In two recent studies, Freidline and her collaborators analyzed evidence from fossil sites in eastern and northwestern Africa, revealing surprising findings of early human evolution dating back nearly 1.5 million years. While both studies focus on describing fossil remains and understanding their place in human evolutionary history, Freidline, a co-author of the studies, says each addresses different questions and regions.

Uncovering the Unexpected

The first study, published in the Nature Communications journal and led by Karen Baab of Midwestern University, revisits DAN5, a nearly 1.5-million-year-old Ethiopian fossil belonging to the extinct human species Homo erectus—Latin for “upright man.� This species is recognized as the first to have a more human-like body plan, walk fully upright, and migrate from Africa into Asia and Europe.

Originally described in 2020, the new study expands earlier work on the braincase by examining the fossil’sfacial bones and teeth, which had not previously been fully analyzed. Using advanced imaging techniques, the research team digitally reassembled fragments of the face and teeth to reconstruct the most complete Early Pleistocene human cranium from the Horn of Africa.

“The reconstructed fossil revealed a surprising mix of traits, including a face and teeth that appear more similar to earlier species like Home habilis,� Freidline says.

As a biological anthropologist specializing in paleoanthropology, she says that these findings were unexpected because other African Homo erectus fossils from the same time period, particularly from Kenya, show more “classic� H. erectus morphology.

“DAN5 blurs the line between Homo habilis and Homo erectus,� Freidline says. “Our findings suggest that early Homo erectus populations were more anatomically varied than previously thought and may have retained features from earlier ancestors even after dispersing across Africa and Eurasia.�

The second study, published in the Nature journal and led by Jean-Jacques Hublin of the Collège de France, shifts the focus north to Morocco, examining fossils from  Grotte à Hominidés — French for “Hominid Cave” — at Thomas Quarry I, a significant cave system and paleoanthropological site near Casablanca dated to approximately 773,000 years ago.

“The fossils include well-preserved mandibles, teeth and postcranial remains that, in some respects, are unexpectedly gracile and derived — in contrast to typical Homo erectus and the European species Homo antecessors dated to the same time period — likely representing an African population closely related to Homo sapiens,� Freidline says.

Until now, fossils from Spain’s Atapuerca region were considered the earliest evidence of traits linked to Homo sapiens. The Grotte à Hominidés fossils suggest a possible evolutionary connection to the earliest known Homo sapiens from Jebel Irhoud, dated to about 315,000 years ago.

According to Freidline, North Africa has been overlooked in the fossil record. The Sahara was not always a barrier. During repeated “Green Sahara� phases over the past several hundred thousand years — including periods relevant to Homo erectus and the emergence of Homo sapiens — the region became wetter and habitable, enabling movement and gene flow. The most recent phases occurred between approximately 15,000 and 5,000 years ago.

“These fossils are dated very precisely to a critical time near the split between Homo sapiens and the Neanderthal and Denisovan lineage,� she says. “They are an evolved form of Homo erectus, showing a mosaic of archaic and derived traits while lacking characteristics typical of Neanderthals.�

Together, the two studies challenge the idea of a simple, linear path in human evolution, instead pointing to a long history of various and overlapping populations across Africa.

“Even though both fossils are separated by hundreds of thousands of years, they reveal unexpected combinations of traits that suggest early human evolution was shaped by regional evolution, migrations and interactions,� Freidline says. “Africa wasn’t just the birthplace of early humans, but a place where multiple populations coexisted and evolved in different ways.�

Advanced Imaging Reveals Hidden Details

Unlocking the new findings required more than fossils alone. Both studies relied on advanced technologies such as micro-CT scanning, digital reconstruction and comparative anatomical analysis, including geometric morphometrics, to extract new information from fossil fragments.

“For the DAN5 fossil, the facial bones were fragmented, so we used CT data to virtually reconstruct the face, fitting the pieces together like a 3D puzzle,� Freidline says. “Once reconstructed, I applied geometric morphometrics to capture subtle shape differences to compare fossils across time and geography without size bias.�

In Morocco, magnetostratigraphic dating provided one of the most secure timelines for any African Pleistocene hominin assemblage, while virtual reconstruction techniques allowed scientists to visualize fossils that couldn’t be physically reassembled.

Freidline’s application of cutting-edge methods, including geometric morphometrics, has deepened our understanding of how the skull and face developed and changed over time in fossil human ancestors.

