On the latest episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Patti Sunderland, founding principal of Cultural Research and Analysis Inc.

Patti discovered anthropology in college, a perspective she says continues to shape her work in consumer research. After early projects in luxury markets and time at a nonprofit research institute, she eventually built her own firm. Anthropology, she notes, helps her look beyond individual behaviors to the broader cultural patterns driving them.

Today, Patti conducts consumer and cultural analysis to support branding and product development, using interviews, observation, and focus groups. Her process includes crafting proposals, designing research, conducting fieldwork, often across countries, and delivering final insights to clients.

She also reflects on ethics in consulting, acknowledging the challenge of not always knowing how findings will be used, while emphasizing the importance of turning down work that doesn't align with one's values.

Tune in to learn how anthropology shapes consumer research.

On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Dr. Eric Shattuck, Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology at Florida State University.

Initially drawn to cultural anthropology, Eric discovered his passion for evolutionary medicine and the ways pathogens can influence host behavior. Today, his teaching and research explore human variation, adaptability, and especially the social dimensions of health and disease.

Eric's work in social immunology examines how culture and social connections shape immune function and responses to illness. He discusses how social interaction can both strengthen immune health and facilitate disease spread, insights that underscore the complex ties between human behavior and infection.

We also explore presenteeism, why people go to work while sick, how COVID-19 has reshaped attitudes toward illness, and how cultural norms around sick leave differ across societies.

Tune in to learn how anthropology sheds light on the spread of infectious disease and our collective well-being.

On this episode of Anthropuzzled, we speak with Paulina Meléndez, an independent scientist and researcher whose work bridges the fields of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology.

Her expertise lies in understanding how the study of human remains can illuminate both past societies and present-day issues. Bioarchaeology helps us interpret how people once lived, ate, and interacted with their environments, insights that continue to inform our understanding of humanity today. Forensic anthropology, meanwhile, applies these methods to identify missing persons and assist in criminal investigations.

Her passion lies in uncovering the connections between archaeological sites, their histories, and the people who once inhabited them. Whether through bioarchaeology or forensic work, Paulina approaches each case as an opportunity to piece together the human story. Paulina also discusses the emotional challenges that can arise when working closely with human remains and highlights the importance of maintaining a strong support system and a healthy work-life balance.

Tune in to hear Paulina's reflections on the development of anthropology as a field and her insights into the world of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology.

In this episode of Anthropuzzled, we talk with Michael Hicks, an Anthropology Practitioner and Documentary Photographer, about how visual anthropology can illuminate pressing social and political issues.

Michael has studied across all four fields of anthropology, but his work centers on cultural and political dynamics. He believes that to understand any system, whether a business or nonprofit, you must look at its interconnections. This perspective guides his varied career, which spans academic research, applied fieldwork, and nonprofit work. Recently, as a Data Analytics Manager, he analyzed strategies for reducing generational poverty in Philadelphia.

Before transitioning fully into anthropology, Michael spent more than a decade as a photojournalist, creating in-depth documentary projects for international publications. His work took him from documenting the struggles of post-earthquake Haiti to exploring global issues like e-waste. Michael emphasizes respect and empathy in his process, connecting with participants before photographing them to ensure authentic representation.

Join us to hear how Michael weaves together photography, politics, and anthropology to better understand and address social challenges.

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 originals.

His passion for languages has been a lifelong guide—beginning with time spent around international students, continuing as an exchange student in Colombia, and later through studying four languages in college. That path ultimately led him to anthropology and a career dedicated to connecting people through outreach.

Tune in to hear how outreach can break down language barriers and create new opportunities for engagement.

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 preserving heritage.

Viewing cultural heritage as an environmental resource, Michael works to mitigate threats from construction and climate change, ensuring that history endures for future generations. Central to his work is GIS (Geographic Information Systems), a tool that provides spatial context to artifacts and heritage sites, accelerating research and protection efforts.

Tune in to hear how digital tools are redefining the way we understand and preserve cultural heritage.

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.

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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 works on translating stories across languages, gaining fresh perspectives on culture and communication. In addition to her studies, Grace has always felt called to teaching, from her time in elementary classrooms to now leading university-level creative writing courses. She talks about the joy she finds in encouraging students and sharing her love of writing.

Tune in to hear Grace's journey through higher education, the intersections of anthropology and creative expression, and the lessons she's carrying forward as both a writer and teacher.