Dr. Dennis O'Rourke

Principal Investigator
Chair, Department of Anthropology
Foundation Distinguished Professor
He/him/his

My research focuses on the use of molecular genetic methods to address long-standing questions in prehistory. My students and collaborators have conducted fieldwork and research projects in Mexico, the Caribbean, the US Southwest and California, and the North American arctic. Most recently, my group has focused attention on ancient DNA methods to investigate the colonization and dispersal of the North American arctic, and how this informs us about the earlier initial colonization of the Western Hemisphere. Utilizing genomic analyses of both human and archaeofaunal and archaeobotanical materials, my research interests and efforts increasingly are at the intersection of anthropological genetics, bioarchaeology, and paleoecology.

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Jennifer Raff

Principal Investigator
Associate Professor, Anthropology
Director of Graduate Studies
Indigenous Studies Program Affiliate Faculty
She/her/hers

My research examines the histories of human populations in North America using genomes from both contemporary and ancestral populations. I investigate the initial peopling of the Americas, the peopling of the North American Arctic, regional population histories and mortuary practices of the Eastern Woodlands and the Great Plains, and the impact of European colonization. I’m also involved in projects related to ethics in genetics research with Indigenous peoples, genomics capacity building among Indigenous communities, and public scientific literacy. My students and I take an engaged, collaborative approach to research with tribes. We believe that genetics is a useful tool that can complement Indigenous knowledge in obtaining a better understanding of the past and the lives of ancestors.

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Justin Tackney

Associate Researcher Senior
He/him/his

My research focuses on population and evolutionary genetics, specifically as it relates to the initial peopling of the Americas and to the subsequent human migrations across the North American and Siberian Arctic during the Holocene. My work would not be possible without support from, and collaboration with, the local communities of Indigenous peoples who are interested and invested in genetic research.

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Kristine G. Beaty

Associate Researcher
She/her/hers

My research examines human migration and population history using molecular data from contemporary and ancestral communities, particularly throughout the Americas.

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Archana Singh

Assistant Researcher
She/her/hers

I am using genomic information from ancient humans and animals in the Arctic to understand human migrations and adaptions in cold environments with limited resources.

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Lauren Norman

Assistant Professor | Department of Anthropology
Affiliate Faculty | Museum Studies Program
She/her/hers

Norman Archaeology Lab

My research examines the resilience of small-scale societies during periods of environmental and social change. I employ molecular methods to supplement traditional studies of faunal material in investigating the relationship between people and their environment. I am especially interested in community-based research in the north and with multi-vocal interpretations of the past.

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Rolfe Mandel

University Distinguished Professor, Anthropology
Senior Scientist, Geoarchaeology/Quaternary Science
Kansas Geological Survey
Executive Director, Odyssey Archaeological Research Program

Dr. Obed Garcia

Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology

Dr. Garcia’s Website

Human Population Genomics Lab

Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen

Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology

Dr. Jorgensen’s Website

Human Population Genomics Lab

Kevin Chovanec

Ph.D. Candidate, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Adviser: Dr. Richard Glor

Shawna Fitzwater

Ph.D. Student, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Dennis O’Rourke

My research examines ancient DNA (aDNA) through the use of molecular genetic methods to address pre-history human migratory patterns across the North American arctic. My prior research focused on zoonotic diseases, specifically host-pathogen interaction, as well as vaccine research and development.

Savannah (Vanna) Hay

Ph.D. Candidate, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Jennifer Raff
She/her/hers

My research involves utilizing ancient DNA as a means to provide a powerful resolution for understanding the genomic effects of European colonization on three Alaskan Native populations. By studying ancient and contemporary genomes from the same population, I hope to unveil regional patterns of population movement and admixture that have resulted in the population structure seen in Alaskan Native groups today.

Curriculum Vitae

Josie Muskrat

Ph.D. Student, Anthropology
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
Sloan and NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Adviser: Dr. Jennifer Raff
(she/they)

I am broadly interested in the use of ancient DNA analysis to study the evolution of domesticates in North America.

Curriculum Vitae

Lydia Sykora

Ph.D. Candidate, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Jennifer Raff
She/her/hers

I am specializing in ancient DNA and the interpretations of human migration patterns. I’m broadly interested in the peopling of the Americas, but specifically filling in gaps of the genetic prehistory of ancient peoples on the Plains.

Curriculum Vitae

Sarah Unkel

Ph.D. Candidate, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Dennis O’Rourke
She/her/hers

My research utilizes ancient DNA to answer questions regarding the peopling of the Americas with a focus on the Western North American Arctic. I am currently working on a collaborative project with the Indigenous community of Utqiaġvik, Alaska and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to evaluate genetic population history and ancestral relations among the contemporary Inuit of the Alaskan North Slope and the ancient Birnirk Inuit tradition. This research was supported by the NSF Polar Program grant #1523160, Collaborative Research: People, Landscape, and Narratives in Time-Birnirk and the Emergence of Inupiaq Culture in Northwestern Alaska, as well as the University of Kansas Ancient DNA Research Facility.

Curriculum Vitae

Emily Winnicki

Ph.D. Student, Anthropology

Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellow

Adviser: Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen

Maggie Penrod

Art History, Visual Arts minor
She/her/hers

I’m excited to learn more about ancient DNA and the drawbacks of research it. Then, talk about my understanding through graphs to students outside of this field. 

Dr. Betthany Potter

PhD, 2025, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Kelly Graf

Dr. Caroline Kisielinski

PhD, 2023, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Dennis O’Rourke
2023 David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow
Curriculum Vitae

Brittany Bingham

Masters, 2022, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Jennifer Raff

McKenna Lohr

Masters, 2022, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Jennifer Raff

Sarah Alden
Masters, 2017, Anthropology
Adviser: Dr. Michael Crawford

• Emily Ward (Class of 2024) – Graduate program at Texas State University
• Abby Vaughn (Class of 2024) – Graduate program at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Madison Rice (Class of 2023) – Medical program at Oklahoma State University
• Brystol Bates (Class of 2023) – State of Kansas Department of Health and Environment
• Josie Muskrat (Class of 2021) – Graduate program at the University of Kansas
• Alexandra Ewald (Class of 2021)
• Maggie Kovach (Class of 2021)
• Emma Young (Class of 2020) – Graduate program at the University of California, Los Angeles
• Lori Fifield (Class of 2020)
• Deb Roy
• Siddarth Sharma (Class of 2019)
• Ryan Thomas (Class of 2018)
• Emily Kimball (Class of 2018)
• Savannah Hay – Graduate program at the University of Kansas (Class of 2016)