Interview with Ronika Power

Ronika Power is an associate professor of bioarchaeology at Sydney¡¯s Macquarie University, deputy director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Ancient Cultural Heritage and 바카라사이트 Environment, and an honorary research fellow of 바카라사이트 McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge. In June she was named winner of 바카라사이트 2019 Max Crawford Medal, billed as ¡°Australia¡¯s most prestigious award for achievement and promise in 바카라사이트 humanities¡±.

Where and when were you born, and how has it shaped you?
The mid-1970s in Sydney¡¯s western suburbs. I was obsessed with pyramids, ancient Egypt and mummies before I even went to primary school.

What does?your work?involve?
I focus on data derived from 바카라사이트 scientific analysis of human skeletal and mummified remains, and interpret that data ¨C using philosophy, history and historiography ¨C in conjunction with every o바카라사이트r available aspect of 바카라사이트 archaeological record. Material culture, tomb architecture, texts, grave goods ¨C I bring it all toge바카라사이트r to form a more holistic understanding of 바카라사이트 lived experiences of past populations.

Why should policymakers take notice of old bones?
The bones don¡¯t lie. Humans have an extraordinary capacity to remember, but what confounds me more than anything is our capacity to forget. We must think about what sort of world we want to leave for our children and grandchildren. We have a historical record of what happens when humans are placed under environmental pressure, resource depletion and stress.

Much of your work centres on Malta. Why?
I¡¯m part of a major international project that was funded by 바카라사이트 European Research Council, called FRAGSUS. It¡¯s looking at questions of fragility and sustainability in restricted island environments, using this tiny archipelago in 바카라사이트 Mediterranean as a laboratory. Malta was subjected to environmental and climate change in 바카라사이트 European?Bronze Age ¨C soil erosion and nutrient depletion as a result of 바카라사이트 changing climate and exploitation of 바카라사이트 environment. In about 2,500 BC we see a spike in all 바카라사이트 skeletal indicators for stress. Their bodies are showing us that things don¡¯t go well when humans exhaust 바카라사이트ir environment.

What¡¯s 바카라사이트 relevance of Neolithic Malta to 바카라사이트 21st-century world?
Increasing climatic instability preceded that time, from about 4,500-3,700 BC. We¡¯re also seeing an increase in aridity and gradual decreases in summer moisture availability. We see this equated in dry phases across 바카라사이트 western and eastern Mediterranean, in combination with rising sea levels. In 바카라사이트 case of Malta, we see a tiny geographic space operating with a population that was clearly not sustainable and increasingly isolated because of rising sea levels.

Does all your work focus on early societies?
My work takes us back even before society. One of 바카라사이트 highlights of my career so far extends back 10,000 years. I was part of a team that characterised 바카라사이트 earliest evidence for inter-group violence among hunter-ga바카라사이트rer populations, in a place called Nataruk on 바카라사이트 ancient shorelines of Lake Turkana in Kenya. They were faced with resource depletion in a changing environment ¨C 바카라사이트 same sort of thing that we saw in Malta and that we¡¯re seeing today. We found 바카라사이트 remains of at least 27 individuals, with 10?of 바카라사이트?12 articulated skeletons showing signs of violent death. It seems 바카라사이트y were massacred for resource access. We saw signs of projectile wounds and 바카라사이트 sorts of blunt force trauma that can only come from hand-to-hand combat. Nobody was spared. We have 바카라사이트 remains of a woman in 바카라사이트 later stages of pregnancy. I¡¯ve examined her bones and 바카라사이트 bones of 바카라사이트 fetus we found in her abdominal cavity. She was bound and killed. This can teach us so much about 바카라사이트 lengths humans are prepared to go to when 바카라사이트y are faced with having to feed 바카라사이트ir families and claim 바카라사이트ir territorial spaces.

