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HomeAcademicsMajors & MinorsAnthropology Leslie Lea Williams

Education

2013 PhD (Anthropology), The Ohio State University
2004 MSc (Human Osteology and Funerary Archaeology), The University of Sheffield
2002 B.A. (Anthropology), University of California, Berkeley

Courses Taught

The Human Animal: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Human Osteology
Quantitative Theory and Technique
Archaeology and Prehistory
Research Design
Mortuary Archaeology
Paleopathology
Digital Archaeologies
Bioarchaeology of Climate Change
Data Visualization
Senior Capstone

Research Interests

Bioarchaeology
Mass disasters and human populations
Human health and disease
Climate change and health
Mortuary archaeology
Gender archaeology
Data analytics and visualization

Publications

Books:

2019 Williams LL, Quave KE. Quantitative Anthropology: A Workbook. Academic Press

Peer Reviewed Articles

2018 Green W, Caves MC, Williams LL, The Myrick Park Mounds (47Lc10), an Effigy Mound Site in Western Wisconsin. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology 44(2): 207-229. DOI: 10.1080/01461109.2018.1539292

2017 Williams LL, Larsen CS. Health and the Little Ice Age North of the Alps: Relationship between Stress, Nutritional Deficiencies, and Disease. Bioarchaeology International 1 (3–4): 148-170. DOI: 10.5744/bi.2017.0012

2017 Betsinger TK, Smith MO, Thorson LJH, Williams LL. Endemic treponemal disease in late pre-Columbian prehistory: new parameters, new insights. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 15: 252-261. DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.07.033

2012 Larsen CS, Williams LL. Internationalizing Physical Anthropology: A View of the Study of Living Human Variation from the Pages of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. Current Anthropology 53 (S5): S139-S151. DOI: 10.1086/662292

2011 Smith MO, Betsinger TK, Williams LL. Differential visibility of treponemal disease in pre-Columbian stratified societies: Does rank matter? American Journal of Physical Anthropology 144 (2): 185-195. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21381

Peer Reviewed Book Chapters:

2009 Williams LL. “The Dam is Becoming Dangerous and May Possibly Go”: The Paleodemography and Political Economy of the Johnstown Flood. In Eric C. Jones and Arthur D. Murphy, eds. The Political Economy of Hazards and Disasters. Lanham and New York: Altamira Press. Pp. 31-57.

Leslie Lea Williams

Associate Professor
Co-Chair of Anthropology
William S. Godfrey, Jr. Chair in Anthropology

Pronouns: she/her/hers Email: williamsll@beloit.edu Phone: 608-363-2605 Office: Room 110, Godfrey Hall

As a bioarchaeologist (an archaeologist who studies human bones) I really enjoy working with students to better understand the health and lives of past people. I believe we can learn from the past to help us build a more equitable future. In addition to offering courses through the Department of Anthropology, I contribute to the Health and Society and Data Analytics programs.

I have always wanted to teach at a small liberal arts college, and am so lucky to have found my home at Beloit. I love working closely with students as they discover their passions and build the skills that will help them succeed after they graduate. Students have joined me in research here in Beloit and in Munich, Germany over the last several summers, and I can’t wait to continue to involve students in future research.

When not teaching or doing research, I love spending time with my miniature dachshund Freki, watching movies and TV, and crafting embroidery/cross stitch projects.

Anthropology