Organizing Faculty

With a deep background at colleges and universities as well as in museums and public school outreach, Dr. Ahern has received numerous teaching awards. At the University of Wyoming since 2000, he teaches introductory and advanced courses in biological anthropology as well as a Ph.D.-level class on teaching anthropology. Jim's publications span the gamut of human evolution from the earliest of hominins to the origins of modern humans and have appeared in American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Journal of Human Evolution, PlosONE and PaleoAnthropology among other venues. His interactive CD-ROM, Hominid Fossils: An Interactive Atlas was published in 2005, and his co-edited book (with Fred H. Smith) The Origins of Modern Humans: Biology Reconsidered was published in 2013. He has conducted research in Croatia since 1992, including annual archaeological fieldwork since 2005. He received a Fulbright Senior Specialist Award to work in Croatia in 2011.

Dr. Becker specializes in geophysical techniques for archaeology. For the 2022 field school, Dr. Becker will teach at the PREHISTRIA Paleolithic Project sites (Ljubićeva, Abri Kontija). For the 2017 field school, Dr. Becker taught at the Velebit National Park field site. Dr. Becker has pioneered the use of electrical resistivity to explore un-excavated cave and rock-shelter sediments. This work helps guide where excavation will occur. Dr. Becker has extensive experience in cultural resource management archaeology, and was employed as a USDA archaeologist before taking an academic position at Eastern Oregon University. He is an accomplished teacher and researcher.

Research Scientist & Professor, Institute for Anthropological Research - Zagreb

Ph.D., 2009, University of Zagreb

Site: PREHISTRIA Project - Abri Kontija (2012 & 2013 field schools: Bukovac; 2015 & 2017 field schools: Romualdova, Abri Kontija, Rovinjski Selo)

Dr. Janković is a Research Scientist at the Croatian Institute for Anthropological Research. He has conducted field work at various archaeological sites in Croatia and France and conducted research on a variety of human skeletal samples including Neandertal remains. Dr. Janković has published in numerous professional journals including Journal of Human Evolution, Quaternary International, PlosONE, and Nature. Janković studied in the United States, earning an M.A. in Anthropology from the Northern Illinois University in 2003, and his University of Zagreb Ph.D. (2009) was under the direction of Dr. Fred H. Smith (now of Illinois State University).

Professor, Department of History, University of Zagreb

Ph.D., 1999, University of Zagreb

Sites: Baračeve Špilje (2012- 2015 field schools: Viničica; 2017 field school: Velebit)

Dr. Olujić's research focuses on the intersection of archaeology and history. His excavations at the Japodian site of Viničica, have yielded evidence of indigenous resistance to Roman conquest that tells 'the other side' of the story of Roman expansion. Dr. Olujić's extensive publication record includes the definitive contemporary work on the Japodian peoples, the book Povijest Japoda. He serves as an editor for Modruškog zbornika (Modruš Proceedings) and Radova za hrvatsku povijest (Journal of Croatian History). In addition to his teaching of ancient history at the University of Zagreb, he serves as an instructor at the University of Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina. For part of his graduate work, he studied at the École Pratique des Hautes Etudes en sciences historiques et philologiques in Paris.

Chief Archaeologist, Karlovac County Conservation Department, Croatian Ministry of Culture

Dipl., Department of Archaeology, University of Zagreb

Site: Baračeve Špilje (2012 field school: Novigrad)

A dedicated field archaeologist for the Croatian Ministry of Culture, Raguž has discovered, mapped and explored more that 500 archaeological sites in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and has developed the site database for Karlovac region in Croatia. As the chief Ministry of Culture archaeologist for the Karlovac region, he has overseen the excavation of approximately 100 archaeology sites and has personally directed work at twenty. He also has overseen the restoration of many historic structures, including castles. His work for focuses on the discovery and conservation of archaeological resources in Karlovac County. He has directed numerous excavations and restoration projects. His recent research interests have focused on the the Bronze and Iron Ages as well as the fortifications of the Middle Ages. Of particular importance has been his recent documentation of dozens of fortified caves in the Karlovac and Lika regions. Krešo received his degrees from the University of Zagreb, and is currently working on his Ph.D. He has served as an honorary lecturer for field teaching in the Department of History at the University of Zagreb, and he is an editor of the HAG (Croatian Archaeological Yearbook).

Senior Research Scientist, Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming

Ph.D., 2011, University of Wyoming

Sites: Baračeve Špilje (Past field schools: Viničica & Baračeva)

Dr. Weathermon joined the U.W. Anthropology Department as a Research Scientist in 1996 as the Human Remains Repository Curator. He serves as the department’s NAGPRA Contact, with half of his time devoted to Physical Anthropology and half to Archaeology. He teaches human osteology, forensic anthropology, and anthropological research methods. Rick’s research interests include bioarchaeology, cave and rock shelter use, perishable technologies, experimental archaeology, and bison ethology. His co-edited volume, Skeletal Biology and Bioarchaeology of the Northwestern Plains was published in 2009.