ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change

08/17/2026

08/10/2026

Anne Stone, Regents Professor in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change and director of the Center for Evolution and Medicine, was recently named the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution’s 2026 Lifetime Contribution Award winner.

Stone, an anthropological geneticist, conducts research on the origins, population history and evolution of humans and other primates, as well as the evolutionary history of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, in both modern and ancient contexts. While at ASU, Stone’s lab encountered a major discovery on the transmission of tuberculosis, finding that the disease was brought to the Americas by seals and sea lions, an experience she described as a memorable moment of her career.

The SMBE Lifetime Contribution Award is one of many recognitions Stone has received across her career, including being elected a fellow of the American Advancement of Science in 2011 and elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2016.

Congratulations, Dr. Stone!

Read more about her recognition here:

Throughout her career, Anne Stone, Regents Professor in Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change, has made significant contributions to the field of anthropological genetics. In recognition of her work, Stone recently received the Society for Molecular Biology and Evo...

08/04/2026

Amber Wutich, Regents and President’s Professor in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss her work on water insecurity and recent election to the National Academy of Sciences.

In the interview, Wutich discussed how society can look back through human history to better understand how to solve issues of water insecurity.

“Arizona is frequently focused as being this, sort of, difficult site for water. But, what people often forget, is that we are historically a site of extraordinary innovation,” Wutich said. “When I fly into the city of Phoenix and I look down at those canal systems that were created by the Hohokam, and still used today, I feel such inspiration.”

Watch here:

Amber Wutich, an ASU professor, has recently been elected into the National Academy of Sciences, an advisory panel for the government.

07/27/2026

How far would an ancient civilization travel for sacred stone?

Researchers from the ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change found that the volcanic rock used to create Tiwanaku statues was transported more than 25 miles from sacred locations, revealing new insights into the civilization's beliefs and political power.

Learn more: https://news.asu.edu/20260713-science-and-technology-what-origins-stone-sculptures-can-tell-us-about-ancient-andean

07/20/2026

As technology continues to reshape archaeology and historic preservation, effectively collecting, managing and preserving digital data has become more important than ever.

How can cultural heritage professionals ensure their digital records remain accessible, usable and protected from becoming outdated or lost over time?

The ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change partnered with the University of Georgia to develop shared terminology and practical guidance that support the long-term stewardship and preservation of cultural heritage data.

Learn more: https://news.asu.edu/b/20260623-asu-researchers-help-chart-path-through-digital-curation-crisis

07/14/2026

In an article recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change researchers investigated the origins of volcanic stone used to produce sculptures of human-animal hybrids — called chachapumas — and uncovered further insights into the political power of an ancient Andean civilization.

These sculptures were created in the early city of Tiwanaku, a pre-Colombian civilization that flourished from 500–1,000 CE, located in the Lake Titicaca basin of Bolivia. Findings of the study suggest that the stone was brought from sacred locations more than 40 km from Tiwanaku, potentially revealing insights into the cosmological and political power of Tiwanaku as a civilization.

“The significance lies in the fact that, although the people of Tiwanaku had access to local stone resources, they chose to transport volcanic stone from more distant locations, a process that would have required considerable effort and coordination. This evidence suggests that practical considerations alone cannot explain these decisions. Instead, the symbolic importance of the regions from which these stones were obtained likely influenced the selection of materials used to create these sculptures,” said Luis Flores-Blanco, lead author of the study and postdoctoral scholar with the School of Human Evolution and Social Change.

Learn more here:

By studying ancient statues in South America, a group of researchers from Arizona State University have gleaned further insights into the cosmological and political power of an ancient civilization.

06/29/2026

New research from SHESC ➡️ “Responding to the Digital Curation Crisis: Definitions and Recommendations for Cultural Heritage” published in Advances in Archaeological Practice.

In the article, a team of researchers with partners at ASU and the University of Georgia sought to address concerns about the digital curation crisis through offering shared terminology and actionable guidance on how to improve long-term stewardship of cultural heritage data.

“We recognize that many professionals want to care for digital materials in a similar fashion as physical artifacts but often lack clear guidance, shared terminology or institutional support,” said Christopher Nicholson, co-author of the study and associate research professor at ASU’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change and director of the school’s Center for Digital Antiquity. “We wanted to create a practical and accessible framework that helps people understand the ‘digital curation crisis’ and provides realistic steps for improving long-term stewardship of cultural heritage data.”

Learn more here:

How do cultural heritage professionals, such as archaeologists and historic preservationists, responsibly manage and preserve the ever-growing body of digital objects generated across cultural heritage research?These concerns, also known as the digital curation crisis, are being faced by an increasi...

06/22/2026

In a recent journal article published in Advances in Archaeological Practice, team members at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change’s Center for Archaeology and Society Repository wrote about their experience formalizing the NAGPRA learning track program at ASU.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act governs the return of Native American ancestors and cultural items to federally recognized tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations. To help train the next generation of NAGPRA professionals, a first-of-its-kind learning track was created to provide undergraduate students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the repatriation process.

The journal article provides insight into the four-semester program, highlights lessons learned while implementing the learning track at ASU and provides suggestions for starting similar programs at other institutions.

The team hopes that the learning track continues to grow and serves as a model for other institutions who are interested in developing similar programs.

“I hope eventually we aren’t the only one. Is it cool to be the first and leader? Most definitely, but we are viewing what we do as an impact beyond just ASU, beyond just our immediate students,” said Melanie Deer, lead collections manager at the center and assistant NAGPRA coordinator. “We are empowering them to go out and have an impact on the world. There have been talks of this being needed by the NAGPRA community for so long, and we’ve now done it. There should be more people doing this.”

Read more here:

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) governs the return of Native American ancestors and cultural items to federally recognized tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations.