will primarily focus on the mainstream college sports of men's basketball and football. I wonder to what extent tough love motivation from coach to athlete effects an athlete's performance, and what are the resulting repercussions for their coach-athlete relationship as well as for the athlete's future? To supplement my research, I relate to recent research conducted by Renata Baric and Valentin Bucik, entitled Motivational Differences in Athletes Trained by Coaches of Different Motivational and Leadership Profiles (2009). In investigating my research question, I will use the following anthropological methods: photovoice, discourse analysis, and interviewing. By my results, I intend to uncover the impact of tough love motivation in college level sports. I assume its effects are not only lasting but also detrimental for an athlete's performance and future. Depending upon my results, I hope to provide college coaches (present-day and future) with the encouragement to adjust their coaching profiles, if need be. Finally, I envision my research will serve as a resource for coaches to refer to, in their effort to shape, mend, and/or strengthen coach-athlete relationship(s), and consequently, in refining their athletes' performances not only in the game but also in their futures.

Previous studies have shown that music can raise or lower the “stress” hormone, cortisol. This project builds on this work by examining whether specific components of the music—the tempo and the lyrics—are responsible for modifying cortisol levels. The first part of the study tested whether different tempos affect cortisol. The second part tested whether angry lyrics raise cortisol levels while happy lyrics lower them. 46 participants (aged 18 to 28 years) were split into two groups. The first group listened to music without words that were either slow or fast tempo. The second group listened to music with words portraying a happy or angry message. Saliva specimens were collected from the participants before, during, and after listening to one of the four types of music. After an hour break, participants listened to the second corresponding type of music and provided three more samples. Saliva specimens were assayed for cortisol using an enzyme immunoassay. 46 individuals (29 females and 17 males) completed the study with 276 total saliva specimens. The mean age of the sample is 21.304 years. The average intra and inter assay coefficients of variability were 6.61% (high control) and 6.57% (low control). The hypothesized trends of significant increase or decrease of cortisol across the time span from baseline to post music salivary specimens are not evident in preliminary analyses. The highest baseline average was for the angry music group (3236.08 ng/ml), and the largest decline, though not statistically significant, was in the angry music group. All forms of music appeared to lower cortisol, although this was not statistically significant. Contrary to expectations, listening to angry music may reduce stress levels more than happy, slow or fast music. Future work with larger samples and more controlled conditions may reveal stronger associations.

A vast amount of research exists in the field of education psychology concerning topics such as brain-based learning, teacher-directed versus student-centered learning, the impact of social and individual factors on the learning experience, and more. Despite this wealth of information, there is often a striking disconnection between the current educational research and the actual experience of students in the classroom. Undergraduate classes, modeled on teaching practices that have been the norm for decades, are often out of sync with contemporary research addressing the scientific and social realities of the learning process. An exception to this phenomenon is observable in dance technique classes in the University of Washington Dance Program. Dance instructors at the UW implement many education theories successfully in their classes, and students reap the positive benefits of these teaching techniques. In order to better understand the teaching methods at work in these learning environments, I conducted observations of UW dance classes and interviewed dance students. Through my research, I have identified key factors that combine to create a classroom environment conducive to learning theory application in everyday teaching. Although the physicality of dance sets it apart from most academic classes, I argue that these same factors could be replicated and utilized in academic classes with similar success. This research is a critical step towards closing the gap between what we know to be effective education theories (and related teaching techniques) and the reality of student experience in many academic classrooms.

A trend of severe drought and bushfires due to climate change has led to extensive tree death and declines in arboreal marsupial populations at two sites, Minerva Hills and Wallalee, near Springsure, central Queensland, Australia, over the past decade. Researcher observations that the population dynamics may have shifted to domination by common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) were the impetus for this study, which set out to establish baseline data for future monitoring. This study investigated how the vegetation and populations of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), greater gliders (Petauroides volans), and common brushtail possums have changed since the last studies, and what may have caused the changes. Spotlighting and listening surveys were conducted at each site, and a vegetation survey was also carried out using the point-quarter nearest neighbour method. At Minerva Hills, the greater glider population has declined and the koala population has almost fallen below detectable levels. Common brushtail possums, on the other hand, have had a population boom. The decline of greater gliders and koalas and subsequent increase of common brushtail possums was attributed to a recent bushfire, though previous droughts may also have had an effect. The Wallalee site was almost empty of arboreal marsupials and the vegetation reflected recent floods and previous clearing for agriculture. Recommendations for conservation included management of bushfires and connecting habitat fragments. It was concluded that the best method to protect the populations in these areas would be to combat climate change, and thus lessen the severity of drought, bushfires, and flooding.

Burma is now undergoing an incredible transition toward peace, stability and democratic governance – a transition that we found requires a fundamental re-thinking of U.S. policy relations. While we discovered Burma’s commitment to reform to be genuine, its challenges are numerous. Instability and underdevelopment continue to dominate the Burmese landscape, defined by a weak constitutional government, repressed civil society, unreformed military, ethnic violence and an underdeveloped economy. This past year marked President Obama as the first American president to visit Burma, extending a hand of friendship, committed to strengthening political and economic ties between the United States and Burma. As well as a real commitment by the United States to reduce economic sanctions, aid in the democratization process, and lift the Burmese economy out of poverty -  elements we proved to be essential in ensuring a successful transition in Burma. Our task force recommends greater engagement, aid, and targeted policy consultation to help the country emerge from decades of military-junta rule and rejoin the international community. Ultimately, Burma offers a new roadmap in the United States in re-thinking the reform process of developing countries, one that now requires trading the tools of isolation and international pressure for those of integration and international cooperation. The world is now watching Burma as it prepares to chair the ASEAN council in 2014 and hold democratic elections in 2015. No one knows how long this moment for reform will last, but the time for action is now.

Using the lens of contemporary Egyptian archaeology, this research examines how the roles of Egyptian archaeology and archaeologists have changed since George Reisner first excavated the Menkaure Valley Temple over a hundred years ago in 1910. By examining the changes in archaeological practices, and the profession of archaeology in Egypt, this study seeks to explore a new perspective on how the application of archaeology has changed within the last century. There are many different ways of excavation, and methodologies have advanced dramatically over the past century. By comparing and contrasting old archaeological practices used by George Reisner in 1910 while excavating the Menkarure Valley Temple, Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA) is re-excavating the same structure and using Reisner’s old work combined with new archaeological practices to develop a new understanding of the temple and its many modifications, and changes of use throughout the history of Ancient Egypt. By using myself as an archaeologist and Reisner’s work along with the research conducted by the AERA team members as the investigative perspective, I will present a story that is relatively unknown, as well as introduce a new perspective on how the methods and practice of archaeology in Egypt have evolved. The project has the following steps:1. Compare Reisner’s methods of excavation strategy, artifact analysis, dating (etc.—focus on methods) to 21st century AERA methods. 2. Discuss how contemporary archaeologists in AERA use old data collected by Reisner—problems, challenges, and solutions 3. How does all of this change the way we interpret the Menkarure Valley Temple?

 This study attempts to help resolve our lack of knowledge concerning the effects of velocity and load-carrying on footprints and gait. Several archaeological sites worldwide have preserved footprints, and in the case of some sites, such as the Laetoli footprint trails in Kenya, proper analysis of the footprints could yield crucial information about hominids. We will examine how gait and footprints change, if at all, with changes in speed and carried weight. Twelve individuals, six male and six female undergraduate students, moved across 9.2 meters of tiled surface with and without an additional load on their back equal to 20% of their body weight, and at three different speeds – self-selected walking, jogging, and running velocities. As they walked this distance, they stepped across an RSscan mat that dynamically records pressure, generating a digital image of their footprint, while also being filmed in order to record gait. While foot, midfoot, and heel contact length and the contact width of the ball of the foot all varied without any clear pattern over the 216 tests, for almost all volunteers the width of midfoot contact increased significantly with speed. There was a significant increase in midfoot contact width from walking to a higher speed, and also overall from jogging to running. Carrying loads equal to or less than 20% of one’s bodymass has no significant affect upon midfooth width or other footprint dimensions. The average angle between the heel and trochanterion (the tip of the greater trochanter, a feature of the femur)  changed significantly with movement speed for most volunteers, but not in response to carried loads of equal to or less than 20% of one's bodymass. 

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease present in most older individuals. The macaque, a New World monkey (genus Macaca), is an excellent proxy of the human condition in the study of the progression of osteoarthritis in humans, as the disease exhibits similar development in both. The key covariates of OA are age and body mass, but a longitudinal study of the development and severity of osteoarthritis in diet-restricted (n=259) and control monkeys (n=310) is ongoing (total data n=569) to establish whether or not diet plays a role in OA. The average development and severity of osteophytes (OST) and the level of disc space narrowing (DSN) from the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae were scored using previously-established methods. Based on averages of OST and DSN, it appears that diet-restricted monkeys do not show significantly different levels of severity from controls. Age and mass combine to explain 31% of the variation in spinal osteoarthritis (R2=.3091, p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively for OST). Age, mass, and species explain 32% of variation in DSN (R2=.32, p<0.001, p=.001, p<0.001, respectively). Diet does not have a significant role in the development of osteophytes (p=0.16).

Alcohol is the only abusive substance from which withdrawal symptoms can be fatal. As such, the recovery processes from alcohol abuse are mentally, physically, and spiritually challenging. When alcoholics begin to move through the recovery process, they initiate a critical transition phase that shapes their identity as an alcoholic and as a human being within society. This study seeks to better understand how the recovery process transforms the identities of alcoholics. Furthermore, this research investigates how recovery alters the relationships between alcoholics and their communities. Through participant observation and interviews, this study examines the narratives of healthcare professionals, treatment facility employees, community members, family members, and alcoholics. Data from these groups were collected from individuals, treatment facilities, and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and affiliated meetings in order to provide a holistic perspective on how alcoholics move through the recovery process. This research expands our understanding of the effects of alcoholism as a social phenomenon by incorporating the perspectives of recovering alcoholics into the discourse while preserving individual anonymity. By providing a comprehensive conceptualization of alcoholism, this work has the potential to provide a framework for new modes of treatment that not only give alcoholics the agency to make a positive recovery, but also change the way society perceives the family disease of alcoholism.

The Learn and Serve Environmental Anthropology Field (LEAF) School at Edmonds Community College has partnered with Nikkei Manor and the Wing Luke Museum to develop the Nikkei Concerns Oral History Project. Through this project, students have the opportunity to serve as both mentors and mentees. Eight students have undergone training, interviewed and recorded the experiences of Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II. From these survivors we are learning more than the easy to record factual history, we are learning about experience, about the diversity of coping strategies, adaptive solutions, and emotional struggles these Americans lived. We found unexpected stories relating to aspects of control and freedom within the camps, as well as humor, acceptance, bitterness and forgiveness. The hope in a project such as this is to develop a greater understanding of the experience of these people, to record their stories and create awareness of what they faced. This is a unique opportunity for students to hear firsthand accounts from internment survivors and participating students will continue to learn about the internment era while transcribing the stories shared by Nikkei residents, and mentoring their classmates in the transcription process. While there has been much research elsewhere, the story of internment in the Northwest has received less attention. This project has allowed for student engagement and development as well meeting the needs of the Nikkei residents who wished to share their stories. Recordings will be kept both by the Wing Luke museum and Edmonds community college.

AL 288-1, better known as Lucy, is a 3.2 million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis partial skeleton. KSD-VP-1/1 is a recently described 3.6 million-year-old hominin partial skeleton that has been assigned to A. afarensis. Recent analysis, however, indicates that the estimated lower limb length (eLLL) for KSD-VP-1/1 (0.763 – 0.791m) is substantially longer than that of AL-288-1 (0.525m). The ratio of shorter to longer eLLL for these specimens ranges from 1.44 to 1.51, which raises the question of whether or not these two are likely to belong to the same paleospecies (Australopithecus afarensis). In order to determine the probability of randomly selecting two members of the same group with an eLLL ratio ≥ 1.44, 66 primate groups were examined: 19 non-human primates, 46 modern human populations, and a combined sample that represents species-level human variation. Virtual populations of 10,000 individuals were created using the descriptive statistics of the groups because only 11 out of the 66 groups included two individuals who could generate a ratio ≥ 1.44. The virtual populations allowed for the existence of individuals that can produce the sought ratio for all groups. 1,000 sets of two individuals were drawn from each virtual population. The probability of two randomly selected individuals generating an eLLL ratio ≥ 1.44 ranges from 0 (Hylobates, Presbytis, Trachypithecus, Andaman Islanders) to 0.0076 (Macaca mulatta). If the distribution and variability of early hominin lower limb lengths is adequately represented by extant primates, these results indicate that it is unlikely that two individuals as different in their eLLL’s as KSD-VP-1/1 and AL-288-1 could have come from the same paleospecies. More work is needed, however, to understand the morphological variability of paleospecies, particularly that introduced by time.

Knowing the sources of archaeological materials is helpful in understanding how they were acquired, that is, by trade or travel, and how these methods change over time. We analyzed magnetic susceptibility and elemental concentrations in ochre samples from four South African Middle Stone Age sites spanning 60-20 ky BP. We measured elemental concentrations on 13 geological ochre samples and 60 archaeological ochre samples using portable x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF). Magnetic susceptibility, a sample’s ability to be magnetized, was also measured on these samples using the the Bartington MS2. These analyses will help distinguish between each sample and identify different types of ochre. Analysis of these data will determine provenance of the archaeological samples of ochre, an important step towards understanding the process by which they were procured. We show how procurement strategies varied between the four sites and over time.

Over the past year, I have conducted ethnographic and oral history research here in the Puget Sound-area to understand the role of urban parks and organic farming in the development of a bioregional concept of sustainability. Throughout the research process I have maintained a focus on the study of sense of place, as this is one important aspect of bioregional ethics and design principles. This study was completed using collaborative ethnographic methods including participant observation, talking circles, surveys, and interviews with forest stewards at Seattle’s Carkeek Park, and farmers at Viva Farms in Skagit Valley. Through this I discovered the role of autotopography, the expression of self through place shaping practices, a process that contributes to a developing sense of place and is often overlooked. Some members of the Carkeek Park forest stewards, or WEWO as they call themselves, and some of the farmers used the act of shaping landscapes to express themselves in ways unique to the individual, and my data supports that this act was, and is, important to their developing a sense of place.

