Dr. Piperata recently contributed to two papers, one in American Anthropologist and the other in Practicing Anthropology, that highlight the importance of mixed methods and biocultural approaches in anthropological research.

The first, entitled "Ethnographic Methods: Training Norms and Practices and the Future of American Anthropology" considers the following: 

"American anthropology is engaged in significant self-reckonings that call for big changes to how anthropology is practiced. These include (1) recognizing and taking seriously the demands to decolonize the ways research is done, (2) addressing precarious employment in academic anthropology, and (3) creating a discipline better positioned to respond to urgent societal needs. A central role for ethnographic methods training is a thread that runs through each of these three reckonings. This article, written by a team of cultural, biocultural, and linguistic anthropologists, outlines key connections between ethnographic methods training and the challenges facing anthropology. We draw on insights from a large-scale survey of American Anthropological Association members to examine current ethnographic methods capabilities and training practices. Study findings are presented and explored to answer three guiding questions: To what extent do our current anthropological practices in ethnographic methods training serve to advance or undermine current calls for disciplinary change? To what extent do instructors themselves identify disconnects between their own practices and the need for innovation? And, finally, what can be done, and at what scale, to leverage ethnographic methods training to meet calls for disciplinary change?" The full article is available on American Anthropologist.

Her second article "Planning to Work as an Applied Medical Anthropologist? The Advantages of a Broad and Strategic Methodological Toolkit". available on Practicing Anthropology examines how " applied medical anthropologists can work in many different places and roles. This variety makes the field exciting because it lets anthropologists use their knowledge to improve many parts of society that affect people's health. To be successful, they need to think inclusively and use different approaches to ethnography. They must also be able to use various research methods. This article offers some advice on how to build a set of skills and tools that are both comprehensive and specialized throughout their career."

Dr. Barbara Piperata also contributed to the launch of the National Science Foundation's Cultural Anthropology Methods Program (CAMP) International Curriculum! The entire curriculum is available on youtube, and Dr. Piperata's lecture addresses the collection and analysis of anthropometric data.

Congratulations on all of these accomplishments Dr. Piperata!