Rachel Ward is a Ph.D. candidate conducting anthropological research in artists’ studios and archives in New York City. She has an M.Sc. in Social Anthropology and a G.Dip. in Visual Anthropology, focusing on documentary filmmaking, archaeology, digital art and culture.
Now pursuing her doctorate in Interactive Arts & Technology, Rachel’s work converges on Digital Anthropology and the creation of imaginative, artistic and
experiential technologies for cultural preservation.
She has designed and built anthropological art installations, such as liliuokalani. archival experimentations, generating embodied access to the Archive via haptic-interactivity. She describes these projects in her book chapter in Digital Echoes (2018).
She has produced several documentaries, including a short about the overlap of Appalachian and punk music and Sneakerhead (2016), a portrait of an overzealous Air Jordan collector, which was featured in a 6-month exhibition in the Museum of Vancouver (MoV).
As of 2020, Rachel is collaborating with digital art(ists) in New York City and their complex archives to envision embodied multisensory access to their work in museum archives. Some of her preliminary research was recently published in the Electronic Media Review (2020).
A pseudoscience book I wrote
last week ISBN 979-8671716337
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Two websites I built this year for
dianneblell.com and evafaye.com
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Some commissioned work from the summer
grenning gallery IGTV and the parrish museum
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A small article about
curriculum vitae
education
Ph.D.
Candidate in Interactive Arts + Technology
in the Making Culture Lab (MCL)
at Simon Fraser University
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M.Sc.
Social Anthropology
at London School of Economics and Political Science
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G.Dip.
Visual Anthropology
at Australian National University
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B.Sc.
Biological Sciences in the Honors College
at Virginia Tech + University of Pittsburgh
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training
National Digital Stewardship Residency [NDSR Art] in NYC 2018-19
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Smithsonian Summer Institute in Museum Anthropology [SIMA] in Washington DC 2013
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VoCA Voices in Contemporary Art: Conservation Artist Interview by invitation in NYC 2019
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Legacy Planning and Archiving for Artist at VLA 2019
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publications
Conservators in The Wild: Collaboration with Art Studios, Galleries, And Collectors
The Electronic Media Review Volume 6, 2020
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DNA Polymerase Ancestors: a misguided, illustrated attempt at a unified theory of genetics, astrophysics, colorful portals, premonitions and coincidence
Illustrated novella 2020
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NDSR Art at Small Data Industries: Born-digital Artists’ Materials in the Archive and Studio
Museum Archivist, Summer/Fall 2019 Issue
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Something Old, Something New: Born-digital Artists’ Materials in the Archive and Studio
For the Institute of Museum and Library Services [IMLS] & The Library of Congress, 2019
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Review of Hans Ulrich Obrist: Ways of Curating
in ARLIS-NA M&T Reviews 2019
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Strings of Knowledge: Multi-Sensory, Tactile & Digital Interactivity with Archives & Ethnography (Chapter 7)
Digital Echoes: Intangible & Performance-based Cultural Heritage, Published 2018
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The Hamptons Oceans: A Poem for Children & Adults
ISBN 9781546459811,Published 2018
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Producing New Media Ethnographies (Co-Author)
ISEA 2015 Proceedings
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Multiple protein kinase pathways mediate amplified IL-6 release by human lung fibroblast (Co-Author)
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 247[2]:146-57, 2010
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HIF1-a and COX-2 mediated synergistic release of angiogenic factors from human lung fibroblasts (Co-Author)
Toxicologist 102[2]:2087, 2007
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presentations
2019 Media Art History [MAH] Annual Conference in Denmark
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2019 The Art of Digital Stewardship at The Maryland Institute College of Art [MiCA] in Baltimore
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2019 American Institute of Conservation [AIC] in Connecticut
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2019 New York University [NYU] Culture Mapping Conference in NYC
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2019 Art Libraries Society of North America [ARLIS-NA] in Salt Lake City
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2016 American Anthropological Association [AAA] Annual Conference in Minneapolis
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2016 Visual Research Conference [VRC] in Minneapolis
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2016 Society for Applied Anthropology [SfAA] Annual Conference [also Organizer] in Vancouver
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2015 American Anthropological Association [AAA] Annual Conference in Denver
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2015 International Symposium on Electronic Art [ISEA] in Vancouver
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2015 Society for Applied Anthropology [SfAA] Annual Conference [Received a Poster Award] in Pittsburgh
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2013 Rotary International / 10 international presentations throughout USA and Australia
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2013 Smithsonian Institute Anthropology Department Annual Symposium in Washington DC
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experience
