/College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Anthropology

Research Opportunities

Student researcher considering photographs of monkeys
Anthropology Student Researcher
Students of Anthropology have a variety of opportunities to gain experience in research and with other cultures by means of a semester abroad, field courses, independent research during the semester, or summer research.

Research with Faculty

Students may conduct independent studies in the field, in one of department's laboratories, or with faculty. Brief descriptions of ongoing research by Anthropology faculty and departmental facilities are available. Additional information about opportunities for research with faculty on campus or in the field can be obtained by contacting faculty members or from their websites.

Study Abroad

Regular opportunities for course-based field training and research are available through the Stony Brook University Study Abroad Program. Programs that Anthropology faculty participate in and for which ANT course credit is available are highlighted below. 

Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments (ICTE)

A group of study abroad Madagascar students posing on a desk overlooking a rain forest
Study Abroad Madagascar Students
The Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments is dedicated to science-based conservation and research in the tropics with a special focus on Madagascar. ICTE coordinates the work of many natural and social scientists throughout Madagascar but has particular interest in the area around Ranomafana National Park where together with Stony Brook University (SBU) it established the Centre ValBio (CVB), a center for interdisciplinary research and conservation efforts in one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. CVB operates as a research and conservation arm of SBU, collaborating closely with its faculty and students. SBU faculty members alongside researchers from top universities, NGOs and institutes around the world, actively engage in research projects at CVB, leveraging the unique biodiversity of Madagascar for scientific exploration. This partnership exemplifies a successful model of academia working hand-in-hand with field-based research centers to address pressing environmental issues.  ICTE organizes Study Abroad Field Courses every winter,  summer and fall.

Turkana Basin Institute (TBI)

Turkana Basin Institute study abroad students walking across a dry savanna landscape
TBI Study Abroad Students
The Turkana Basin Institute is an international research institute to facilitate research and education in paleontology, archeology and geology in the Turkana Basin of Kenya. The goals of the institute include maintaining two field research facilities surrounding Lake Turkana that operate all year and support research and educational activities. Several Anthropology Department faculty complete their field research in collaboration with theTurkana Basin Institute, with research centered around Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya. Student research opportunities in paleontology, archaeology, geology, and applied engineering are available through TBI fieldschools. TBI organizes a variety of Study Abroad Field Courses every spring and summer.

Immersion in Another Culture

Some SBU Study Abroad programs offer Immersion in Another Culture (ANT 311) or other Anthropology course credit.