Kansas State University

Anthropology undergraduates present independent research at regional conference

Submitted by Lauren W. Ritterbush

Eight undergraduate students and two faculty members represented the anthropology program of the sociology, anthropology, and social work department at the 40th annual Flint Hills Archaeological Conference March 23-24 in Lawrence. 

The students, most mentored by Lauren W. Ritterbush, professor of archaeology, and Brad Logan, research associate professor of archaeology, presented their independent research. Logan also presented his independent research at the conference. 

The varied student projects include ethnohistorical analysis of resource use by ancestral Kanza Indians; analysis of historical documents to locate archaeological remains of Kanza-related sites; development of a historical and anthropological middle school lesson plan about the historic Kanza; analysis of archaeological collections; survey of public perceptions of archaeology; understanding archaeological thinking through video games; and reflections on the role of archaeology in the face of human-induced environmental change.  

Logan also presented a preliminary report of on-going research of archaeological excavations he directed in summer 2017 with the Kansas Archaeological Training Program, a joint endeavor with the Kansas Anthropological Association and Kansas Historical Society.

The following students and faculty member presented at the conference:

• Brennan Flanagan, senior in education-social studies, minor in anthropology, "Kanza Indian Lesson Plan for Middle School History." Mentor: Lauren W. Ritterbush.

• Ashley Flowers, senior in anthropology, graduate masters in technology, "A Preliminary Study of the Flowers Locality on Stronger Creek, Northeastern Kansas." Mentor: Brad Logan. 

• Morgan Fluker, senior in anthropology, "Kanza Subsistence Patterns and Culture Change, 1724-1873." Mentors: M.J. Morgan, Chapman Center for Rural Studies, and Lauren W. Ritterbush. 

• Jakob Hanschu, senior in anthropology and geography, "Learning to Dig in the Anthropocene: Archaeology as the Archive of Human Experience."

• Samuel Kempf, junior in anthropology with minors gender, women, and sexuality studies and American ethnic studies, "Developing an Archaeological Mindset through Video Games"

• Kaylee Kerns, junior in anthropology, minor English, and Jakob Hanschu, "Archaeology in the Public Sphere: A Kansas Case Study." Mentor: Lauren W. Ritterbush. 

• Artemis King, senior in anthropology, "The Winslow-Debold Site (14SA403): A Preliminary Look into a Late Prehistoric Lodge Site in Saline County." Mentor: Lauren W. Ritterbush. 

• James V. Ralston, nondegree undergraduate in anthropology, "The Kanza Eastern Treaty Community: Construct, History, and Location." Mentor: Lauren W. Ritterbush. 

• Brad Logan, research associate professor of archaeology, "Time and Space at a Late Woodland Site in the Delaware River Drainage: Preliminary Analysis of the Quixote Site (14JF420)."