In this week’s alumni spotlight, we are thrilled to feature PhD alum Dr. Jared Beatrice! Dr. Beatrice is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at The College of New Jersey. In this role, he teaches courses in biological anthropology, mentors students, and engages in research. The MSUFAL has been very fortunate to work with Dr. Beatrice on bioarchaeological research in Italy in recent years and conduct summer fieldwork together. His earnest enthusiasm while discussing human osteology and his ability to consider a question from all angles are among the many qualities we appreciate about Dr. Beatrice!
Since his time at MSU, Dr. Beatrice has focused on examining skeletal evidence of physiological stress in undocumented migrants who died while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. He explains that this work involves a “hybrid approach” that combines elements of forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology. In the context of forensic anthropology, this work was done in the service of identifying and repatriating the remains of migrant individuals. Drawing on bioarchaeology, this work uses manifestations of systemic stress on the skeleton to understand the effects of social forces—specifically structural inequalities—on human biologies. Most recently, Dr. Beatrice has been immersed in a new project examining a large skeletal sample from a historic cemetery (ca. 1700–1860) in Philadelphia that was accidentally discovered during construction in late 2016. He is carefully analyzing these skeletal remains and is fascinated by how this project will shed light on the experiences of colonial-era Americans adapting to life in a rapidly urbanizing and prominent city.
Reflecting on his journey to the seasoned biological anthropologist he is today, Dr. Beatrice recalls that he did not really know what anthropology was when he started college. While he knew that he was interested in human anatomy and biology, he also felt a connection with the social sciences. Dr. Beatrice took a course in biological anthropology and was struck by how applications of the field involved using the skeleton to learn about peoples’ lives. He also valued the opportunities he had to conduct independent research in an osteology lab. Ultimately, he attributes his path to “discovering the right combination of my interests, in conjunction with terrific mentoring.”
Following these interests, Dr. Beatrice came to MSU where he trained in both forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology. He concentrated more on bioarchaeology as a graduate student and completed his PhD dissertation titled “Community health at Nemea, Greece: a bioarchaeological approach to the impact of sociopolitical change in Byzantium.” Dr. Beatrice continues to engage primarily with bioarchaeology now as a researcher but appreciates how the “opportunities in both applications of human osteology at MSU ultimately were mutually reinforcing in my current career.” He also greatly values how his graduate education instilled the importance of being holistic in one’s approach to both research and teaching.
Dr. Beatrice’s fieldwork experiences in Albania and Greece are some of his fondest memories of being an MSU student. Having never left the country before his time at MSU, Dr. Beatrice says it is hard to overstate the positive impact that living and working abroad each summer had on his personal and professional development. Recalling these experiences, he says he is “forever grateful to Dr. Todd Fenton for the opportunity to travel to Albania and do osteology with wonderful people in such an amazing place. Memories of skeletal analysis footsteps away from the Mediterranean Sea, occasionally interrupted by a passing cruise ship, are hard to beat.”
This training outside of the classroom is what Dr. Beatrice would advise to students pursuing their interests in osteology. Engaging in fieldwork, casework, lab analysis, and other experiences that provide real-world training are undoubtedly formative educational opportunities, but will also shape your development in other important ways.
When asked what he misses about the Lansing area, Dr. Beatrice replied going to MSU games and being in such close proximity to nationally competitive college teams with an intense fan base. A fan of Big Ten sports himself, he enjoyed the excitement and energy that fills the air around here on gamedays!
Thank you, Dr. Beatrice, for sharing your experiences with us. And Go Green!
Authored by: Elena Watson
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