This November, a group of Notre Dame Anthropology undergraduate students joined a weekend opportunity to visit The Field Museum with Professor Mark Golitko and Professor Rahul Oka, who share professional connections and ongoing expertise with The Field Museum in Chicago.
According to Senior Anthropology Major, Nicholas Furnari,
Before being let loose to explore the current public exhibits, we ventured into the Anthropology Collections room. This behind-the-scenes access was a rare treat and we got to see some amazing cultural artifacts. Of particular interest to me were items from Pompeii, which included several large pots and a beautiful bathtub from a villa that was excavated. We also visited some of the labs, including the Elemental Analysis Room, and got to see how a handheld X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer works.
Seeing these inner-workings of the Museum, which include the careful storage of artifacts and the constant research by students and experts alike, added a lot of value and perspective to the public exhibits. In addition, it showed those of us who are current anthropology majors the opportunities that exist for research, curation, and educational outreach. It was an amazing experience and we’re all thankful to Professors Golitko and Oka, our benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Earl Linehan, and the University of Notre Dame for making this trip possible.
The Department of Anthropology is delighted that our Anthropology Majors and Minors can continue to share direct experiences with our faculty as part of the close longstanding relationship between our two institutions.