Research

The Department of Anthropology is composed of three subfields: Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, and Sociocultural Anthropology. We are dedicated to better understanding human cultural and biological origins and diversity through research and training, and our faculty is committed to the advancement of knowledge through local, national, and international programs of research.


Two women working in a factory

International Recognition

We have been funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, World Health Organization, and various private foundations and international agencies, and our work has been published in Nature, Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. We are highly interdisciplinary natural scientists with ongoing collaborations with one another, other anthropological subfields, researchers across the UO campus, and scientists around the world.


Our Research Labs

The Department of Anthropology is distinctive in its integration of the anthropological subfields via five areas of expertise and focus: Evolution, Ecology, and Environment; Indigenous and Minoritized Groups; Food, Health, and Society; Identity, Heritage, and Globalization; and Sex, Gender, and Sexuality. We have multiple labs across campus with ongoing research, as well as research projects happening across the world.


Larry Ulibarri

"Our students success starts in the classroom, arming them with knowledge, the scientific method, and feeding their hopes and passions. Beyond the classroom our campus is full of resources and opportunities: advising, career building, research, travel, grad school prep, internships, grants, clubs, and more. I get to help students live and build their dream."

-Larry Ulibarri, Professor of Biological Anthropology 



Research Across Disciplines

Our cultural program is highly interdisciplinary and involves collaborations with the other anthropological subfields, with researchers across campus, and with international scholars. The research experience and skills students gain can be used in careers in law, medicine, education, government, business, and other fields.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities


Recent Publications

Read the recently published work of faculty across the department.

Recent Publications


News

ANTHROPOLOGY - Meet Gabi Gauthier, a UO student with a passion for Oregon history who studied at Connley Caves Field School this past summer under the mentorship of UO alum and Professor Katelyn McDonough. As a freshman, Gauthier was considering a STEM field. However, after taking classes with McDonough, BS ’14 (anthropology), Gauthier knew she wanted to officially major in anthropology with a focus on archaeology.
ANTHROPOLOGY - The College of Arts and Sciences is investing in its Latinx studies courses by hiring nine new tenure-track faculty members. Ramón Resendiz is one of the faculty members hired as part of this initiative. He joins CAS in fall 2025. Coming from Indiana University, Bloomington, Resendiz’s research investigates the relationship between historical institutions, visual culture, and documentary media in the process of seeing and imaging the history and citizenship of Latinx and Indigenous Peoples in the US.
ANTHROPOLOGY, HISTORY, LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES, NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS STUDIES - The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation announced this year's Outstanding Research Awards, many of which went to College of Arts and Sciences faculty members: Professor Carlos Aguirre (history and Latin American studies) and Assistant Professor Gabriel Sanchez (anthropology).