News: Department of Anthropology
![Two students practice swordfighting](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/StageCombat.jpg?itok=VFW58uK5)
From magic and witchcraft to building robots using Legos, these wild courses can put swordfighters in training and future presidents ready to deal with environmental catastrophe.
![Portrait Christina Tica](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/D72128_001o.jpg?itok=iq5ryjKu)
Anthropology Ph.D. student Cristina Tica receives prestigious Fulbright Award to fund research in Hungary during the upcoming academic year.
UNLV president will highlight exceptional students at commencement who embody the academic, research, and community impact of the graduating class.
![woman outside](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/Dibenedetto.png?itok=S-WyQrUH)
DiBenedetto came from New York to study with leading professors and live in a different part of the country. “And Las Vegas is that,” she said.
The commencement speaker is exploring the way ethnic violence explodes, in a bid to eventually help stop crises before they start.
![Daniel Benyshek](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/D68986_21.jpg?itok=JCQTJVIx)
The largest study of its kind found mothers who consumed their placenta passed on no harm to their newborn babies.
![esports arena competition](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/esportsD72009_015.jpg?itok=7fYatg0r)
Esport championship, an Oprah Moment, and a (somewhat) daring neurologist — News from around campus
![man at the top of a valley](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/Cyprus-Neolithic.jpg?itok=_sUrFXCk)
Archaeologist Alan Simmons retires after 25 years of bringing the depth of time and big perspective to UNLV.
![Portrait of anthropology professor Debra Martin a classroom.](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/D72024_001.jpg?itok=iI6WxVim)
Anthropology professor Debra Martin, a 2018 Distinguished Professor, finds the evidence of violence throughout human culture.
![Portrait of Peter Gray, Assistant Professor of Anthropology](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/releases/main-images/D67629_25.jpg?itok=OzseqLTj)
First of its kind study looked at UNLV’s 8-Bit team as it readies for Mountain West Showdown against Boise State University.
![UNLV campus](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/D71376_10.jpg?itok=MmrhkhSe)
Three faculty garner 2018 Barrick Scholar Awards for their extensive research achievements.
![Researchers Dan Benyshek and Sharon Young](/sites/default/files/styles/768_width/public/articles/main-images/NC_BenyshekYoung.jpg?itok=gSU0uNmK)
Research finds that consuming encapsulated placentas has little to no effect on postpartum mood and maternal bonding; detectable changes shown in hormones.