“Traditional methods to analyze fossils rely heavily on linear measurements, like length and width, which are useful but limited,� she says. “Geometric morphometrics allow us to isolate shape independently of size, which is crucial when comparing fossils of different sizes.�

Freidline says this method has become the standard in paleoanthropology over the years, but it remains a specialized skill set requiring advanced software and programming. She brings this expertise to both her research and teaching at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½.

Where Discovery Leads Next

Looking ahead, researchers hope to compare the Ethiopian and Moroccan fossils with other early human remains from Africa and Europe to better understand how ancient populations were related and how traits were passed on over time.

“There’s still a lot we don’t know, and every new fossil has the potential to change the story,� Freidline says. “Additional fossil discoveries may further clarify how these populations interacted, adapted, interbred and evolved.�

For Freidline, this research has been professionally and personally meaningful.

“I’ve been interested in evolution, history and archaeology since I was a child, and my curiosity about paleoanthropology evolved when I was introduced to it in college,� she says. “That experience opened the door for me to study human evolution through fossil remains and to ask big questions about how, when and where humans evolved, helping us better understand our deep history.�

His studies focued on biological archaeology, which takes an anthropological approach to the study of the human body from modern and/or archaeological contexts.

The inspiration to get involved in the field came from a fascination with archaeology and ancient Greek and Egyptian societies in grade school, and an interest in storytelling and human connection that was nurtured through his work in theater and costuming.

“I kind of realized that my passion was telling human stories and letting people know that people of the past were just like us,â€� he says. “They loved. They laughed. They had hardships, they had inside jokes, and the best way you can get to know people of the past is through the bodies of the people themselves. Their bones can tell you what people ate, what illnesses they had and where they moved to. If you see that they moved later in their life, it’s like, ‘Why did they move?’ â€�

Through his studies at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, he’s been able to investigate those stories. As a DirectConnect student, Binkowski loved the accessibility of being able to easily transfer from Valencia College to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½. As a Florida native, remaining close to family (including his sister, who is a fellow Knight) was another reason he chose Knight Nation.

At Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, one of the major projects he’s worked on was through the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project, a collaboration between the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Department of Anthropology and the 45th Space Wing of the U.S. Space Force. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and the Space Force examine one to two archaeological sites on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) per field season. The goal of these explorations is to further understand the cultural significance of various sites located within CCSFS. The project allows students to get hands on archaeology experience by participating in cultural resource management.

“It is a really big deal in archaeology because most of the time you have to pay a lot of money to go to a field school, but with this, it is the cost of a three-credit hour class and your professors come with you,â€� Binkowski says. “You get real cultural resources management experience. You learn real archaeological techniques and you just get to be part of a really cool program that I haven’t seen anywhere else.â€�

Binkowski’s honors undergraduate thesis involved research into ancient Maya citizens from Belize. With the help of his advisor, Lana Williams, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ bioarcheologist senior lecturer, the study examined dietary trends in the area through X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, a non-destructive analytical technique that measures the elemental composition of materials by analyzing the X-rays they emit when excited by a primary X-ray source. Using HHXRF to examine the teeth of the ancient Maya people, Binkowski discerned trends that indicated high marine resource consumption in a coastal region. There were also changes in the data to suggest migration of some Maya people to different areas.

“Through all the hard data there’s a story there. That graph is different because of the very human reason, and not because numbers are complicated sometimes,â€� he says. “It’s the humanity, the human story that’s buried within all of this numerical data that I really want people to focus on and see that archaeology and bioarcheology really connects us to our collective human past.â€�

Through Binkowski’s work with Orange County Regional History Center, he serves as the resident archaeology specialist, using what he’s learned at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ on ancient Florida subjects. He also educates a range of ages and develops public history curriculum. During the pandemic, Binkowski took a break from his classes due to medical reasons and served as a substitute teacher for Osceola County, which has helped him in his current role at OCRHC.

An example of this is a lecture he did on the history of Celebration, Florida, as part of a series at the center.

“One of my classes at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ was on the archaeology of Disney,â€� Binkowski says, “so I used that research, in combination with what I learned at the center, to develop my lecture, ‘Celebrating Celebration: History and Perspectives.’ â€�

After graduation, Binkowski will return to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ for the graduate anthropology program, where he will be expanding upon his undergraduate research with Williams. Beyond that, Binkowski would like to get involved in what he calls, “edutainment,â€� where his passion for archaeology and anthropology melds with entertainment to bring the past to the people in a consumable, relatable way.

