Sylvia Deskaj

Ph.D. Candidate 354 Baker Hall Department of Anthropology Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824 USA deskajsy@msu.edu

Education
Michigan State University Ph.D., Anthropology Michigan State University M.A., Anthropology Northeastern Illinois University B.A., Anthropology / Minor, Biology, May 2008 September 2011 Present September 2009 May 2011 January 2004 May 2008

Honors, Grants & Fellowships Received

Cultural Heritage Informatics Initiative Fellowship Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate Scholar Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship Michigan State University Graduate Student Research Grant Michigan State University Travel Grant Michigan State University Graduate Student Research Grant Scholar of the American Councils for International Education

2012 2013 Summer 2012 Summer 2011 March 2011 Spring 2011 April 2010 October 2009

Research, Field, & Academic Experience

DIROS Archaeological Project Summer 2012 Pyrgos Dirou, Greece Field and Museum Assistant: Assisted in excavations of Neolithic burials and the analysis of human remains from nearby Alepotrypa Cave. Assisted in the processing and curation of survey and excavation finds in the Neolithic Museum of Alepotrypa Cave. Project Directors: Anastasia Papathanasiou, Greek Ministry of Culture at the Ephory of Speleology and Paleoanthropology of Southern Greece; Michael Galaty, Professor of Anthropology, Millsaps College; William A. Parkinson, Eurasian Curator, Field Museum of Natural History; Daniel J. Pullen, Professor of Classics, The Florida State University Shkoder Archaeological Project Summer 2012 Shkoder, Albania Survey Team Leader: Led an archaeological survey team in the northern Albanian

plains of Shkoder. In addition, surveyed and mapped burial mounds. Project Directors: Michael Galaty, Professor of Anthropology, Millsaps College; Lorenc Bejko, Professor of Archaeology, University of Tirana Society for American Archaeology Spring 2012 Memphis, TN Symposium Organizer & Chair: Organized a symposium entitled Recent Trends in Albanian Archaeology: A Decade in Review. Symposium consists of national and international participants. Department of Anthropology Newsletter Spring 2011 Michigan State University Editor: Collected, compiled, and organized content for the department newsletter. In addition, made newsletter readily available throughout and beyond the university. Graduate Students in Anthropology Spring 2012 Michigan State University President: Serve as liaison between faculty and graduate students within the department of anthropology. Additional duties include developing and organizing a series of workshops geared toward professionalism themes. Department of Anthropology Fall 2011 Spring 2012 Michigan State University Research Assistant: Served as assistant to department of anthropology Chair, Dr. Jodie OGorman. Worked closely with faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students to organize departmental events and functions. Collaborated with university-wide officials to assist in maintaining public relations. Department of Anthropology Fall 2011 Michigan State University Editor: Collected, compiled, and organized content for the department newsletter. In addition, made newsletter readily available throughout and beyond the university. Shkoder Archaeological Project Summer 2011 Shkoder, Albania Survey Team Leader: Led an archaeological survey team in the northern Albanian plains of Shkoder. In addition, surveyed and mapped burial mounds. Taught relevant survey techniques to both foreign and American students. Project Directors: Michael Galaty, Professor of Anthropology, Millsaps College; Lorenc Bejko, Professor of Archaeology, University of Tirana Department of Anthropology Spring 2011 Michigan State University Editor: Collected, compiled, and organized content for the department newsletter. In addition, made newsletter readily available throughout and beyond the university. Shkoder Archaeological Project 2 Summer 2010

Shkoder, Albania Survey Team Leader: Led an archaeological survey team in the northern Albanian plains of Shkoder. In addition, surveyed and mapped burial mounds. Project Directors: Michael Galaty, Professor of Anthropology, Millsaps College; Lorenc Bejko, Professor of Archaeology, University of Tirana Department of Anthropology Fall 2010 Spring 2011 Michigan State University Brown Bag Coordinator: Organized and maintained weekly Brown Bag events for the Department. Chair Selection Committee Spring 2010 Dept. of Anthropology, Michigan State University Graduate Student Representative: Kept graduate students informed about the department chair selection process and offered input on behalf of the graduate student body of the department of anthropology. Society for American Archaeology, American Antiquity Michigan State University Editorial Assistant Supervisor: Alison Rautman, Editor Spring 2010

The Butrint Foundation Summer 2009 Butrint, Albania Field Assistant: Assisted in the excavation of a Roman cemetery. Supervisor: Todd Fenton, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Michigan State University R.C Goodwin & Associates November 2008-March 2009 New Orleans, LA Contract Archaeologist: Conducted extensive, as well as intensive archaeological survey throughout the southeastern U.S. Job sites include Phase I and Phase II. Supervisor: Jim Eberwine Shala Valley Project (www.millsaps.edu/svp) June 22-July 8, 2008 Theth, Shala Valley, Albania Trench Supervisor: Assisted in multiple excavations of a prehistoric, fortified settlement site, including the analysis of ceramic and lithic material. Project Director: Michael Galaty, Professor of Anthropology, Millsaps College Proyecto Arqueolgico Inka / Colonial Malata June 2007 to July 2007 Tuti, Colca Valley, Per Field Assistant: Assisted in excavations of an Inka to Colonial Period monastery and ecclesiastical complex, including the analysis of human remains and burial patterns. Project Director: Tiffiny Tung, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University

