Outreach & Public Engagement w/ Guven Witteveen
AnthroPuzzled
In today’s episode, we sit down with Guven Witteveen, Web Manager of East Asia Anthropology at the American Anthropological Association and an experienced professional in outreach and public engagement. Guven’s career has centered on building connections across languages and cultures. He worked with Title IX programs to promote foreign language study, coordinated grants for colleges, and discovered his main anthropological focus in Japan. While at a museum there, he helped introduce translation technologies for exhibits, ensuring English versions reflected the intent of their Japanese...
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Technology & Innovation in Cultural Heritage Management w/ Michael Tomiak
AnthroPuzzled
On the latest episode of Anthropuzzled we talk with Michael Tomiak the head of digital programming at the new museum of West African Art and a consultant at Quercus Heritage. Michael discusses how new technology could benefit the world of cultural heritage management. Michael shares how emerging technologies are transforming cultural heritage management, a field dedicated to safeguarding land, objects, and knowledge of cultural significance. With roots in history, physics, and technology, his journey has been shaped by diverse internships and fieldwork, leading him to innovative ways of...
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One Year of AnthroPuzzled
AnthroPuzzled
AnthroPuzzled turns one! In this special anniversary episode, host Abby Letsinger reflects on a year of curious conversations, unexpected discoveries, and the winding path that brought this podcast to life. What began as a personal search for direction has grown into a space for real stories, honest questions, and diverse perspectives on what anthropology can look like beyond the classroom. Tune in as we celebrate one year of puzzling through anthropology—and look ahead to what’s next. Your input matters! Please take a few minutes to complete our listener survey linked below. Your feedback...
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Exploring Words and Worlds w/ Grace Penry
AnthroPuzzled
On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we’re joined by Grace Penry, a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Arkansas. With a bachelor’s in anthropology and creative writing, she is now pursuing a master’s in translation and creative writing. Grace shares how her lifelong passions for storytelling and connecting with people drew her into both anthropology and writing, and how the observational skills she gained as an anthropologist continue to shape her creative work. Her interests also extend into languages, she minored in Spanish, spent time studying abroad in Argentina, and now...
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Consumer Insights w/ Mary-Caitlyn Valentinsson
AnthroPuzzled
In this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we talk with Mary-Caitlyn Valentinsson, Manager of Ethnographic Research for Universal Destinations and Experiences in Orlando, Florida. Mary-Caitlyn explains how anthropology and UX research come together in her work to understand the guest experience from a truly holistic perspective. Using interviews, focus groups, and structured observations, she studies leisure and tourism with the knowledge that a vacation begins long before visitors arrive at the park gates. Her research sometimes explores different things like the “sociology of cool,” guest beliefs...
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Research Consultant w/ Eleanor Snowden
AnthroPuzzled
In this episode of AnthroPuzzled, I speak with Eleanor Snowden, a research consultant whose work is deeply rooted in applied anthropology. Eleanor specializes in “story surveys,” a method that invites people to share everyday experiences and interpret the meaning of their own stories—challenging traditional research models that often remove this agency. Her approach focuses on unearthing small, often hidden narratives that emerge naturally in conversation, especially those that reveal how people make sense of the world around them. By working alongside changemakers and socially conscious...
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Cultural Resource Management w/ Kevin Gidusko
AnthroPuzzled
In this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we talk with Kevin Gidusko, a Cultural Resource Manager at Ardurra with a background in anthropology. Kevin explains how anthropology informs his work in cultural resource management (CRM)—a field focused on preserving and protecting historical and archaeological sites during modern development. He breaks down what CRM looks like in practice, from navigating legal frameworks to working with communities and developers. Kevin also shares how studying human history and culture helps him advocate for the past in a fast-paced, ever-changing world. He reflects on...
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Cognitive Anthropology w/ Michael Thomas
AnthroPuzzled
In this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Michael Thomas, Senior VP at Space Doctors, a cultural consulting firm. Michael shares how his background in cognitive anthropology shapes his work, first designing trucks at Ford, then applying ethnographic methods to global branding and consumer insight. His first experience with fieldwork, interviewing truck drivers, revealed just how wrong industry assumptions can be, and ignited his passion for anthropology. We explore how anthropology helps consultants better understand human behavior, cultural signals, and how products can communicate...
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Service & Story w/ Shane Townsend
AnthroPuzzled
On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we sit down with Shane Townsend, a storyteller, diplomat, and lifelong public servant whose career has been guided by a deep commitment to helping others. His advice? Write down what you truly want, not what others expect of you. Then go after it with intention. Shane says he feels most alive when he's listening to or sharing stories—and he's built a career doing exactly that. Growing up in a close-knit community that valued storytelling and mutual support, Shane developed strong values that carried him into college, where studying anthropology gave him a...
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Conservation Marketing and Writing w/ Andrea DiGiorgio
AnthroPuzzled
In this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we’re joined by Andrea DiGiorgio, a lecturer in both the Writing and Anthropology departments at Princeton University, a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers University, and a conservation marketer. Andrea brings a unique blend of academic insight and real-world advocacy to our discussion, which focuses on the ethics of wildlife imagery and the diverse roles within academia. Andrea teaches courses that bridge writing, anthropology, sustainability, and conservation. She is passionate about educating and learning from the next generation of scholars while...
info_outlineIn this episode, we’re joined by Jena Barchas-Lichtenstein, an expert in audience research, who works closely with museums to understand and engage their visitors. We dive into the world of audience research, exploring its methods—from surveys to ethnographic approaches—and how it differs from UX research. Jena also shares the challenges of audience research, where data often doesn't provide the expected or hoped-for answers. Sometimes, this means rethinking approaches or pivoting to new methods entirely.
We also explore linguistic anthropology, with Jena offering insights into how it differs from general linguistics. While linguistics focuses on the structure of language—syntax, phonetics, and semantics—linguistic anthropology examines how language is tied to culture, society, and human behavior. Jena explains that at its core, linguistic anthropology is about understanding how language reflects and shapes identity, social relationships, and cultural norms.
Whether you're an aspiring linguistic anthropologist or just curious about how language shapes human experience, this conversation offers valuable insights into the intersection of language, culture, and society.