“I want people to identify with people of the past, so I would love to develop some sort of program or experience that allows people to interact with archaeology in an ethical but also entertaining way,� he says.

Fast forward a few years and the anthropology alum is now pursuing a master’s degree in the field while completing research that not only helps preserve history, but also integrates technology into the process. We sat down with the Fort Myers, Florida, native to chat about the research project he’ll be presenting at this year’s Student Scholar Symposium and how that’s impacting his future career path. The symposium is part of  , which is free, open to the public and ongoing in the Student Union this week.

What does your research examine and how does it impacts the community?

My research project title is “Historical Archaeology and Multimodal Digital Technologies to Capture and Record the Past.� The research I will be presenting during Student Research Week centers on documenting America’s last remaining Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) watermill. This local Central Florida historic site, located within the Juniper Springs Recreational area in the Ocala National Forest, is one of the first sites constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (a U.S. government work relief program) in the forest. Its construction was part of an early CCC experiment exploring the efficacy of federally funded tourist sites to stabilize local economies during the Great Depression and the Juniper Springs Millhouse was built to electrify the surrounding area. Today, it remains the last functioning millhouse constructed by the CCC.

This project explores the application of photogrammetry and 3D modeling tools to support traditional HABS/HAER-style documentation. The combination of these two digital recording techniques is new to the field and provides an easier way of conducting HABS/HAER-style documentation for official federal and state reports. These tools also allow for the current condition of the site to be recorded into the digital world, preserving its impact on the generations of people who have visited the site, and those in the Ocala area who benefited from the electricity it provided in the early 1930s. This project also provides data for a National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nomination to protect the mill, justify additional funding, and support the continued operation of the mill for future generations.

How did you develop the idea for this research project?

Being a part of the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½-USFS (United States Forest Service) archaeological field school helped me to make connections to my current master’s advisor, Dr. (Edward) González-Tennant, and Ocala National Forest archaeologists, John Dysart and Rachel Thompson. Through these connections, I was pointed at the site and, through additional term papers in my undergraduate classes, I learned the importance of preserving the site.

Why is research important to you?

This research is important due to the significance of the CCC. The CCC created around 800 national and state parks around the country, worked on hundreds of civil infrastructure projects, planted over three billion native trees and actively fought wildfires that popped up during their time. With Juniper Springs, this site was created as an experiment to test the impacts of tourism on a small depression-era town. Largely, the experiment worked, with Ocala and the nearby Astor being one of the first small towns in Central Florida to recover following the end of the Great Depression. This research created a digital model of the site, giving the public a permanent window into the architectural history of the CCC and the 1930s, while also registering the site to the NRHP helping to ensure proper preservation of the site continues for generations to come.

Why are you pursuing your major or field of study?

Throughout my undergraduate career, I took classes and was a part of key internships through the department, such as the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project in 2020, and the fall and summer Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½-USFS Ocala archaeological field schools in 2020 and 2021, that helped me to narrow my field of study to what it is today.

Why did you choose Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½?

I chose Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ as an undergraduate in 2018 because of how exciting the campus seemed. With so many events happening every day, the university seemed like a small city with opportunities at every turn, which helped to make me feel at home and excited for my future here. I chose Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ again in 2021 for my graduate degree because of the many connections I made from my time here as an undergraduate. Through Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, I worked as an orientation team leader in 2019, worked for the Student Union starting in 2020, and I met and learned from so many prominent researchers in my department, so it was hard to say goodbye to the university. Also, Knightro is one cool mascot.

What’s next?

This summer I will be continuing my research in Ocala, working as a crew chief for the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½-USFS Ocala summer field school, where we will be continuing our work at the Yearling historic archaeological site within the Ocala National Forest. I will also be continuing my work at the Juniper Springs Millhouse, working on photogrammetry and laser scanning 3D models of the structure, and the site as a whole.

What is your career goal?

My goal is to use my research and experience in the Ocala National Forest to become a USFS or National Park Service archaeologist, where I can continue protecting historic sites around the country.

Supporting Space Missions – Bryce Frase, U.S. Army

Bryce Frase can remember the exact moment he got the call from NASA.

Walking across campus in the spring of 2019 his mind was on his calculus exam when the phone rang.

