Overview
I graduated with my Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2023. For my dissertation, entitled “Microbotanical Investigations of Subsistence and Identity in Colonial Massachusetts Households, c. 1620-1700,” I explored English-Wampanoag and human-environment relationship through the lenses of food, identity and colonialism using phytolith analysis.
I am also a science communicator. Currently, I am the Public Engagement Specialist for the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS) where I lead public outreach activities related to plant sciences and digital biology. I have written podcasts, videos, essays and articles for outlets like Atlas Obscura, SAPIENS Anthropology Magazine, Habits of a Traveling Archaeologist, and American Archaeology. A full list of my work can be found at http://www.anyaegruber.com/.
Research Focus
My research interests include environmental anthropology, ethnobotany, and public health.