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Tag: anthropology

Two people sit on the ground in the woods writing on a clipboard during an archaeology dig.

UWF Archaeology Institute survey uncovers pre-Columbian artifacts ahead of stadium infrastructure work

Faculty researchers and archaeology students at the University of West Florida have uncovered artifacts linked to multiple pre-Columbian Native American cultures during a recent archaeological survey on UWF’s Pensacola campus. The survey, conducted by the UWF Archaeology Institute, relocated a previously documented archaeological site first discovered on campus in 1989. Through systematic shovel test excavations, […]

Mar. 24, 2026
Three researchers stand on a wooden dock on a coastline.

UWF Archaeology Institute receives international award for research

A multi-organizational research team led by the UWF Archaeology Institute’s assistant director, Nicole Grinnan, has been awarded the 2026 Mark E. Mack Community Engagement award from the Society for Historical Archaeology. This prestigious international award recognizes the Archaeology Institute’s research in Apalachicola, Florida, for exhibiting “outstanding best practices in community collaboration, engagement and outreach in […]

Jan. 28, 2026
Graphic: University of West Florida College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities Presents Gulf Coast Culture Pensacola Noir. Grayscale background with buildings, a street map and nautilus shell.

UWF announces 2025-26 Gulf Coast Culture Series: Pensacola Noir

The University of West Florida’s College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities is proud to announce this year’s Gulf Coast Culture Series theme: Pensacola Noir. The Gulf Coast Culture Series is an evolution of the longstanding Experience UWF Downtown Lecture Series. Launched in 2024, GCC expands beyond lectures to celebrate the rich cultural tapestry of […]

Sep. 03, 2025

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UWF student selected for Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency paid internship

Phoenix Farnham, a graduate student in the University of West Florida’s Department of Anthropology, was selected for a paid internship with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, a highly competitive program focused on forensic anthropology. Farnham was one of only six students nationwide chosen for this prestigious opportunity out of a pool of 135 applicants. The […]

Sep. 02, 2025
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Two people stand side by side smiling. One holds a book showing the cover that says, "Luna the Cat" and the other holds a book open to pages.

UWF archaeologists turn real discoveries into children’s book series

Two University of West Florida archaeologists have transformed their passion for public outreach and historical storytelling into a new children’s book inspired by real archaeological discoveries made off the Florida coast. “Luna the Cat,” follows a feline protagonist on board a Spanish ship in the 1500s and is based on a real-life cat whose remains […]

Aug. 06, 2025
Nautical shell sculpture

UWF invites community to Sunken Series art exhibit

The University of West Florida College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities announces “After Hours with the Artist: Sunken Series,” a compelling cross-disciplinary collaboration between the Florida Public Archaeology Network and The Art Gallery at UWF that blends art, archaeology and public engagement in a novel way. This after-hours event highlights the work of artist […]

Jul. 28, 2025
Black cat with white on its underside walks in front of a brick wall

UWF faculty member receives national attention for insights on the earliest US domestic cats

Dr. John Bratten, a University of West Florida professor of anthropology, has received national attention for a recently published article, titled “Exploring the Arrival of Domestic Cats in the Americas,” that suggests the earliest cats may have been treated as pets. The article, published in “American Antiquity,” a peer-reviewed quarterly journal published on behalf of […]

May 22, 2025
Eighteen people stand behind and four people sit in front of an anchor on display

UWF LEAD program restores historic anchor for exhibition at UWF Archaeology Institute

A historic 1800s anchor which had been housed in the dark has been brought into the light, following the efforts of a campuswide leadership program. Faculty and staff of UWF’s 2024-25 LEAD, which stands for leadership, enhancement, activities and development, class worked with the Archaeology Institute to prepare the anchor for outdoor exhibition and create […]

Apr. 09, 2025
Four people stand outdoors with metal detectors searching for Fort Kirkland

UWF students investigate Fort Kirkland to preserve a vital part of Northwest Florida history

The University of West Florida Archaeology Institute is leading the search for Fort Kirkland in Okaloosa County, Florida, thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Department of State. UWF students, faculty, archaeologists, local families and veterans with Task Force Dagger Special Operations Foundation are working together to study and memorialize the fort. Following Florida’s transition […]

Mar. 25, 2025
Four UWF professors stand side by side inside a building

Four UWF faculty members ranked among world’s Top 2% of Scientists

Four University of West Florida researchers earned a place on Stanford/Elsevier’s Top 2% Scientist Rankings lists in 2024 and 2023. The prestigious list identifies the world’s leading researchers, representing approximately 2% of all scientists worldwide.  Dr. Jim Spain, research professor in the Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation, Dr. Frank Gilliam, professor in the Department […]

Dec. 17, 2024
Divers documenting findings underwater at the Emanuel Point III shipwreck.

UWF students explore the Luna settlement and the Emanuel Point III shipwreck

The University of West Florida’s Archaeology Institute recently wrapped up its summer field schools. Thirty-nine undergraduate and graduate students participated in either a maritime field school or terrestrial field school, with unmatched opportunities to conduct archaeological investigations. The terrestrial field school was led by Dr. Ramie Gougeon, director of the Archaeology Institute, chair and professor, […]

Aug. 23, 2024

UWF professor celebrates iconic 1920s flappers in anthology of short stories

In “Where All Good Flappers Go: Essential Stories of the Jazz Age,” Dr. David Earle has assembled a collection of colorful short stories written primarily in the 1920s that celebrate the awe-inspiring charm of flappers: young women from the era who embraced an irreverent persona and unconventional attitude. Earle is chair of the University of […]

Nov. 16, 2023

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