Then came the news he had been selected for the Pathways Program, which provides students with the opportunity to explore federal careers while being paid for the work being performed. His assignment: Assist with the design and build of electrical equipment at the Kennedy Space Center’s Advanced Concepts Lab.

“I had to stop, sit down and cry for a little bit,� Frase says.

For the last two-and-half-years, Bryce has been working full-time as an electrical engineer while being a full-time student at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and a KSC Pathways intern. NASA’s highly selective Pathways Program has employed 47 Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ interns at KSC over the last five years.

The opportunity marked a turning point for the young Army veteran, who had dreamed of a career in space exploration ever since his grandmother surprised him with a telescope in elementary school. “It was the greatest thing in the world to see the moon, and the seas and craters,� recalls Frase.

But after high school, Frase wasn’t ready to follow his dreams of a career in outer space. The World Trade Center attacks had left a lasting impact on him as a child, and he knew his course would be to serve his country first.

He joined the U.S. Army in 2014, serving two years active duty and then four years in the reserves. A military police and correctional officer, he was deployed abroad for 14 months leading a team who handled high value detainees for U.S. government as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Starting as a student at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, Frase tapped the Veterans Academic Resource Center for support, receiving guidance on how to use the GI Bill and its benefits and spending hours at the center studying and doing homework.

Today, in his role at NASA, Frase supports  the 3D Printing Center at KSC, aiding many space missions, including NASA’s Space Launch System, by printing and testing new parts and tools for the mission.

This month, he’ll receive an aerospace engineering degree at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½. His courses have helped him become more proficient at his job, says Frase, who after graduation plans to stay on with NASA and continue his career in the space industry.

Developing Data for Decision-makers – Margarita Figueroa, U.S. Air Force

Margarita Figueroa finds herself in a new country every eight months. And that’s exactly what she signed up for when she joined the U.S. Air Force three years ago.

Figueroa selected Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Online in part because of the university’s reputation for serving veterans, and in part because she wanted a degree in anthropology and she found Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ to be one of few schools to offer the program exclusively through remote learning.

The degree appealed to her desire to help with cross-cultural coordination.

“If we have ambassadors who have better understanding of one another’s cultures we’ll have better understanding between the U.S. and other countries,� says Figueroa.

The ability to learn remotely was a necessity for Figueroa. As an active-duty intelligence analyst who compiles critical information about mission logistics for commanding officers, her work schedule can be unpredictable, and her days can be long — sometimes up to 15 hours. Attaining her education meant she needed the ability to take classes despite the time zone or continent of her deployment.

Figueroa is grateful that her professors were flexible and she easily connected with classmates through video conferences and discussion boards.

“Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ has been that dream school that has enabled me to do so much. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ worked with me and my schedule and allowed me to do three or four classes at a time,â€� she says. “It gave me the strength to keep going.â€�

During most of her time at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, Figueroa was stationed in England at the Royal Air Force Lakenheath. Military duties took her on regular flights to Europe. During her final fall semester she was stationed at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. She won’t walk at graduation; she’ll be deployed then to a training assignment at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.

The first in her family to attend college, graduation marks the opening of many more doors for Figueroa, who plans to spend her career with the Air Force. With a bachelor’s degree she can now apply for officer school and pilot school, two options she’s considering, along with the possibility of returning to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Online for a master’s degree.

“I did something that no one thought I could do,� she says. “I’m doing things I didn’t even think I was able to do.�

Safeguarding the Fleet – Craig Plummer, U.S. Navy

Craig Plummer’s grandfather served in the U.S. Army and was taken prisoner in World War II during the Battle of the Bulge. His two older brothers served in the U.S. Navy and the third was in the U.S. Air Force.

“I felt I owed some sort of service to country and to show my grandfather [he could do it],� says Plummer. “My grandfather was very proud that all four of us siblings had gone into the service. I could see the twinkle in his eyes when we would visit him in uniform.�

Growing up in a small town in Ohio, Plummer wasn’t destined to take a traditional educational path. He found himself struggling in school and dropped out at 16. Two years later, he followed the family tradition by enlisting in the Navy. He would later take his GED to attain his high school diploma.

Plummer’s military service would span more than two decades, with most of it providing technical and maintenance support to the aircraft carriers that became his home away from home. During his early years, he serviced the ship’s boilers. Later, he advanced to aviation electrician where he specialized in testing, troubleshooting and repairing aircraft gauges.

