Heather Battles, PhD Candidate (Anthropology of Health)
BA Anthropology and History (University of Victoria), MA Medical
Anthropology (McMaster University) 

battleht@mcmaster.ca

ASK Key words:  CV building, publishing, graduate school applications

My research is concentrated in the subfields of physical and medical anthropology. My research interests include children/childhood, disability, and infectious diseases, including issues surrounding immunization. My PhD dissertation will use historical data and GIS technology to examine the epidemic emergence of polio in Ontario in the early 20th century. I would like to mentor undergraduates because I want to help students to find their place within anthropology and to be successful in reaching their goals. I’d like to help students to answer questions related to building a CV, presenting and publishing, and finding and applying to grad schools.  I obtained my BA in Anthropology and History from the University of Victoria and completed my MA in Anthropology at McMaster. I participated in a field school in mortuary archaeology in Peru, and have served on the staff of NEXUS: The Canadian Student Journal of Anthropology. I am also actively involved as a volunteer with Rotaract, part of the global service organization Rotary International.
 

Sally Carraher, PhD Candidate (Anthropology of Health)

BA Anthropology (University of Alaska Anchorage), MA Anthropology (Louisiana State University), Adjunct Professor (University of Alaska Anchorage)
carrahs@mcmaster.ca

ASK Key Words:  Publishing, international grad school applications,
study visas, U.S. Universities, teaching tips, biocultural anthropology

My doctoral research combines ethnography with traditional epidemiological analysis in order to investigate the links between infectious disease, cancer, and human society. Specifically, I'm looking at the problem of Helicobacter pylori bacteria and stomach cancer in the Circumpolar North (Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alaska). I believe in participatory action research and community-based approaches, which require research results to be of value and use to the community being researched. I have experience working as a TA at Mac, and an adjunct professor in both biology and anthropology departments at UAA. I also have experience in archaeological excavations (overseas and in N. America), artifact labs, human anatomy and osteology labs, and I worked for four years in a hospital morgue performing autopsies. In summary, I can speak with you about a variety of topics! Having presented at numerous conferences, I can definetley help you with a PowerPoint presentation! I am an international student (U.S.), so any international study or visa questions are welcome!

Nadia Densmore, PhD Candidate (Archaeology)
Hons. BA Anthropology (McMaster University)
densmone@mcmaster.ca

ASK Key words: Zooarchaeology;  Mortuary archaeology; Graduate school applications; Project organization/scheduling

While I enjoy hearing about many aspects of anthropology my specific areas of interest are in the archaeology of identity and death, and zooarchaeology. I have been working with fish fauna collections for the last couple of years, from both the Northwest Coast of North America and the South Pacific regions. I think that it is important for students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies to have someone that they can talk to, in an individual and comfortable setting. Often undergraduates only interact with graduate students as Teaching Assistants, which does not necessarily make the personal connection that a mentorship does. It is important to be able to talk about any potential fears or concerns you are experiencing over going to grad school and I think that this program allows undergraduate students to make the connections with graduate students that they choose to make academically and personally. I would be happy to address questions about the stresses graduate students encounter outside of their projects. As well as any questions students have about faunal studies in Archaeology, or laboratory based projects more generally. I would also like to talk about how you choose a school, and what makes a truly informed choice about where to pursue graduate studies.
 

Stacy Lockerbie, PhD Candidate (Socio-Cultural Anthropology)
BA Anthropology/Sociology (University of Victoria), MA Social Anthropology (Anthropology, Dalhousie University)
lockers@mcmaster.ca

ASK Key words:  Globalization; Popular culture; Reproduction, Living overseas, Graduate school applications, What can I do with an anthropology degree?

I am a social/cultural anthropologist and my areas include: the family, reproductive issues, transnational adoption and the anthropology of food and eating. My geographic interests include Canada, East and Southeast Asia. I would like to connect with undergraduates who have similar research interests. I would also like to mentor students who are interested in pursuing their studies in the Social Sciences and students who want to learn more about career possibilities in anthropology. How do I apply for grad school? Who should I ask for reference letters? How do I decide on a thesis topic? What can I do with a degree in anthropology? I would also like to meet with students who are interested in qualitative research (such as in-depth interviews, or participant observation). How do I get ethics approval? What is it like living and doing research abroad? What should I expect when living overseas? How do would I prepare for living in a different country? I hope that sharing some of my trials and triumphs in grad school might better inform students about what to expect from graduate school and help students decide whether this is the right path for them. 
  

Madeleine Mant, PhD Student (Physical Anthropology)
Hons. BA Anthropology (University of Alberta)
MSc Palaeopathology (Durham University, UK)
mantml@mcmaster.ca

ASK Key words: Museology, Palaeopathology; Osteology; Graduate school applications (UK); Funding applications; Canadian history

My research is concerned with the identification of perimortem trauma- injuries occuring around the time of death-in archaeological skeletal remains. I seek to more readily identify perimortem trauma by studying the skeletal remains of individuals from 19th Century London, UK. I am interested in the biocultural context, coupling the study of skeletal remains with their cultural and historical background. I worked as a historical interpreter and researcher, and can give insight into the process of archival research and oral interviews.  I am interested in mentoring undergraduates because I benefited from the advice of higher-level students throughout my undergraduate years and hope to pass some of my experience along! I would be particularly happy to discuss questions regarding postgraduate studies in the UK. I participated in a cemetery excavation field school in Poland and, having just gone through the process myself, would be pleased to discuss graduate school and funding applications.