To PhD or Not to PhD w/ Brian Young

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Brian Young, a PhD candidate in sociocultural anthropology at UCLA whose research focuses on transnationalism, state development, global capitalism, migration, and economic inequality. Drawing on years of fieldwork in Bhutan, Brian explores how development policies shape everyday life for nomadic herders, rural communities, and urban populations. His work combines traditional ethnographic methods with innovative visual approaches, including 360-degree video, virtual reality, and interactive exhibitions. Brian discusses what life as a PhD candidate really looks like, from teaching and dissertation writing to conducting long-term fieldwork and navigating the academic job market. He shares insights from living alongside semi-nomadic yak-herding families in Bhutan and reflects on how development, migration, consumer culture, and globalization are transforming local identities and livelihoods. The conversation also explores Bhutan's Gross National Happiness framework, visual anthropology, graduate education, and how immersive technologies can help communities tell their own stories and experiences. Listen now to learn more about sociocultural anthropology, migration, development, visual ethnography, globalization, and the role these topics play in understanding social change and economic inequality.

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Dr. David Syring, cultural anthropologist, professor, and department chair at the University of San Diego. David works at the intersection of humanistic and scientific approaches to human behavior. His research focuses on environmental and social challenges, indigenous perspectives, food systems, and the cultural processes that shape how communities imagine and inhabit place. David describes how his work blends teaching, research, and community engagement, using anthropology to bridge disciplines and connect academic inquiry with real‑world problems. He discusses his role as a department head, the logistics of supporting faculty and students, and the importance of collaborative, transdisciplinary research. The conversation explores his long‑term work with the Saraguro community in Ecuador, his participatory media projects, his forthcoming edited volume on ecological arts and transdisciplinary science, and his development of "shimmering friction" as a method for understanding urban environments through embodied experience. David also reflects on storytelling, cultural resilience, and how anthropology cultivates curiosity and critical reflection. Listen now to learn more about cultural anthropology, environmental storytelling, transdisciplinary research, community engagement, and how anthropologists use narrative and place‑based inquiry to address global challenges.

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Dr. Heather Garvin, a board‑certified forensic anthropologist and professor of anatomy at Des Moines University. Heather holds degrees in anthropology, zoology, forensic and biological anthropology, and a PhD in functional anatomy and evolution from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has worked on forensic anthropology cases since 2005 and currently serves as the forensic anthropology consultant for the State of Iowa, providing expertise to state agencies, law enforcement, and federal partners including the FBI . Heather explains what forensic anthropology looks like in practice, from estimating biological profiles and interpreting trauma to assisting on decomposed, skeletal, or infant abuse cases where bones reveal critical evidence. She discusses the importance of board certification, the realities of working in a niche field, and the balance between teaching full‑time and being on call for casework. Heather reflects on her path into the discipline, her graduate training, the emotional labor of working with death, and the challenges of juggling academic responsibilities with medicolegal demands. She also highlights her research, publications, and outreach work aimed at educating future forensic pathologists and medical examiners about the role of forensic anthropology. Listen now to learn more about forensic anthropology, skeletal analysis, medicolegal investigations, anatomy education, and how anthropological training supports work within the forensic sciences.

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Katherine Ealey, an intake case worker for Child Protective Services. Katherine holds a bachelor's degree in sociology and anthropology and a master's degree in sociology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Her role centers on conducting initial assessments, interviewing families, and documenting reports of child abuse and neglect, work that requires cultural sensitivity, neutrality, and an ability to understand diverse caregiving practices. Katherine walks us through what CPS looks like on the ground, from balancing field visits with extensive documentation to navigating distrust, de‑escalating tense situations, and collaborating with therapists, courts, and community partners. She reflects on how anthropology informs her approach to family dynamics. The conversation explores ethnographic parallels in CPS assessments, the emotional labor of casework, media portrayals of CPS, understaffing, safety considerations, and the challenges of connecting families to diminishing social resources. Listen now to learn more about applied anthropology, cultural understanding, casework practice, family dynamics, and how anthropological perspectives shape work within child protective services.

Content Warning: On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Chibundo Egwuatu, a sociocultural anthropology PhD researcher and a systems strategist, organizer, and policy analyst focused on marginalized populations who live and work extralegally. With a background in human rights research and a special interest in tech futures, Chibundo examines how digital infrastructures shape the lives of those navigating multiple forms of precarity, surveillance, and enclosure across both physical and virtual terrains. Chibundo explains the concept of digital imperialism, highlighting the political and material infrastructures behind the internet and how sex workers' experiences reveal broader patterns of control, policing, and technological power. She discusses her path into anthropology, her interest in feminized labor, and how witnessing sex worker communities shaped her research trajectory. The conversation explores sex work as labor, SESTA/FOSTA, pandemic-era digital economies, and how marginalized communities navigate "streets" that morph across platforms, policies, and physical spaces. Chibundo also reflects on advocacy, coalition building, and the pushback she receives for studying taboo subjects. Listen now to learn more about digital anthropology, feminized labor, and how anthropologists engage with sensitive and politically charged topics.