In 2014, Plummer was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, news that would change the course of his life. Despite the toll of undergoing chemotherapy, Plummer was determined to meet both his academic and professional goals. During the next two years, he finished his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia College of Missouri, taking most of his classes on the base. During the same time, he completed his final years of military service, retiring after 25 years at the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer, the second highest enlisted rank.

In 2016, Plummer and his wife moved to Florida where he took a job with Disney working in the internet help desk and call center. He knew he wanted to continue his career in the hospitality industry, and after learning about the programs offered nearby through , he applied.

He enrolled in the spring of 2020, just months before the pandemic hit. Even with the shift to distance learning and as a non-traditional student at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, Plummer has felt closely connected to the university.

“I was always made to feel part of the family and included at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½,â€� he says.

Like Frase, Plummer tapped the assistance of the VARC each semester to help him secure the benefits of the GI Bill. He also followed a veterans peer group, Veterans Knights, and was able to meet other student veterans in his classes.

Commencement will be special moment for Plummer. He’ll be receiving a master’s in hospitality and tourism management. He’ll be taking stock in the completion of a successful military career. He will be celebrating his victories in the battle against his cancer. And, this time — for what will be the first time —  he’ll be walking across the graduation stage.

The agreement between Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and Florida Park Service centers on a building in Econfina River State Park in rural Taylor County, about an hour southeast of Tallahassee. A former restaurant, the building will be renovated over the coming months to serve as a research station for exploring the surrounding ecosystem. It will also provide a base for several undergraduate field courses under development.

Econfina’s ecosystem, which encompasses coastal seagrasses to upland pine forest, is relatively pristine and free of pollution thanks to state and federal environmental protections along with the remote location. Its low-lying ground is also an excellent model for coastlines around the world threatened by rising sea levels. Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s National Center for Integrated Coastal Research, also known as Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Coastal, is leading the new center.

“The work we will be able to accomplish at this unique site will help us better understand the threats to coastlines so many states and nations face. The kind of findings we will no doubt discover will bring us national prominence as we help solve some of the biggest challenges to our coasts.�

Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Coastal, brings together experts across multiple fields of study to address coastline vulnerabilities ranging from extreme weather and public health to tourism and urban planning.

The location will also be invaluable to students by providing them hands-on opportunities to conduct field research and to include the community.

That variety of experts perfectly fits the scope of opportunities presented by the new research facility. Apart from biology students studying Econfina’s natural habitats, anthropology students can dig into historic sites dating back to pre-colonization; civil engineering students can research storm surge; and chemistry students can chart the long-term environmental impact of the area’s paper mills.

A big focus of the project will be community involvement and including area residents in basic research and outreach. It’s critical, Worthy said, that the knowledge gained through research is transferred back to the people in easy-to-understand language.

“Citizens gain a respect for science if they’re part of it and see the quality of what we’re uncovering,� Worthy said.

The value of the agreement is also in exposing students to field research, he said, adding that it’s one thing to learn science from a book, but quite another to use the tools and methods to draw real conclusions.

“It really changes the way you see things,� Worthy said.

More specifically, they’re studying Amazonian mud, carefully extracted from a Bolivian swamp and transported back to a laboratory on Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s campus. Their goal is to date the pollen and other biological sediments layered in close to five feet of mud, then match them with samples from pottery sherds excavated from nearby settlements.

“It’s worth getting excited about mud.â€� – Neil Duncan, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ doctoral student

By combining the disciplines of paleoethnobotany and archaeology, the project leads hope to paint a comprehensive picture of pre-Columbian agriculture and culture. Because this area is responsible for some of the domesticated plants we still use today, research results could be key to understanding ancient agriculture in other parts of the world. It could also shape modern day agriculture by providing a long-term record of how human interference shapes plants.

“It’s worth getting excited about mud,� says Neil Duncan, Ph.D., who specializes in using plant remains to understand ancient civilizations.

His research partner is John Walker, Ph.D., who is trying to piece together how pre-Columbian farmers grew their crops. The mud is critical to his research because metal and stone tools are rare to nonexistent in this part of the world; other clues like wooden hoe handles, clothes, hammocks and homes constructed from palm branches have rotted away centuries ago.

What is left behind are raised earthworks, some previously undiscovered before Walker used a drone and satellite images to locate them. Whether these earthworks are for irrigation, defensive structures or just garbage piles remains to be determined. But they are yielding bits of ceramic and other non-perishable artifacts.
Those pieces still bear remnants of food and other plant materials that can be carbon-dated and matched somewhere in the strata of the mud samples.

