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Gabriela Salda帽a (MA Anthropology summer 2026) 

My MA research examined a Late Classic stucco frieze that originally decorated a vaulted building at Caracol, Belize. I brought together archaeological, iconographic, and epigraphic data to examine how the frieze functioned within its context. Support through graduate assistantships allowed me to immerse myself fully in this research, while my continued participation in the Caracol Archaeological Project has shaped my development as an archaeologist. My committee, Drs. Arlen and Diane Chase, and Dr. Rex Koontz, brought together expertise in Maya archaeology and Mesoamerican iconography. This fall, I am organizing UH's Archaeology Laboratory. My long-term goal is to continue developing as an archaeologist through research and opportunities in heritage and cultural diplomacy. 

Noah Wood (MA Cultural Anthropology 2026)

Recent alum Noah Wood (MA Cultural Anthropology 2026), winner of the prestigious Lydia Mendoza Fellowship reflects on his research. "My research is centered on the toxic environments within southeast Houston and how residents close to oil, gas, and petrochemical centers understand what home means in an area under constant danger to threats of pollution and disaster from industrial fires, explosions, and mishaps. The Lydia Mendoza fellowship was a tremendous help to my research as their funding allowed me to pursue my graduate degree stress-free. Through their monthly meetings, I had the opportunity to enrich my skills as an academic as well as be welcomed into a small community of bright local scholars."  Noah got his undergraduate degree from UH Anthropology as well. His thesis work was overseen by Dr. Erin Routon (Chair), Dr. Marwa Ghazali and and Dr. Allison Saenz.

Noah shares a happy moment from the fellow鈥檚 luncheon where he got to meet the sponsors of the Lydia Mendoza fellowship. 

Lucilla Arcile is a second-year graduate student of the MA Anthropology program. She graduated with her B.S. in Anthropology and a minor in biology from the 91视频. The tentative title of her MA thesis project is: 鈥淯nderstanding Agency and Self-Embodiment of Hispanic Mothers Engaging with Community Gardens in Houston, Texas.鈥� In her thesis project, she blends frameworks from critical food studies, critical medical anthropology, gender studies, and labor studies to examine Houston鈥檚 community gardens and their relationships with Hispanic women. With the Center of Mexican American and Latino/a Studies Graduate Fellowship for Fall 2026-Spring 2027, she plans to further develop her thesis project, which will explore how Hispanic mothers in Houston overcome specific barriers to address food and health disparities affecting their families. She also has support from the Blanche Espy Chenoweth Fellowship for Fall 2026-Spring 2027. Her future goal is to apply her anthropological training, particularly ethnographic methods, to public health research. At UH鈥檚 MA program, she is being mentored by her MA Thesis Supervisor, Dr. Debarati Sen, and her committee member, Dr. Marwa Ghazali.

Congratulations! Anthropology graduate student Kaira Mercer-Jones was selected as the Winner of the UH Outstanding Master鈥檚 Thesis Award in the Social Sciences for her Master鈥檚 thesis, "Hair Narratives: Discourse within African American Hair Care Practices and its Connection to Identity." As the award winner, Kaira is also being nominated for the 2024 Master鈥檚 Thesis Award competition sponsored by the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools.