ARISE program provides hands-on training to aspiring anthropologists

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A talented group of aspiring anthropologists recently traveled to Penn State to take part in the Department of Anthropology’s annual ARISE program.

Founded in 2022, ARISE — Anthropological Research in Science Education — is a two-week summer institute designed to spur interest in integrated anthropological sciences among undergraduate students from historically underrepresented groups within the discipline.

Twenty-five students from universities throughout the country were selected from this year’s pool of more than 100 applicants. All participants received full funding to attend ARISE, including travel, room and board, and laboratory and analysis costs.

Following a week of remote instruction, the students came to University Park to work with anthropology faculty and graduate students. They received hands-on training in theoretical problem-solving, data collection and analysis methods, the ethics and historical background of the field, and applications of anthropological sciences within and beyond academia.

As usual, the students proved to be a first-rate group of young scholars, said Laura Weyrich, ARISE program director and associate professor of anthropology and bioethics.

“The students are all very passionate and using their interest in anthropology in different ways while building a network of fellow scholars within the space,” Weyrich said. “Whether they plan to go on to graduate school or an industry job, the program provides students with that foundation and training that will help them along their journey. And for us, ARISE is a way to change the dial for the discipline. Right now, there’s a pipeline problem, and we need to find more equitable ways for the profession to promote young people from underrepresented groups.”

The students worked within one of four modules centered on specific areas of anthropological research: human genetics; microbiomes, referring to the bacteria, viruses and fungi living in the human body; spatial analysis using ArcGIS software; and osteology, or the study of bones. Each participant was tasked with completing a research project of their choosing that they presented on the final day of the program.

In addition, the participants were introduced to the concepts of anthropological storytelling through film and other media. They received training in basic approaches to filming human subjects in a field setting, were encouraged to document their research journey throughout the program, and participated in a community-based project documenting the ARISE experience.

Shian Watts-Riddick, a University of Hawaii at Manoa senior double majoring in anthropology and biology, worked within the genetics module, due to her interest in pursuing a master’s degree in genetic counseling. Her research project was focused on the ways diseases like sickle cell anemia affect various populations.

Watts-Riddick said her anthropology adviser encouraged her to apply for ARISE.

“He said it’d be a great fit for the skills I wanted to build on,” she said. “Everybody here has been super helpful. They’re very intentional about making sure we’re comfortable enough to ask questions. Every day, I go home and I feel so energized. I’m super grateful for this opportunity.”

Lily Brumbaugh, a rising senior medical anthropology major at Boston University, said ARISE’s research-heavy component appealed to her since she didn’t have much experience until now.

Working in the microbiome module, she focused her project on studying the uterine microbiome in women with endometrial cancer.

“I wanted to do something related to reproductive health care — that’s what I’m interested in as hopefully a future health care provider,” Brumbaugh said. “It’s awesome to do research that you’re interested in and passionate about.”

Brumbaugh said she was grateful to work with faculty and graduate students from one of the country’s top anthropology programs.

“They’re so knowledgeable,” she said. “And they’re good at meeting us where we’re at and realizing we’re at different levels in our research understanding and statistical analyses and some of the more niche concepts. They’re very understanding.”

Ren Kully, a rising senior anthropology major at West Virginia University, chose to work in the osteology module.

“I just love bones; I think they’re so interesting,” Kully said with a laugh.

Kully’s research project focused on how hormonal development impacts bone growth in Turner Syndrome patients and how that translates to sex estimation in forensics and archaeology contexts.

“It’s not something I’ve ever been exposed to before, so having someone here that specializes in it has been so eye opening,” Kully said. “I’m learning how hormones and other internal things inform how we grow and develop. It’s so cool. It’s given me so much guidance on what I want to continue to do after this.”

Marina Nichols, a University of South Carolina anthropology and criminology major, also worked in the osteology module. Her research project investigated finding manifestations of disease on the bones.

“What can we tell about people and whether they were treated through looking at their bones?” Nichols asked. “Part of the reason osteology is interesting is that it’s this physical representation of what we do in our lifetime. Everything we do in our lives builds up in the body and a lot of it can be found in the bones.”

Nichols said ARISE’s instructors did a phenomenal job helping students narrow and shape the focus of their projects.

“I think that just having the faculty and graduate students there to bounce ideas off of has been super helpful,” she said. “And it’s been fun just going out to dinner with the other students and talking about our projects. It’s been this great collaborative experience, which I didn’t expect going in."

Brumbaugh agreed.

“Everyone is very passionate about anthropology and passionate about being conscientious citizens,” Brumbaugh said. “Overall, it’s been an amazing experience.”