“It’s a chain of evidence. One thing leads to another and eventually you start to get this big picture,� Walker says.

The most recent trip to collect samples is just the first in what Walker and Duncan expect to many more excursions to northeastern Bolivia. Wading waist-deep in mosquito-infested marshes might not be everyone’s idea of a good time. But the potential research results — and the sheer joy of field work — make it worth it for Duncan, Walker and their team of students.

“Field archaeology is far superior to sitting in an office or laboratory,� Duncan says.

Since 2014, Branting has been a principal investigator on a U.S. Department of State project meant to track damage to cultural-heritage sites in war-torn Syria and northern Iraq. It’s a monumental task documenting wanton destruction of ancient sites – some of them thousands of years old – by fighters from the Islamic State and other forces.

“It’s horrific and it’s widespread. Cultural heritage has been specifically targeted – it’s not just collateral damage and not just by the Islamic State,� Branting said. “You look at imagery of Aleppo [Syria] and there are whole blocks that have been leveled by barrel bombs that were sent out of helicopters by [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad forces. You have Islamic State placing explosives in cultural heritage sites and blowing them up so they can create videos for marketing purposes.�

The ancient Citadel of Aleppo, Syria, shown in 2010 (top) and flanked by bomb craters in 2016.

Branting, an assistant professor in the College of Sciences’ Department of Anthropology, works with a team from the American Schools of Oriental Research. In 2014, the State Department accepted a proposal to collaborate with ASOR to document, protect and preserve cultural-heritage sites in Syria. The project soon expanded to include northern Iraq.

Branting and his team are doing that by melding ancient history with cutting-edge science. They’re examining high-resolution photos taken by satellites to document sites’ current conditions and monitor them for damage.

Branting, who came to Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ from the University of Chicago in 2015, has worked with satellite imagery for years, but obtaining the data from private vendors is expensive for researchers. ASOR is able to scrutinize huge volumes of photos taken from space through its relationship with the State Department. The images are typically very recent, some from the day before. And the State Department also has enough influence to request that satellites be tasked with photographing particular areas.

What they’ve seen is disturbing: The ancient Citadel in Aleppo surrounded by bomb craters. The columns of the Tetrapylon toppled and a portion of the façade of the ancient Roman theater destroyed by ISIS in the desert city of Palmyra, Syria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In Palmyra, Syria, the Tetrapylon in December 2016 (top) and with toppled columns a few weeks later in January 2017.

ASOR and Branting have the mission of sounding the alarm about the destruction. But they’re also documenting the sites’ pre-war condition so that “cultural heritage first-responders� can be better prepared to reconstruct or preserve what’s left once the conflict subsides.

The work is important to the future economic solvency of these regions, as archaeological tourism is a significant source of money for governments and residents.

At the same time, there’s a clear national security element to the organization’s mission. While ISIS claims to destroy pre-Islamic sites because it considers them heretical, many sites have been looted of valuable antiquities. For instance, recent satellite images of the nearly 5,000-year-old city of Mari in eastern Syria show the archaeological site pockmarked by hundreds of pits dug by looters. Antiquities sold on the black market have been used to purchase munitions in Syria and fund insurgents in Iraq.

The city of Mari archaeological site in Syria in 2012 (top) and in 2016 pockmarked by pits dug by looters.

The State Department has asked ASOR to study how the antiquities are being removed and the black market trade routes where they’re being sold. The information could also be used for future war-crimes prosecution. Information from the group’s reports has made its way into White House intelligence briefings, Branting said.

“The Department of State wanted to have independent streams of information about this,� Branting said. “The military and other intelligence agencies collect information, but it’s definitely not a top priority for them. They wanted a partner who knew what they were doing, who could adequately look at the cultural heritage and understand its importance.�

ASOR has gathered information about well-known sites such as Palmyra, but also built a database of about 6,000 lower-profile sites in Syria and another 6,000 in northern Iraq. A byproduct of their work is that imagery in the database likely includes formerly unknown sites, or some known but unexplored sites, that could offer years of postwar study for archeologists.

Branting isn’t daunted by the idea of dealing with sites ravaged by war.

