Classes
Regularly Taught
I regularly teach at least one section of the following courses at the undergraduate level each academic year.
People of the Earth: The Last 5 Million Years (ANTH 2302)
A 3-credit course that presents a general overview of hominin evolution and the prehistory of humanity. No prerequisites, and recommended for students with a general interest in understanding the development of human cultures and how complex societies emerged throughout prehistory.
Fantastic Archaeology (ANTH 3334)
A 3-credit course that uses pseudoarchaeological and pseudohistorical claims to introduce critical thinking and the scientific method.
North American Archaeology (ANTH 3304)
A 3-credit survey of the archaeological record of the North American continent. Recommended for anthropology majors or those with a genuine interest in the archaeology of North America. Prior completion of an introductory-level archaeology course is strongly recommended.
Irregularly Taught
I teach the following courses every other year or so, or less frequently.
Lithic Analysis in Archaeology (ANTH 4333 / 6333)
A 3-credit seminar in the various approaches to the analysis of stone tools to generate behavioral data in archaeology. Taught at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Workshops
During the academic year I organize a working group dedicated to learning Bayesian modeling approaches to anthropological data. This is typically aimed at graduate students, but advanced undergraduates are welcome to participate.
My Rules
Students are not customers and professors are not students’ employees. Students and professors have mutual obligations. I expect you to read the syllabus, to treat me and others with respect, to attend class, to pay attention and participate in discussion, to send emails 48 hours before a reply is needed, to do all of the work on time, and to not violate academic integrity. You can expect me to treat you with respect, to not discriminate based on your identity or well-informed views, to begin and end class on time, to be prepared, to respond to emails within 48 hours, to return your work promptly, and to punish violations of academic integrity.
If you have any issues or concerns about the course content or your on-campus interactions with me, please come to see me, and I will do my absolute best to resolve those issues in person. Finally, your grade will reflect previous academic preparation (e.g., writing skills) and the quality of your current work; your perception of effort is not sufficient to justify a good grade.
Time and Attention
Look: We’re all busy. College students have classes, extracurricular activities, work, and an innate need to be social. College professors are no different—except perhaps they have an innate need to be antisocial.
I have some general rules that I try to adhere to, and I ask that students in my classes respect them. They are meant as a general contract for all of my students so that you know what to expect from me and what I can expect from you.
Availability
I am usually on campus all day, every day during the week, from 7 AM until 4 PM. My office door is nearly always open, and so long as it is open, you are welcome to come in and chat about whatever is on your mind. If my door is shut, that means I am either not on campus, or I would prefer to not be disturbed. With that said, I tend to focus on work- and class-related responsibilities during the mornings, and in the afternoons I tend to be more available for general distractions, discussions, and interactions.
Communication
The best way to interact with me is in person. Barring that, a phone call. You should only email me as the last option. So, if you need my personal attention, your best bet is to visit my office during office hours and pop your head in the door.
I do not have my SMU email account linked to my phone, and I do not spend every moment of the day with my email open. Do not expect an instantaneous response from me over email. You can expect that I will check my emails regularly, usually about once an hour, during weekdays from 7 AM until 4 PM. I prioritize my responses based on the degree to which the email demands attention. Requests about information that is easily found elsewhere (e.g., the course syllabus, SMU Student Handbook, etc.) will likely go unanswered.
During the evenings and weekends, I check my email at my own discretion, and will likely not respond until Monday morning. Do not even think about emailing me at 3 AM and expecting a response immediately.