S-STEM/TRAIN Scholar Alicia Fritz's Blog

  Unfortunately, I’ve done very little this week regarding my project. I did get some great advice back from professors about paths to take, including using Netlogo to model an environment and base an experiment on some sort of anthropological conditions. I haven’t gotten the chance to explore further or construct a question just yet. I ran into a lot of difficulties with the transfer process this week, and I got some bad news regarding my major plans at ASU, so I’ve spent the majority of my time dealing with that. It was very unexpected news, and it changes my plans a great deal. I definitely feel a little discouraged right now, but plans go awry, and all I can do is move forward. I know everything will work out in the end, but the initial shock of plans suddenly changing is always a stressful experience. One thing I’ve learned to embrace during my time in college is the ability to be adaptable and roll with the punches.  Next week, I’m hoping to finish up the final touches o...

This week has primarily consisted of doing background research into a few different topics that I’ve been interested in pursuing as a research project. I'm gathering information about the cross-over between technology and archaeology, as well as experimental archaeology. There are many types of technology that have become crucial parts of the archaeological process such as 3D modeling, LiDAR, VR, and machine learning. Something that I have been reading about that was previously unknown to me is the use of robotics in the exploration of archaeological sites, such as the ROVINA project. There are so many applications of technology in this field and new stuff is always being developed; the integration of new tech is exceptional. I’ve also stumbled upon a few research papers using mathematical modeling for various situations, for example, the spreading of the wool-bearing sheep in a population of herders in the Near East and Southeast Europe between 6200 and 4200 BC. There's a lot...

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a restful break and that your semester is off to a great start. I’m excited to be back blogging and chatting with you all. I’m really enjoying my classes so far, and I feel pretty good about this semester (but a little sad too because it’s my last at PC).  I learned a lot from the fall about what I need to work on so I’m hoping to use that newfound knowledge to make this time around even better. Last semester, I explored the socioeconomic impact of Marigold, specifically Tagetes erecta , on Mesoamerica, and I wrote about a possible experiment to explore its antibiotic properties and relate that to its economic importance. I loved doing research for that question; I learned so much about its uses and ties to burials in Mesoamerica as well as its value in rituals. I’m glad I had the opportunity to research something so interesting that ties into my interest in anthropology and archaeology. Regarding a project for this semester, I’m not too sure what...