Dr. Teresa Raczek named chair of KSU’s Department of Geography and Anthropology

New chair to lead department focused on hands-on learning

KENNESAW, Ga. (May 13, 2020) — Dr. Shawn Long, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Kennesaw State University (KSU), has named Teresa Raczek, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Geography and Anthropology, effective July 1, 2020.

Raczek is currently the Interim Chair of the Department and also serves as a Professor of Anthropology at KSU.  Before coming to KSU, Raczek served as Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at both the University of Pennsylvania and the University of New Hampshire.

Raczek is an accomplished researcher whose research focuses on South Asia, specifically the Mewar Plain of northwest India. As principal investigator of a large archaeological dig, Raczek manages a large international team of scholars, students and local participants as they excavate 5,000-year-old sites in India. Her work emphasizes community engagement in archaeological research as well as public outreach and education on archaeological topics. She has edited five volumes and published in peer-reviewed journals; has given numerous presentations at national and international conferences and meetings; and has received substantial research grant awards. She also serves on the Society for American Archaeology Public Education Committee.

Raczek is focused on four goals for the department: 1) Supporting faculty and staff to meet the expectations of a teaching-intensive University that is designated R2 for high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation; 2) investing in students to ensure the continued success of the Department’s academic programs; 3) expanding outreach to alumni to foster a productive network that will contribute to student success; and 4) fundraising for scholarships and Department initiatives.

“Dr. Raczek’s emphasis on hands-on learning, including opportunities for students to engage in original research, will be a tremendous benefit to our College as we work toward our goal of becoming the most impactful College of Humanities and Social Sciences in the country,” Long said.

Raczek received a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania, her MA in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago and her BA in History from Barnard College, Columbia University.