Exploring Careers in Canadian Anthropology
About the Podcast
Trowel and Error is a podcast created as a resource for students planning their career in anthropology. Our intention is to highlight the often under-discussed variability in anthropology-related career paths. Through discussions with Canadian professionals currently engaging with anthropology in public and/or private sectors, we chat about career shifts and setbacks, seek advice for prospective anthropologists, and discuss stories from the field. Themes that emerged from these conversations included: navigating challenges during career transitions, the winding paths to success and stability, cultivating one’s passions, and the ongoing shifts towards collaborative, inclusive archaeological practices. Our goal is to provide these conversations on a free-to-use platform in both written and audio formats, so that Trowel and Error may be accessible to a broad audience, including those with different learning styles and at various stages in their careers. This ongoing project contributes to the growing body of publicly available information about anthropological practices in Canada and engages with an increasingly popular method of disseminating information.
Isabelle Rutherford
I am a Master's student in Bioarchaeology at Western University. After finishing my Bachelor's of Science in Anthropology from the University of Victoria, my interest in human evolution and adaptation has brought me to pursue my research and teaching interests further through a thesis-based graduate degree. Currently my research examines the wide range of human variation, focusing on how behaviour, genetics, and the environment shape our bodies. Before my undergrad I had no idea what Anthropology was and consider myself very lucky to have found such a broad and rewarding field of study!
Sydney Holland
I am a graduate student currently completing my Master’s degree in Bioarchaeology at Western University. During my undergraduate degree at the University of Victoria, I discovered a passion for learning and teaching that drove me to pursue graduate studies, with a dream of becoming a professor at an educational institution. I began my degree in biology, and took courses in chemistry, psychology, mathematics, statistics, anthropology, and archaeology. The multidisciplinary nature of biological anthropology drew me to the field, and it has enabled me to combine my diverse range of interests in my work. Outside of academia, I enjoy spending time with my dog, hiking, weightlifting, running, reading, crochet and cooking.