Department of Anthropology

Degree Conferral 2020

For all our graduating students:

The passage to an academic degree is seldom so dramatic as this year. The rooms you left behind—today, at this moment, they are

mere brick, stone, and plaster. They drew their life from you. We mourn the separations, we mourn this conclusion to your time at

Brown.

But soon there will be healing. Challenges will transform to opportunities, and worry replaced by a decisive certainty: you have the

brains and hearts to think hard, to find solutions, to be fair and just, to give generously to others, to serve for wise purpose. You will find

futures both wondrous and unexpected. If Anthropology compels encounters between the familiar and the unfamiliar, you are the better

for it. Our protégés, those taking bachelor's degree, masters, and the arduous Ph.D., are the brightest and most talented people we

know. The faculty have rejoiced to teach you; you have taught us more than you can imagine.

And we will continue to think of you always. We hope, too, to see you at a physical commencement next year.

On our website, I am gratified to say, is a celebration of you and your achievements. Press this link for the Anthropology Department

Home Page, and you will remember, beyond dowdy Giddings, a time in which we gathered and found delight in each others' minds and

company.

With all affection and respect,

Stephen Houston

Chair, Department of Anthropology

PhD Degrees

Omar Andrés Alcover Firpi “Conflict, Defense, and Cooperation at Macabilero, Peten,

Guatemala”

S. Houston & A. Scherer (Co-Chairs); P. VanValkenburgh, C. Golden, T. Garrison

Emily Avera “Fluid Identities: Residue, Risk, and Race in South African Blood Services”S. Hamdy (Chair), P. Faudree, D. Smith, M. Mbali

Sara Hefny “The Most Deserving: Syrian Refugee Resettlement in Salvini’s Refugee”J. Leinaweaver (Chair), D. Kertzer, P. Faudree, S. Tobin

Madeline Kearin “A Refuge of Cure or of Care: The Sensory Dimensions of Confinement at the

Worcester State Hospital for the Insane”P. Rubertone (Chair), R. Preucel, J. Lambe, R. Emlen, A. Beisaw

Alice Larotonda “Milkways to Motherhood: Tracing the Stakes and Motives of Breastmilk

Donation in Cabo Verde”K. Mason (Chair), J. Leinaweaver, L. Fruzzetti, K-Khan Perry, A. Gottlieb

Sara Hefny

2020 Anthropology

Graduate Student Highlights

Omar Andrés Alcover Firpi

Madeline Kearin

During her time at Brown, Sara developed a focus on migration and

refugee studies, particularly within the Mediterranean region. She

was a graduate trainee at the Population Studies Training Center and

at the Watson Institute, and co-led the Middle Eastern Studies

Graduate Student Association on campus. Sara served as a teaching

assistant to Professors Leinaweaver, Mason, and Scherer in the

Anthropology Department, as well as to Dr. Sarah Tobin (formerly

of the Middle East Studies Center). Funded by Fulbright and

Wenner-Gren, she conducted two years of dissertation fieldwork in

Rome, Italy between 2017 and 2019. The resulting work is titled

"The Most Deserving: Syrian Refugee Resettlement in Salvini's

Italy", which looks at deservingness as a central theme in the

context of refugee resettlement in Italy. She is currently working

full-time as a user experience researcher with Microsoft's Edge

browser team.

Sara Hefny, Phd 2020

I was born and raised in Carolina, Puerto Rico, living there until I

started college on the east coast. While in PR, I developed an interest in

doing fieldwork and collaborative research, which is what drew me to

archaeology in the first place. At Brown, I was able to work on

multiple projects in Guatemala and Mexico, collaborating with

different communities. It was through my time with the El Zotz

Archaeological Project, as well as in the Usumacinta River Valley that

my interests and expertise truly developed. I worked closely with

members of the Cooperative of La Técnica, and their friendship has

been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at Brown, and

something I hold dear. As a young researcher, I have benefited from

collaborations with Guatemalan scholars who have served as my

mentors, along with my committee. Intellectually, collaborative

projects have been integral to the work I do as an anthropological

archaeologist, as an instructor, and as a colleague, and are one of the

things I cherish the most from my time at Brown. After graduating, I

will continue my work as an educator at the Los Angeles County

Museum of Art, where I bring my expertise working in the field to

middle school students, fomenting in them the same interest that

inspired me to pursue a degree in Anthropology.

Omar Andrés Alcover Firpi, PhD 2020

By the end of my time at Brown, I would be

teaching undergraduates about the manufacture,

trade, and significance of pipes and other

archaeological finds in a historical context. When I

found the pipe in 2014, I saw an exciting find;

when I look at it now, I think about its place in a

larger web of connections linking people, places,

and events.

My work at the St. George's/St. Mark's Church site

led me to consider how communities defined

themselves and their boundaries. For my Master's

thesis, I analyzed the role of gravestones in the

process of identity formation, juxtaposing the

commemorative practices of the middle-class

community of St. George's/St. Mark's against those

of the county almshouse burying ground. As a

result of this research, I became interested in the

lives of the inmates of historical institutions.