Pareiasaurs were a group of herbivorous reptiles that lived during the Middle to Late Permian (~265–252 mya) in what is modern day Europe, Asia, and Africa. Fieldwork in the Moradi Formation of Niger has produced three scapulocoracoids of the pareiasaur Bunostegos akokanensis, two of which were identified to taxon by associated skull material, with the third not found in association with a skull. The considerable size disparity and slight morphological variation among the scapulocoracoids suggest that they are from different ontogenetic stages ranging from juvenile to adult. This variation permits the first description of ontogenetic change in the scapulocoracoid in pareiasaurs. An increase in overall size is associated with morphological change in each region of the scapulocoracoid, including the expansion of the anterior coracoid, the reduction of the posterior coracoid, increased robustness of the scapula, increased depth of the glenoid fossa, and a higher angle of the acromion process. To analyze these trends, precise measurements were taken from important physical landmarks in order to quantify ontogenetic shape change. Following a description of the morphology and ontogeny, an analysis of phylogenetic relationships will be conducted based on morphological characters, comparing Bunostegos to other pareiasaurs and their closest relatives. This research will further understanding of ontogenetic change in pareiasaurs, but more importantly, it will form the basis for further hypotheses regarding function, locomotion, and ecology in this important group of Permian reptiles.

Even though many women engage in subsistence activities that require movement in varied terrains, little is known about the effects of burden and gradient on the energy expenditure of women. Additionally, it remains unclear which anthropometric characteristics predict variability among women in these situations. To begin to understand this better, 10 women walked on a treadmill for 14 randomized trials, divided into 2 or 3 testing sessions. Each trial consisted of different combinations of three variables. The women walked at self-selected slow, medium, and fast velocities; at gradients of 0, 5%, and 10%; and with and without a 10 kg burden carried in a backpack. Walking trials lasted 5 minutes, with 4 minutes of resting between each trial. VO₂ and VCO₂ were accessed (using a Sensormedics Vmax 29c metabolic cart) and cadence was determined during each trial. Standard anthropometrics (such as body mass, stature, limb segment lengths) were measured. Cost of transport (CoT) was calculated as the average VO₂ of the last 2 minutes of the 5-minute trial divided by velocity. Gradient (p<0.001), burden (p=0.004), mass (p<0.001), and burden/mass (0.019) were positively correlated with CoT (r²=0.71), while cadence (p<0.001) was negatively correlated. Our analysis shows that these variables predict variability within individuals (r²=0.72) better than among individuals (r²=0.64). Stature (p=0.52) and lower limb length (p=0.28) were not predictive. Future work should investigate how additional anthropometric measurements (such as crural index) interact with gait and terrain characteristics (burden, gradient, etc).

Sulawesi, in northern Indonesia, is strategically positioned to test competing models of modern human expansion, and trajectories of cultural change and interaction. Recent excavations in South Sulawesi have revealed a long and continuous archaeological sequence spanning most of the Holocene. We used sedimentological methods to investigate site formation and the environment of deposition at Gua Mo'o hono. These methods include the analyses of chemical and physical attributres of sediments, and particle size analysis. For determining the basic chemical  properties of the Sulewesi sediment samples, we used measurements of pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon proportion by mass, and carbonate proportion by mass. For determining the basic physical properties of the sediment samples, we determined the color using the Munsell color chart by analyzing hue, value, chroma, viewing conditions, sample freshness, and the moisture content, as well as by measuring the magnetic susceptibility of the samples. Lastly, for dertermining particle size distribution of sediment samples, we use the pipette method and camsizer method of sediment granulometry. Our results present the environmental context to human occupation at the site. We discuss the relationship between the environmental and major cultural changes such as the introduction of ceramics at this site. The expected results are an improved understanding of the environment of site formation and the climatic conditions for humans that occupied the site.

My research focuses on the ethnobotanical uses of plants by the Monte Salvado native community of the Las Piedras River in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru. One-fourth of all Western pharmaceuticals, including very common drugs such as aspirin, have their origin in rainforests. Much of the knowledge surrounding the use of these plants comes from indigenous communities living in the Amazon. Many of these communities, such as the Monte Salvado, use plants as both medicine for anything from stomach aches to snack bites, as well as a spiritual agent.  My research centers on the medicinal and spiritual purposes of plants such as Curare, Suma, and Clavillia. My research questions include, “What are the main purposes of and beliefs about plants in this community? How are these plants used and what are their effects? How do women use plants to aid in maternal and menstrual health? The prepatory work leading up to my community immersion this summer is creating a research proposal, as well as learning and practicing Anthropological research methods.