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.