My dissertation examines the lived experiences of

confinement at the Worcester State Hospital, as

framed by the five senses. While my work belongs

primarily to the field of historical archaeology, it

draws from cultural anthropology, medical

anthropology, history, and American Studies - a

confluence of theories and methods that I was able

to cultivate through my studies at Brown and my

interactions with other scholars.

My dissertation examines the lived

experiences of confinement at the

Worcester State Hospital, as framed by the

five senses. While my work belongs

primarily to the field of historical

archaeology, it draws from cultural

anthropology, medical anthropology,

history, and American Studies - a

confluence of theories and methods that I

was able to cultivate through my studies at

Brown and my interactions with other

scholars.

In January, I accepted a position at the

Worcester Historical Museum, where I

work directly with historical artifacts and

documents, and serve to connect these

materials with an audience of patrons and

researchers from throughout the world. My

role at the museum enables me to apply the

knowledge and skills I gained as a graduate

student, researcher, and teacher at Brown. I

would not be the scholar and the person that

I am today without the experiences I gained

at Brown and the amazing people - my

advisor, my committee, the faculty, and

fellow graduate students, especially my

cohort - who supported me every step of the

way.

Madeline Kearin, PhD 2020The photo that I selected was taken during the

fall semester of 2014, when I was beginning

my graduate studies at Brown while going

home to Mount Kisco, New York, every week

to lead the archaeological excavation of the St.

George's/St. Mark's Church site with my co-

director, Laurie. We found this white ball clay

pipe in a test pit along the stone wall

surrounding the cemetery.

Master’s Degrees

Sarah G. Davenport “‘Roots Run Deep’ Racialized Capitalism, Urban Development, and Black

Geographies in the Lower Ninth Ward”Advisor: L. Fruzzetti; Readers: R. Carter, Keisha-Khan Perry

Deborah Frempong “God Loves Accra: Identity, Faith and Belonging among Return Migrants”

Advisor: D. Smith; Readers: L. Fruzzetti, R. Carter

Nomaan Hasan “Movements of Anger at a Shrine in Rural India”Advisor: B. Singh; Reader: P. Faudree

Daiana Rivas-Tello “Crafting Pots and Empire: Examining Imperialism and Pottery Production at

Purun Llaqta del Maino, Peru”Advisor: P. VanValkenburgh; Readers: S. Houston, P. Rubertone, A. Scherer

Ayşe Şanlı “Sicily Has Always Been a Place of Migration: Perceptions of the Migration Crisis at the

Southern Margins of Europe”Advisor: J. Leinaweaver; Readers: D. Kertzer, Y. Hamilakis

Katyayni Seth “Energy and Exhaustion: Caring for Children with Seizures in India”Advisor: B. Singh; Readers: S. Besky, K. Mason

Bachelor’s Degrees

Edith Guadalupe Mares Double concentration

Catherine Mikaela NacierSasha Raman Magna Cum Laude, Double concentration

Sydney Ellen RoachI Divya Rui-qiGabrielle Bialek SantasToran Labhaya Seth Double concentration

Bryn Hana Sullivan Double concentration

Kelley Reesman Tackett Magna Cum Laude

Rebecca Lynn Berube Isabel Margolis Brodsky Double concentration

Anna Elizabeth ClarkLyla James ConnollyMagna Cum Laude, Honors

Samuel DiazAnupama Dinesh Magna Cum Laude, Double Concentration

Madelyn Rose GonzalezDeenaalee Summer HodgdonHarry Hanwool Kim

Becca BerubeHometown: North Providence, Rhode Island

Area of Interest in ANTH: Biological &Archaeological

Post-Grad Plans: Matriculating to Warren AlpertMedical School, Class of 2024

Thank you to my parents, especially

my mom, and my Mémère for all the

love, support, and coffee these past 4

years

Isabel BrodskyHometown: Chevy Chase, MD

Area of interest: Cultural Anthropology/combining creative writing with

Anthropological theory.

Favorite classes: Anthropology of Addictions and Recovery and Energy

and Power.

Plans after graduation: In the near future, I hope to see some of my

plays produced over Zoom, continue working as a writing tutor, and to

grow the perfect tomato.

Thank you to the department, my family, Brown University, and the

Brown community for an incredible (almost) 4 years!

Anna Clark From San Diego

Focus: Sociocultural Anthropology

I’ve loved learning about phenomenology, agency and the contradictions in social

structures and cultures.

Favorite Class: People and Cultures of the Americas

After graduation I’m going to work in human centered design

I would like to thank Kay Warren, Rebecca Carter, Lina Fruzzetti and Paja Faudree

Samuel Diaz

- From Edinburg, TX

- Interested in medical anthropology

- Favorite thing about anthropology is its commitment to social justice

- Matriculating to Alpert Medical School in Fall 2020

Ammu Dinesh Belmont, MA

Interests within Anthropology: medical + activist anthropology,

biological anthropology

Favorite ANTH courses at Brown: ANTH0310 (Human Evolution) and

ANTH1310 (International Health: Anthropological Perspectives)

Plans after graduation: working in Global Health at MassGeneral

Hospital for Children, continuing involvement in global health equity with

Partners In Health Engage

Thank you to all of my professors and peers at Brown, particularly within

the anthropology department, for opening my eyes to the world of

anthropology and allowing me to listen to your unique experiences and

passions.

Harry Kim

I’m from Portland, Oregon, and after

graduation I’ll be headed to medical school at

the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. I

was really drawn to anthropology because it

offered a way to better understand how

people interact with their cultural and social

environments, which I feel is especially

important in its application to health.

Edith Mares

• Hometown: Blue Ridge, Georgia

• Area of Interest: Medical

Anthropology

• Favorite Anthropology Class: International Health

• Plans after Graduation: Attend Law

School

• I’d like to thank my wonderful

parents, Laura and Hernan, Gabriela,

Emmanuel, Colton, and all my

amazing friends for being the best

support system.

● Anthropology A.B.

● Hometown: Highland Village, TX

● Favorite Classes: “The Human Skeleton”, “The Visual in

Anthropology”, and “Inequality, Sustainability, and

Mobility in a Car-Clogged World”

Catherine Nacier

Thank you to my mom, dad, brother, and everyone who has helped

me become who I am today. I did not finish my degree alone, and I

would not be going to the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown

University without your support. I love you all.

Sasha Raman

• Anthropology A.B and Public Health A.B

• Hometown: Houston, Texas

• Area of Interest: Medical and Development Anthropology

• Favorite Classes: ”Culture and Health,” “Anthropology of Poverty, Progress, and

Development,” “Anthropology of the Middle East”

• Post grad: Warren Alpert Medical School Class of 2024

• I would like to thank my advisor, Professor VanValkenburgh, and all of my

professors, each of whom have inspired me in so many ways.

• Anthropology has taught me that efforts to bring about positive change must begin

with an understanding of human perspectives. Analyzing human narratives within

any field of study sheds light on some of the most truthful ways in which individuals

interact with and reconstruct our world.

Toran Labhaya SethSingapore

I am immensely grateful that I studied Anthropology during my time at BrownUniversity. This opportunity cultivated my interest particularly in CulturalAnthropology, especially in terms of power dynamics in South Asia andSoutheast Asia. I’d like to thank Professor Sarah Besky, whom I took my first2 Anthropology classes with, for her constant support through my time atBrown University. I could not have asked for a better academic advisor whoalways made time to guide and encourage me on my academic journey. Aspecial mention to Dr Lauren Yapp, who I not only had the chance to learnso much from during her Southeast Asia archaeology class, but who alsohelped me with my graduate school referral letters. Anthropology hasemphasized to me the importance of having multiple viewpoints of any issuein order to have a holistic understanding. Hence, after graduation I plan todo one more year of Masters in a new field of studies to gain insight intoadditional perspectives, before heading back to work at the SingaporeEconomic Development Board. Overall, I am thankful to have studiedAnthropology under so many amazing professors: Professor Sarah Besky,Professor Lauren Yapp, Professor Andrew Scherer, Professor Lina Fruzzetti,Professor Rebecca Carter, Professor Parker VanValkenburgh, ProfessorAlex Nading and Professor Catherine Lutz. Thank you!

Bryn Sullivan

Hometown: Palo Alto, CA

Area of interest: Archaeology and biological anthropology

Favorite classes: Human Skeleton, Animals in Archaeology, Material Culture Practicum

Plans after graduation: Looking forward to going home and spending time with my family and horses! Then maybe grad school eventually? Who knows!

Thank you to all my professors and friends! I’m incredibly grateful for all your help and encouragement. You made my experience at Brown truly amazing and memorable!

2020 Anthropology Awards

Highest Achievement in Anthropology

E. Lyla Connolly – Watson Smith Award for Overall Anthropology

Samuel Diaz – Watson Smith Award in Engaged Scholars

Sydney Roach – Watson Smith Award for Sociocultural Anthropology

Bryn Sullivan – Watson Smith Award for Anthropological Archaeology

Haffenreffer Museum AwardKelley Tackett – Jane Powell Dwyer Award

Honors in Anthropology

E. Lyla Connolly “Reimagining Ayurveda in the United States”

Advisor: K. Mason; Reader: E. Hoover

Watson Smith Awards for Best Anthropology PaperMark Agostini - Graduate Student

Gabrielle Santas - Undergraduate Student

Graduate School Award

Madeline Kearin, PhD

The Joukowsky Family Foundation Outstanding Dissertation Award 2020

The Joukowsky Family Foundation Outstanding Dissertation Award is an annual prize awarded by

the Graduate School for superior achievements in research by students who are completing their

Ph.Ds. Supported through the generosity of the Joukowsky Family Foundation, the awards are usually

given to four students per year, one from each of the four main areas: the humanities, the life

sciences, the physical sciences, and the social sciences.