“Archeology is constantly dealing with sites that are falling apart, from hundreds or thousands of years ago,� he said. “It’s a question of what’s still left, what can be preserved and what information from the past can be salvaged.�

As a single mother living in Guatemala with daughters 7 and 3 years old, Alison Batres earned just enough money working in a family-owned bakery to pay rent and feed her children.

Fed up and in search of a better life, she moved with her daughters to Miami, where her mother lived and worked as a housekeeper. Becoming a housekeeper herself, she saved enough money to get a place of her own five years later. Although still a modest lifestyle – a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Miami’s predominantly Cuban neighborhood called Little Havana – the move positioned her daughters to attend a school that ultimately led to Kimberly Batres pursuing something no one else in her family had: a college degree.

Batres, now a junior at the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, is studying both anthropology and Latin American studies to work toward a career in archaeology. She plans to root her future research in Guatemala to discover its unmasked history and to further connect with her heritage.

“One of the things I realized, through my minor in history, is a lot of research and resources accumulated for anthropology either go to Europe or the Middle East,� Batres said. “There isn’t much to document Latin America, and what there is, it’s information from an outsider. I want to bring the perspective of someone from that country.�

Batres wants to help dig up undiscovered Mayan temples and precolonial sites and identify the history behind them.

“With archaeology, we’re out there excavating, documenting everything we find and uncovering history. What people often don’t consider with archaeology is we include the local community people in our work. We also work to preserve cultural identity,â€� said Amanda Groff, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ archaeology associate lecturer. “When we involve locals, it gives them a sense of ownership in what we uncover, which can lead to a greater desire to preserve it.â€�

Batres’ Guatemalan heritage can assist in her archaeology efforts, Groff said. That’s because the locals may be more willing to interact and participate because Batres has an established connection with their community and culture.

Batres’ educational success, which spans from being part of LEAD Scholars, Volunteer Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ and the President’s Leadership Council, began to blossom in 6th grade when an inspiring teacher helped her discover her love of history and opened her eyes to the possibility of attending college. A higher education was encouraged by Batres mother and grandmother but not often discussed, as neither of them had attended college.

Taking every advanced placement course she could in high school, often staying until 9 p.m. to study, plus joining clubs, sports teams and working part-time at Publix to pay for her college applications ultimately led to Batres’ acceptance at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½. Now, a drive to one day help support her mom to thank her for her sacrifices pushes Batres to keep going.

“My mom worked from nothing to having her own apartment and to being comfortable enough to not be starving anymore,� Batres said. “Seeing her hard work has motivated me to work hard, too, and return the favor to her one day.�

Batres also wants to encourage others to pursue their dreams, as she’s seen firsthand how hard work pays off. As part of Volunteer Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½, Batres now is coordinating a trip to Charlotte, N.C., to help homeless families get back on their feet through an organization called Charlotte Family Housing. The volunteers also will work with Wings for Kids, an organization that helps low-income elementary and middle school students learn emotional and social intelligence through after-school programs.

Batres and nine other students will spend their spring break, March 12-18, volunteering with the organizations.

“We can give these kids the perspective of what they can accomplish if they continue in school,� Batres said. “I was sort of in their situation, too.�

A new study from the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ found that although not a recommended practice, those who participate in milk-sharing networks generally follow good hygiene, which is critical for keeping milk free from bacterial contamination.

“Peer milk sharing is a growing practice despite warnings from the FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics,� said Beatriz Reyes-Foster, lead author and an anthropology assistant professor. “Our findings suggest that parents who engage in these networks are taking precautions to make sure their children don’t get sick and that’s not something we knew before this study. But there is room for improvement.�

Reyes-Foster, sociology associate professor Shannon K. Carter and assistant professor Melanie Sberna Hinojosa, published their findings in this month’s edition of the Journal of Human Lactation.

The team of researchers surveyed 321 Central Florida peer milk-sharing parents who did not exchange money for milk. They asked:

The team found that 35.4 percent of recipients reported using all five safe practices and another 40.6 percent reported using at least four of the five. No recipient reported using only one or none of the safe practices. Results for donors were similar with nearly 80 percent confirming they sanitize pumps use to extract the milk.

The team also found that the behavior didn’t change even when sociodemographic characteristics did.

The research was conducted in 2014, before a Human Milk Banking Association of North America bank was established in Florida. This organization provides donors with milk-handling guidelines. The researchers suggest that the numbers may change now that the organization is in the state.

