Leah Harrell’s journey to NC State was driven by a passion for bioarchaeology and a desire to bridge archaeology with biological anthropology. After discovering her interest at the University of Florida, she chose NC State to work under the mentorship of Dr. Julie Wesp, drawn by both the university’s holistic research approach and the support of a funded master’s program. Leah’s research focuses on understanding the lived histories of people in the past, specifically through dental morphology. Her thesis analyzed individuals from San Ignacio Church in Bogotá, Colombia, to reconstruct population structures and explore the intersection of kinship and burial practices. Throughout her time as a teaching assistant and researcher, Leah has flourished within the supportive Anthropology department, which she credits for her professional growth. As she prepares to begin her Ph.D. at The Ohio State University, she encourages her fellow students to resist the “deadline-to-deadline” mindset and maintain a fulfilling life outside of academia.

Tell us about your journey to graduate school and what led you to NC State.
I fell in love with the intersection of archaeology and biological anthropology through my different experiences as an undergraduate at the University of Florida. I knew I wanted to to pursue research within this realm of bioarchaeology, but was unsure what my exact research focus was at this point. I decided to apply to master’s programs in the hopes of gaining the research experience I needed to be sure of the exact types of questions I want to pursue within my doctorate. I was interested in coming to NC State to work with Dr. Julie Wesp, as she takes the type of social, holistic approach to bioarchaeology that I hope to embody as well. NC State also offers one of the only funded master’s within anthropology. I chose NC State due to this financial support through a teaching assistantship and the match in research interests.

Tell us about your research and/or teaching experience.
I am a bioarchaeologist interested in understanding the identity and lived histories of people in the past. My research integrates skeletal analysis with other lines of evidence to paint a fuller picture of how social and cultural changes may have impacted their experiences. I am particularly interested in exploring how the body can provide insight into relatedness and kinship and how these aspects of identity intersect with religious beliefs and burial practices.

My thesis research specifically focused on an analysis of dental morphology of individuals buried at San Ignacio Church in Bogotá, Colombia. Human teeth have a series of dental nonmetric traits that differ in known frequencies between regions. Studying these traits can then allow analysis of the amount of relatedness and distances within or between groups which can be used to address questions of population histories and demographic shifts. My project aims to reconstruct the population structure of San Ignacio and give insight into the intersection of burial practices with biological heritage during this time.

How has NC State helped you with your professional development?
My time at NC State has allowed me to greatly grow my research and teaching skills, which have prepared me to continue on within academia. With the mentorship of my advisor and committee, I had the opportunity to develop an independent research project from beginning to end. From project design, collecting data in the field, data analysis, writing my thesis, and finally, working to transform my thesis into a publication, I am now prepared to successfully conduct future research. I have also had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant for Introduction to Biological Anthropology and learn how to share the intricacies of this field with students.

What advice do you have for new or current graduate students?
It’s easy to get sucked into the mindset of ‘I just need to get through this week’ or ‘this semester’ or ‘year’ or ‘degree’. My advice is try to enjoy this time, instead of just putting your head down to try to get to the future. Make time to enjoy life in the meantime as well, whether that’s having a hobby outside of school, spending time with friends, or structuring your schedule so you have actual breaks – have a life separate from your current academic one. Graduate school can be all consuming, so it’s important to make sure you have things you enjoy so life doesn’t become all about getting to the next deadline.

What does being an NC State graduate student mean to you?
The Anthropology Department at NC State is full of the most wonderful people I have ever met. Being a graduate student here has meant being a part of this welcoming community of scholars where everyone wants to help you succeed. Drs. Julie Wesp, John Millhauser, Katie Kinkopf, and Tara Clarke, in addition to Gabrielle Lopez and my entire cohort, have made my time here nothing but amazing. I am very grateful for this department, as I know I will have these connections and support system even after graduating.

What are your plans after graduation?
I am starting my Ph.D. this fall at The Ohio State University to continue pursuing research in bioarchaeology and mortuary archaeology.

Fun fact about yourself.
I love traveling and having as many once-in-a-lifetime experiences as I can, including living in a rainforest in Madagascar, road-tripping through the Outback in Australia, and most recently, hiking one of the most active volcanos in the world in Guatemala.

Learn more about the M.A. in Anthropology