SMU Department of Anthropology

Beneath the surface Located in the basement of Heroy Hall at SMU, under fluorescent lights in the Archeology Research Collection, lies a treasure trove of North Texas and international history spanning centuries. Artifacts line cabinets and shelves surrounding the lab. From arrowheads once used by Native American tribe...

SMU Anthropology’s Dr. Michael Adler at a book signing for his new Transilient Acts and Resilient Villages: Pueblo Community Persistence in the Northern Rio Grande at the Society for American Archaeology Meetings in San Francisco.

Congratulations to AJ Nicholson, Ph.D. student in Cultural Anthropology (Medical) at SMU, on being named a recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). Among the most competitive fellowships for graduate students nationwide, the NSF GRFP recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional potential as researchers, educators and leaders whose work addresses issues of national and societal importance.

AJ’s research examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming end-of-life care, with a particular focus on hospice settings. His scholarship explores how emerging AI tools are creating new ethical and moral dilemmas for patients, care providers, and families. This topic is especially timely as various states are beginning to pass legislation requiring disclosure of AI use in patient care. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, understanding its impact on care experiences is vital.

AJ credited a broad network of mentors and institutional support for his success. “I am grateful for the support of my advisor, Elyse Singer, Ph.D., and the faculty in the Department of Anthropology,” he said. “I also benefited from the guidance provided by Rachel Ball-Phillips, Ph.D. in the Moody School’s Fellowship Office.” AJ noted that participating in the NSF Writing Intensive prior to the fall semester helped demystify the application process and clarify what has contributed to successful proposals in the past.

He also highlighted the role of Juliana Antonio, Ph.D. candidate and former Moody graduate fellowship consultant, who assisted him in refining multiple drafts of his research and personal statements. Reflecting on the process, AJ offered advice to future applicants: “Start early and meet regularly with the Fellowship Office. This application requires many revisions over several months to build a coherent narrative, and beginning early greatly improves the final submission.”

The Moody School congratulates AJ on this national recognition. His selection for the NSF GRFP underscores the strength of graduate scholarship at SMU and the University’s commitment to research that thoughtfully engages complex societal challenges.

We were delighted to have SMU Anthropology alumnus Dr. Britt Bousman on campus today to present his research in the Caroline Brettell Lecture series. A wonderful time was had by all.
(left to right: Drs. Alan Skinner, Britt Bousman, David Meltzer, and Caroline Brettell)

Join us!

SMU Anthropology Professor Chris Roos will be featured on a webinar panel hosted by the Society for American Foresters at 4:15 pm CST on February 26, 2026. Register at this link to see Dr. Roos field questions about the human dimensions of wildland fire.

SAF ForestEd: Interactive Panel: Fired Up—Human Dimensions of Wildland Fire As human settlement increases in the wildland-urban interface, increased study of communities in these areas to address their level of wildfire adaptivity, and how it can be improved locally, is needed. Managers can tend to ignore the local social context and complexity of communities, forcing ineff...