The researchers also warn that more study is needed and that the findings don’t extend to online classifieds where milk is exchanged for money. The prevalence of safety practices in those kinds of exchanges is unknown and deserves study, Reyes-Foster said.

Anthropology assistant professor Scott Branting and his team of students will be working 10 weeks at the Kerkenes Dag Project, a new destination for Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½â€™s anthropology program.

The site holds a former enormous city that was built around 600 B.C. by the inhabitants of Phrygia and was ruled by Midas. Branting and others who work on the site hope to understand the ancient city that was destroyed during the rise of the Persian Empire.

The new site is just one of many options students have when they major in anthropology at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½. Students get big opportunities by working with cutting-edge technology to help uncover layers of artifacts and learn how to use the basic tools at mock dig sites on campus and real sites throughout the world.

Other students will head to the island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos for three weeks this summer while earning credit for a course. Professor Pete Sinelli worked in conjunction with Study Abroad at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ to come up with this field experience for undergraduate and graduate students who want a more hands-on approach to learning the essentials of archaeological field methods necessary for excavations.

Marla Toyne, assistant professor of anthropology, is in the process of selecting a student to join her at a research site in the Andean region of South America. In the past, students at this site have used rappelling techniques, such as ropes and harnesses, to access the site as part of a collaboration with the Ukhupacha Project in Chachapoyas, Peru. Students were able to gain practical experience photographing, mapping and collecting bio-archaeological evidence of ancient burial practices in that area.

In all, Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ students have participated in 21 dig sites outside the United States in the past two years alone. They include sites in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Eygpt, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea among others.

It’s the combination of these opportunities and faculty expertise that has drawn students to the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ program. The faculty has some nationally known researchers, such as John Schultz an associate professor who has appeared on televised shows and served as an expert witness on several high-profile court cases in Central Florida, and there also are up-and-comers who are pushing the edges of the field.

To see a short video about why students select Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ for anthropology .  

Erin Martin, a sophomore anthropology major from Oviedo, always had an interest in science and reading a good mystery. When she saw Schultz on the History Channel describing a case, she knew Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ was the place for her.

“Whenever they had an interview with the forensic anthropologist I always thought that was really cool,� Martin said. “They had an episode where they had a skull that was shattered and they had to put it together like a puzzle.�

She hopes to one day work for the government in a large city where she will put her degree to use solving cold cases.

Student Kimberly Batres gives her sixth-grade teacher credit for getting her interested in history. He showed her how artifacts can help write a people’s history – the study of anthropology. Her family is from Guatemala and she realized that there were huge gaps in the historical record when it comes to her homeland.

“What I want to do is to go to Latin America and excavate in order to find artifacts in order to fill in the holes of history and provide more information on Latin America,� said the second-year anthropology student.

Students work practice digs at the Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ Arboretum as part of a blended anthropology course Batres took this past spring, which included online instruction and field work. The curriculum includes how to set up a proper dig site and the basic necessary tools to sift and scrape soil when they are diving into layers of history. As students progress in the curriculum they also learn about some high-tech tools for field work.

Branting, who is leading the trip to Turkey, uses traditional tools along with state-of-the-art satellite technology to monitor cultural-heritage sites from space via satellites as part of his field work. He also is one of the co-directors of the Cultural Heritage Initiative, an agreement between the American Schools of Oriental Research and the U.S. Department of State to document, protect and preserve the cultural heritage of war-torn Syria and northern Iraq.

Hundreds of significant heritage sites have been damaged since fighting began in the region in 2011. The group protects culturally significant property by documenting damage, promoting global awareness and planning emergency and post-war responses.

Field work, especially early in a student’s educational career, is important. Students gain valuable experience in archaeological excavation and documentation techniques, as well as teamwork. While they will learn a number of those skills through their classwork at Â鶹ӳ»­´«Ã½ that may involve simulated excavations and/or mapping activities, participating in fieldwork allows the students to apply what they learned in the classroom to a real-life excavation.

“I still have fond memories of my first field experience that involved a paleontology project in Montana as an undergraduate,� Schultz said. “While fieldwork can be rather rigorous, it is generally…one of the highlights of their overall undergraduate experience.�

For Tom Lee, a senior anthropology and environmental studies major traveling to Turkey with Branting, there’s a much more practical reason for making sure to get hands-on experience.

“I was thrilled to be selected for the project,� Lee said. “I need field experience that will set me apart when applying for graduate programs.