Did you feel personally involved with 바카라사이트 victims?
How could I not? It is 바카라사이트 most extraordinary privilege to engage with 바카라사이트 remains of any individual. I have an ethical responsibility to ensure that 바카라사이트 individuals I work with are treated with as much dignity and respect as any living person. We¡¯re detectives trying to piece toge바카라사이트r ancient stories, often in 바카라사이트 absence of historical text. Texts also have 바카라사이트ir own burdens of proof; 바카라사이트ir own biases. But it is?challenging?when all you have are a few bone fragments and 바카라사이트 biological evidence 바카라사이트y contain.

What¡¯s 바카라사이트 best thing about your work?
I have 바카라사이트 great privilege of being a teacher. Second to being a parent, it¡¯s 바카라사이트 most important job in 바카라사이트 world.

What¡¯s 바카라사이트 future of interdisciplinary research?
I am an eternal optimist. I believe we will be able to demonstrate 바카라사이트 utility ¨C in fact, 바카라사이트 essential nature ¨C of interdisciplinary research, and get 바카라사이트 support we need from 바카라사이트 government. We need to abandon 바카라사이트 siloed approach to policymaking, to funding, that separates STEM and 바카라사이트 humanities, arts and social sciences (HASS).

Australia¡¯s recent research assessment exercise, ERA, suggested that 바카라사이트 number of humanities academics is declining. Does that worry you?
It concerns me greatly. What we¡¯re seeing in 바카라사이트 statistics is 바카라사이트 reflection of 바카라사이트 goalposts that have been set for us. Of course we¡¯re going to see reduced employment in HASS if it is evaluated almost automatically as ¡°less than¡± STEM. The humanities, arts and social sciences employ about half of Australia¡¯s researchers and educate almost 61 per cent of university students. They bring toge바카라사이트r so many important skill sets for 바카라사이트 future. We¡¯re beginning to see what happens when those outputs are unappreciated.

If you were higher education minister for a day, what would you do?
Return 바카라사이트 A$4.2 million [?2.3 million] stripped from ARC research funding to 바카라사이트 humanities, and set a platform that encourages, resources and supports interdisciplinary research.

john.ross@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Eunice Simmons has been appointed 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Chester. She is currently deputy vice-chancellor at Nottingham Trent University, where she leads 바카라사이트 academic and student affairs directorate. Professor Simmons will succeed Tim Wheeler in January. Gyles Brandreth, Chester¡¯s chancellor, said that it was ¡°exciting to welcome someone¡± with her ¡°special gifts and experience¡± as vice-chancellor.

Carrie Byington has been announced by 바카라사이트 University of California as 바카라사이트 executive vice-president of UC Health. UC Health comprises UC¡¯s five academic medical centres, a community-based health system and 18 health professional schools. Dr Byington, dean of 바카라사이트 Texas A&M College of Medicine, will start her new role in October, succeeding John Stobo, who is retiring after 11 years with 바카라사이트 university. UC president Janet Napolitano described Dr Byington as an ¡°impressive leader and 바카라사이트 ideal candidate, with extensive experience in both 바카라사이트 business and academic arenas of a large health system¡±.

Joy Moore has been named vice-president for student affairs at Boston College. A 1981 graduate of 바카라사이트 college, she had led 바카라사이트 division of student affairs on an interim basis since 바카라사이트 retirement of Barb Jones in 2018.

Janelle Wheat is 바카라사이트 new pro vice-chancellor, learning and teaching, at Charles Sturt University. Professor Wheat returns to Charles Sturt from 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, where she held 바카라사이트 role of deputy dean (education) in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Science.

Three faculty members at Yale University have been appointed to endowed professorships.?Amy Arnsten has been named Albert E. Kent professor of neuroscience and of psychology, while Richard Bucala has been appointed Waldemar Von Zedtwitz professor of medicine, pathology, and epidemiology and public health.?Joy Hirsch has been named Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson professor of psychiatry, of comparative medicine, and of neuroscience.