Meet the New Campus Archaeologist – Lisa Bright

saints rest 2005
Last Day of Saints Rest 2005 ; Me – far left

Hi, I’m Lisa Bright, the newest MSU Campus Archaeologist. I’m very excited to take over this position from Kate Frederick. I’ve been working with CAP for the last year, but my personal experience with archaeology on MSU’s campus goes back much further than that.

I attended MSU for undergrad from 2003-2007. I was an anthropology major, with a primary focus on physical anthropology. However, during the summer of 2005 I had the opportunity to participate in the first Saints Rest excavation. It was my first archaeological field experience, which provided me with a range of diverse skills. Who would have thought that ten years later I’d be back participating with campus archaeology!

Lisa Bright
Me Excavating at VMC Historic Cemetery. Image Source: Gary Reyes/Bay Area News Group

After graduating in 2007 I entered the anthropology master’s program at California State University, Chico. Although my thesis work focused on scavenging patterns with regard to forensic cases. I also participated in another historic-era field school in Northern California. After graduating with my M.A. in 2011, I worked as an osteologist on a late 19th/early 20th century potter’s field in San Jose, California, and as a lecturer for CSU, Chico and Lassen Community College anthropology departments. My dissertation will focus on the health and nutritional status of the individuals from the historic cemetery in San Jose.

Now I’m happy to be back at MSU starting my second year of the Ph.D. program. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you, and continuing the hard work of my predecessors to preserve the cultural heritage on campus.



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