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Devan Green, a cultural resource technician at ERRO Resources Corporation and Colorado State University anthropology graduate. Devan shares how her anthropology degree led her to a career in cultural resource management and archaeological fieldwork, from conducting pedestrian surveys and documenting archaeological sites to working alongside environmental consultants and federal agencies. Devan explains what cultural resource management looks like day to day, from winter months spent writing technical reports and site forms to summer seasons hiking long transects, excavating one-meter units, and screening soil for artifacts. She discusses how CRM teams evaluate cultural impacts, collaborate with tribes and state agencies, and determine whether sites require mitigation or avoidance. Devan also shares stories from memorable projects, including an extraordinary 12,000-year cultural landscape in South Park, and reflects on her path into archaeology, field school experiences, seasonal work, and learning to identify artifacts one "special rock" at a time. Listen now to learn more about CRM archaeology, fieldwork, excavation methods, cultural landscapes, tribal consultation, and building a career in cultural resource management.

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Michael Kilman, an applied anthropologist, author, educator, and science communicator committed to making anthropology accessible to everyone. With over a decade of experience teaching cultural anthropology and diversity, Michael brings ethnographic thinking into fiction writing, filmmaking, and public education. He hosts several YouTube series, including Anthropology in 10 or Less and Ask an Anthropologist About Worldbuilding, and is the co-author of Build Better Worlds: An Introduction to Anthropology for Game Designers, Fiction Writers, and Filmmakers. Michael reflects on his path into anthropology, his graduate work on community media, and his applied projects ranging from fieldwork in Mexico to collaborative filmmaking with Native American communities. He discusses the realities of adjunct teaching, the impact of the pandemic on higher education, and how anthropological thinking shapes his speculative fiction, worldbuilding consultations, instructional design work, and science-communication platforms. His TEDx talk, Anthropology, Our Imagination, and How to Understand Difference, captures his mission to use story to build empathy and expand perspective. Listen now to learn more about applied anthropology, collaborative media, worldbuilding, storytelling, and how anthropological thinking helps us imagine better worlds.

On the latest episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Jessica Yaquinto, founder of Living Heritage Anthropology, co-founder of Heritage Lands Collective, and host of the Heritage Voices podcast. Jessica specializes in CRM ethnography and tribal consultation, helping build meaningful partnerships between Indigenous communities, government agencies, and organizations while preserving cultural knowledge and protecting places of deep significance. Jessica explains how CRM ethnography differs from archaeology, highlighting the importance of documenting living cultural connections to landscapes through community-led interviews, collaborative research, and respectful tribal consultation. She shares how anthropology supports heritage preservation, why listening is one of the most valuable skills an anthropologist can develop, and how Indigenous perspectives can reshape the way we think about stewardship, history, and caring for elders. Jessica also discusses her journey into entrepreneurship, founding Living Heritage Anthropology, and the realities of building a career in this highly specialized field. Listen now to explore CRM ethnography, tribal consultation, cultural resource management, Indigenous heritage preservation, entrepreneurship, and the many ways anthropology helps connect people, culture, and place.

On the latest episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Anna Luisa Daigneault, a linguistic anthropologist, PhD researcher in ethnolinguistics, and lead digital curator at the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. Anna shares how her work bridges anthropology, linguistics, and technology to document, preserve, and revitalize endangered languages before they disappear. Anna explains what ethnolinguistics is and how language provides a unique window into culture, identity, history, and the ways people understand the world. She discusses why thousands of languages are currently at risk of disappearing, what is lost when a language dies, and the importance of partnering with Indigenous communities to ensure language preservation efforts are community-led and culturally respectful. She also shares how the Living Dictionaries platform gives speakers and researchers the tools to build digital dictionaries containing audio, images, cultural notes, and other resources that help keep languages accessible for future generations. The conversation also explores multilingualism, fieldwork, the challenges of documenting underrepresented languages, and the opportunities and ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence in language preservation. Listen now to explore ethnolinguistics, endangered language revitalization, digital preservation, and why protecting linguistic diversity means protecting humanity's shared cultural heritage.

On the latest episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Stephen DeCasien, a nautical archaeologist and postdoctoral researcher at Dalian University of Technology specializing in ancient naval warfare and experimental archaeology. Stephen shares how his passion for the ancient world led him to study Greek and Roman warships and reconstruct the bronze rams that once powered naval combat. He explains how experimental archaeology reveals the materials, labor, and ingenuity behind ancient seafaring societies, while also discussing the relationship between nautical and maritime archaeology. The conversation explores shipwreck research, life as a scholar in China, and the value of studying abroad and engaging with different cultures. Throughout the episode, Stephen reflects on how anthropology cultivates curiosity, empathy, and a deeper understanding of our shared human past. Listen now to explore ancient ships, experimental archaeology, maritime connections, and the enduring spirit of human innovation.