Name: Edith Gonzalez
Program: Anthropology
Specialization: Museum Administration, Historical Archaeology, Caribbean Archaeology, Informal Education
Courses you are teaching this year:
Ethnology and Museums (ANTH 418/818) focusing on Museum exhibit development Anthropology Seminar (ANTH 994) focusing on grant-writing
What is your favorite course to teach and why?
I love teaching Introduction to Anthropology. I see it as an opportunity to widen people's perspectives about their own culture and the world around them.
How and/or why did you choose this field?
I was originally a pre-med/chemistry major and took an intro anthropology class because it fulfilled a requirement and was offered at a convenient time. I had a great instructor and was hooked!
What are you currently researching?
I'm researching the culture of the English-speaking Caribbean in the colonial era using archaeological and archival methods. My field research sites are primarily part of the 18th & 19th-century, sugar-producing, industrial complex in Antigua & Barbuda, West Indies. If you can imagine the field of anthropology encompassing a spectrum of research, which is rooted in the biological sciences at one end and bordering the humanities at the other end, my work leans more towards history than biology.
What are some ways students can be involved in your research?
In the past, I have had students participate in both archaeological field work and archival research in New York City, Antigua, Scotland, and the United Kingdom, and by doing lab work with recovered artifacts. Other students have participated in my work with museums as interns in several departments: education (creating and teaching public programs), exhibition (site testing exhibition components), and fundraising (writing grants).
Why should studnets major in your field?
To quote American Anthropologist Dr. Ruth Benedict, "The purpose of anthropology is to make the world safe for human differences."
What do you enjoy doing outside of work (hobbies, other interests)?
I am active in the NYC Storytelling scene and have been featured on national podcasts like The Story Collider. I am a fan of Star Trek (Captain Picard was a space anthropologist - there, I said it!). I actively explore cultures other than my own through food (both cooking and eating).