This lab stands firmly in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and against all racism and violence against Black, Indigenous, Asian, and other individuals who have experienced historic and systemic discrimination.
Lead PI
Dr. Tesla Monson – Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at WWU.
Graduate Students
Jewel Curtis, MA Student
Hello! My name is Jewel (she/her), and I am a first-year biological anthropology MA student. I am a transplant from Dallas, Texas and did my undergrad at Texas Tech University. My main interests are forensic anthropology, toxicology, human variation, medico-legal standards, and biological anthropology. When I am not at school, I work at the coroner’s office in Skagit County.
Tristen Hansen, MA Student 
Bio: Howdy! My name is Tristen and I’m an MA student with the Anthropology department! I did my undergrad here at WWU (Go Vikings!), I attained a BS in Biology/Anthropology and a chemistry minor. I loved Bellingham so much I decided to stay a bit longer! My research interests are Osteology, Zooarchaeology, & Biological Anthropology.
Jack McBride, MA Student
Bio: My undergraduate degree is from the University of Washington, where I studied Anthropology: Human Evolutionary Biology within the departmental honors program. While there I also earned a minor in Political Science. I have experience working in veterinary clinics, elementary and middle school education, and as a field assistant and coordinator for a small biological research nonprofit in Paraguay. My research interests include primatology, evolution, and life history theory.
Mia Price, MA Student
Bio: Hi! I’m Mia! (She/Her/They/Them) I’m a third-year graduate student in the Anthropology Department at Western Washington University. My research interests include Forensic Anthropology, Bio-archaeology, Human Sexuality and advocating for Comprehensive Queer BIPOC informed Sex Education.
Jack Szvetecz, MA Student (on leave)
Bio: I am an Anthropology MA student with interests in paleobiology, evolution and ecology, and Primates. My research focus is on Eocene (56-33.9 mya) primate ecologies. I have a BS in Anthropology: Human Evolutionary Biology from the University of Washington.
Undergraduate Students
I am currently recruiting undergraduates to work in my lab. Paid positions and work study available. Some examples of potential projects: 3D morphometrics, cranial variation in primates, history of marginalized scholars in biological anthropology, and many, many more.
Please contact me for more information about the lab and/or how to apply.
Timeline for graduate applications
FALL: Reach out to potential faculty that you would be interested in working with. Make sure and familiarize yourself with their research and the work they do in their lab. Write a friendly and professional (but brief! 200-300 words) email explaining why you want to pursue a MA degree at Western and why you want to work with them. Include a CV or resume. You should also reach out to faculty that you would like to write your letters of reference. Faculty need at least 1 month to write a strong letter.
WINTER: Fill out your application. Never hesitate to request feedback from faculty members or other students in your current department. Applications are due by January 15th. You can find all the application information at these sites:
https://gradschool.wwu.edu/admissions-eligibility
https://gradschool.wwu.edu/anthropology
THERE IS COMPETITIVE FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH TEACHING ASSISTANT AND WORK STUDY POSITIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ENTERING MY LAB.
See also the Funding Opportunities page.