The Field Museum of Natural History April 2007 to June 2007 Zoology, Division of Mammals, Chicago, IL Zoology Intern: De-fleshing, cleaning, labeling and cataloguing of small mammalian skeletons, and installation of alcohol-preserved specimens for the Field Museums modern comparative zoology collection. Supervisor: William Stanley, Collections Manager, Field Museum of Natural History Cook County Medical Examiners Office April 2007 to May 2009 Chicago, IL Field Assistant: Assisted Dr. Snow in reviewing crime scene photographs and human skeletal remains; served as liaison between M.E.s Office and Field Museum staff. Supervisor: Clyde Snow, Forensic Anthropologist, Cook County Medical Examiners Office The Field Museum of Natural History Fall 2006 to Spring 2007 Zoology, Division of Mammals, Chicago, IL Zoology Volunteer: De-fleshing, cleaning, and cataloguing mammalian skeletons at the Collections Resource Center. Supervisor: William Stanley, Collections Manager, Field Museum of Natural History Three Rivers Archaeological Project June 2006 to Spring 2007 Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL Laboratory Assistant: Utilized the Economic Botany Neo-tropical Collection at the Field Museum of Natural History to determine ancient plant remains recovered from feasting contexts from Northwestern Belize Supervisor: David J. Goldstein, Post Doctoral Researcher, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia Northeastern Illinois University Field School Spring 2006 Three Rivers Archaeological Project Orange Walk, Belize Field Assistant: Learned fundamental archaeological techniques of excavation, mapping, botanical recovery, and artifact preservation at an ancient Maya site in Northern Belize. Supervisor: Jon Hageman de la Plaza, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Northeastern Illinois University

Committee Involvement

MSU Science Festival, Advisory Board Member Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, Steering Member

2012 2013 2012 2013

Teaching Experience
ISP 217L: Water and the Environment Laboratory Michigan State University Instructor: Lectured relevant materials and led laboratory experiments. 4 Fall 2010

Supervisor: Orlando Sarnelle, Professor of Fisheries and Wildlife, MSU ISP 203L: Geology of the Human Environment Laboratory Spring 2010 Michigan State University Instructor: Lectured relevant materials and led laboratory experiments. Supervisor: Michael Gottfried, Associate Professor of Geological Sciences, MSU SOAN 3110: Archaeology of Selected Culture Area: "The Snake That Bites: History and Archaeology as the Basis for Albanian National Identity June 8-22 2008 Albania and Montenegro Teaching Assistant: Interpreted as well as assisted in museum and site tours, helped design and teach daily lessons. Supervisor: Michael Galaty, Professor of Anthropology, Millsaps College NEIU Learning Center Spring 2008 Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago Anthropology Tutor: Tutored students in introductory anthropology courses. Supervisor: Katherine Gleiss Monar, Coordinator, Northeastern Illinois University NEIU Accessibility Center Spring 2008 Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago Anthropology Tutor: Provided assistance to students with learning disabilities. Supervisor: Victoria Amey-Flippin, Coordinator, Northeastern Illinois University ANTH 370: Forensic Anthropology Fall 2007 Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago Teaching Assistant: Assisted in teaching human skeletal anatomy. Supervisor: Lesa Davis, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Northeastern Illinois University

Papers and Presentations

2012 The 2011 Field Season of the Projekti Arkeologjik Shkodrs (PASH), Northern Albania. Paper delivered at the 77th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Anthropology, April 18-22, 2012, Memphis, TN. Assessing Cultural Change and Continuity: The Application of Strontium Isotope Analysis Along the Eastern Adriatic Coast. Paper delivered at the Graduate Academic Conference, March 30, 2012, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. In Search of Origins: The Application of Strontium Isotope Analysis Along the Eastern Adriatic. Paper delivered at the 76th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Anthropology, March 30- April 3, 2011, Sacramento, CA.

2012

2011

2011

In Search of Origins: The Application of Strontium Isotope Analysis Along the Eastern Adriatic. Paper delivered to the Department of Anthropology Brown Bag Event, March 25th, 2011, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. Creating a Strontium Isotope Baseline Along the Eastern Adriatic. Paper delivered at the Michigan Archaeological Society-Upper Grand Valley Chapter Meeting, March 16, 2010, East Lansing, MI. The Shala Valley Project, Northern Albania: Results of the 2008 Field Season (with A. Cohen). Paper delivered at the 74th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Anthropology, April 23-26, 2009, Atlanta, GA. Malnutrition and Disease: a perspective on Late Classic Maya health. Presented at the 16th Annual Northeastern Illinois University Spring Symposium, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL. A Stroll Through Ancient Gardens: an in-depth analysis of ancient Maya kitchen gardens. Presented at the 15th Annual Northeastern Illinois University Spring Symposium, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL.

2011

2009

2008

2007

Publications
In Prep 2011 Contributions regarding archaeology to the newest edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica entry on Kosovo being written by Antonia Young. Chapter 21 contributed to The Routledge Handbook of Archaeological Human Remains and Legislation: an international guide to laws and practice in the excavation and treatment of archaeological human remains (with S. Schermer and E. Shukriu), edited by N. Marquez-Grant and L. Fibiger. Routledge. London. Translated and transcribed ethnographic audio files from the 2005 field season of the Shala Valley Project. Available at: http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/archive/svp_mellon_2009/overview.cfm?CFID= 573996&CFTOKEN=39545028 Contributions to the final report of the 2008 field season of the Shala Valley Project. Available at www.millsaps.edu/svp.

2009

2008

Public Outreach
Mentorship Liaison between Undergraduate and Graduate Students -Department of Anthropology, MSU Stone Street Ancestral Recovery Project Site 20GS136 -Flint, MI 6 Fall-Spring 2012 September 2010

Michigan State Police Forensic Training -East Lansing, MI

May 2010

Professional Memberships
American Anthropological Association Michigan Archaeological Society Michigan Mortuary Response Team Archaeological Institute of America Society for American Archaeology Center for the Americas at Vanderbilt 2010 present 2010 2011 2010 present 2009 present 2007 present 2007 2008

Languages
English and Albanian: Fluent reading, writing, and speaking. Serbo-Croatian: Proficient reading, writing, and speaking.