Research Associate at Small Data Industries in NYC 2018-2019
Artist Archives: Digital Archive and Web Developer in NY 2016-current
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Digital Content Creator & Editor at Made by Sea in NY 2017-2018
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Lead Event Curator at Vice News Virtual Reality Exhibition in Vancouver 2015-2016
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Lab Instructor 2014-2016
Moving Images
Post-Photography
Graphic Design
New Media
Interactive Arts
Research Assistant at The Making Culture Lab (MCL) in Vancouver 2014-2016
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Webmaster for the Society for Visual Anthropology 2015-2016
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Chair of Documentation & Archival at the Internal Symposium on Electronic Art [ISEA] 2014-2015
Videographer at Bill Reid Centre for Northwest Coast Studies in Vancouver 2014-2016
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Research Specialist II [DNA, RNA, PCR, Western Blots, ELISAs] at University of Pittsburgh 2007-2008
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American Museum of Natural History [AMNH] in NYC
Coordinator Margaret Mead Film Festival 12 months
Anthropology Dept. Research Assistant 8 months
Public Programs 11 months
TA for Archaeoastronomy & The Anthropology of Food
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funding and awards
2021 Dissertation Writing Fellowship
2020 Laura Bassi Publishing Scholarship
2019 American Inst. of Conservation Award
2018 NDSR Art Fellowship Award
2017 Social Innovation Seed Grant
2014 Multi-Year International Doctoral Award
2014 Provost’s Prize of Distinction
2016 SVA Travel & Research Award
2016 Professional Development Grant
2016 Graduate Fellowship [SFU]
2016 Travel & Research [SFU]
2015 Poster Award [SfAA]
2015 Travel & Research [SFU]
2014 CD Nelson Entrance Scholarship
2013 NSF Smithsonian Stipend
2012 High Distinction Award Overall [ANU]
2011 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship ($25,000)
2010 Distinction Award on Dissertation [LSE]
2007 Dean’s List [2003-2007] [All Semesters]
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filmography
2020 Darius Yektai & the Grenning Gallery [8 min]
2020 Dianne Blell & the Parrish Museum [2 min]
2016 Sneakerhead [6 min]
2016 Anthropologists Try VR [3 min]
2016 Pieces of Syria [4 min]
2016 Moving Stories / 3 videos [40 min]
2016 Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas [46 min]
2016 The Centennial Post [14 min]
2016 Black Eagle Canoe [61 min]
2016 First Nations Literature [36 min]
2015 digitalsqewlets.ca / 8 videos [80 min]
2015 Ukulele: interactive biography [6 min]
2014 Appalachian Punks [Director] [15 min]
2014 Conemaugh Trio [4 min]
2014 Doctor Valentinus [5 min]
2012 Achuar & iPads [Director] [5 min]
2011 The Sensory Cottage [26 min]
2011 The Devil’s Instrument [9 min]
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exhibitions
2018 Cold Winter Beaches Series
Annual [51st] Springs Invitational Art Show in The Springs, NY
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2018 Book Signing for The Hamptons Oceans
East Hampton Author’s Night in NY
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2018 Senegal Portrait Series
Member's Show at Guild Hall Museum in East Hampton, NY
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2017 35mm Photography
Cold Winter Beaches [Press]
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2016 Documentary in Museum Exhibition
Sneakerhead [6 min] / exhibited 6 mos. at the Museum of Vancouver [MoV]
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2016 Interactive Art Installation
Liliuokalani: Archival Experimentations in Vancouver
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2015 Interactive Art Installation
Ukulele: A Biography in Vancouver
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2014 Guatemala Street Photography
Society for Visual Anthropology in Washington DC
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philanthropy
2019 The Family Center
Leadership Council in Brooklyn
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2018 NGO Photographer
Sustainable Community Projects in Senegal
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2017 Social Innovation Seed Project: ‘VR Field Trips’
PS129 in Harlem
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2014 Volunteer Videographer
First Nations Artist in Canada
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2013 Adventures in Science [K-5] Volunteer
American Museum of Natural History in NYC
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2011 Rotary Canberra Chapter
Community Service Projects in Australia
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2010 Mapuche Indigenous Community
Grants & Development in Patagonia, Chile
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2010 Mapuche K-8 School
Volunteer English Teacher in Patagonia, Chile
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2009 London School of Economics [LSE]
Sustainability Leader in London
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2007 Institute for Child Health
University College London
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2008 Carilion Clinic Hospice
Camp Treehouse West in Roanoke, Virginia
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2006 Blacksburg Middle School
Volunteer Tutor [2 years] in Virginia
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professional memberships
2018-19 American Institute for Conservation [AIC]
2018-19 American Association of University Women [AAUW]
2018-19 Art Libraries Society of North America [ARLIS/NA]
2018-19 Archivists Round Table of New York [ART]
2014-18 American Anthropological Association [AAA]
2014-18 Society for Visual Anthropology [SVA]
2010-12 Rotary International [RI]
2016-17 Gamma Beta Phi Honor & Service Organization
2003-07 American Medical Student Association [AMSA]
2003-07 National Society of Collegiate Scholars [NSCS]
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certifications
TCPS2 Certifications in Human Ethical Conduct
NIH Protecting Human Participants
TESL Teaching English as a Second Language
HIPAA Confidentiality Training