I am currently accepting applications for Ph.D. graduate students in the Department of Anthropology, Human Evolutionary Sciences track, at Rutgers University. I am looking for students interested in joining my laboratory (ALMA) to develop a Ph.D. focused on the use of micro-remains to investigate the role of climate in the sustainability of urban life.

Ph.D. framework

The Ph.D. activities will be conducted in the framework of an NSF-funded research grant. In this project, we will use phytolith assemblages obtained from multi-layered urban sites to test how humans responded to environmental change. The research will focus primarily on Tell es-Safi/Gath and nearby sites, in collaboration with the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science (Weizmann Institute of Sciences) and Bar-Ilan University.

Student profile and background

I am especially interested in graduate students with backgrounds in Archaeology, Anthropology, Geology, Chemistry, Botany, Biology, or Ecology. The current research project allows for international training in phytolith analysis, geoarchaeology, ¹⁴C dating, and stable isotope analysis. The candidates do not need previous experience in these techniques, but they will be required to travel internationally to complete the training and the fieldwork. International candidates and candidates from underrepresented backgrounds are welcome.

Funding

The Department of Anthropology at Rutgers offers graduate students a fully-funded package guaranteed for 5-years (~$25,000 annually) with the possibility of obtaining additional funding through teaching and university fellowships. Candidates with exceptional experience and GRE scores will be competitive for the Rutgers Presidential Fellowship. In addition, we offer a tuition remission of 75 credits (72 credits are needed for a Ph.D.). Graduate students in the Department of Anthropology can apply for additional research funding through the Bigel Awards or joining the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies at Rutgers (CHES).

The Department of Anthropology and Rutgers

The Department of Anthropology at Rutgers has a strong program in Archaeology. We currently have four faculty members that specialize in different archaeological periods in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. ALMA has two brand new research laboratory spaces with state-of-the-art equipment, and our facilities are supplemented by an extended network of research laboratories at Rutgers focused on the study of Earth History within the Institute of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences.

Contact information

For students interested in applying to our program, please contact me directly (Dan Cabanes: dan.cabanes@rutgers.edu), attaching your CV and a 1-page motivation letter. You can also check our department website at https://anthro.rutgers.edu/121-graduate-program. Applications for admission in Fall 2022 will be due on January 9, 2022.

Additional information can be found in the following links:

Department of Anthropology Graduate Program at Rutgers

Center for Human Evolutionary Studies

Tell es-Safi/Gath research project