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
Two websites I built this year for
dianneblell.com and evafaye.com
Some commissioned work from the summer
grenning gallery IGTV and the parrish museum
A small article about
curriculum vitae
education
Ph.D.
Candidate in Interactive Arts + Technology
in the Making Culture Lab (MCL)
at Simon Fraser University
M.Sc.
Social Anthropology
at London School of Economics and Political Science
G.Dip.
Visual Anthropology
at Australian National University
B.Sc.
Biological Sciences in the Honors College
at Virginia Tech + University of Pittsburgh
training
2019
National Digital Stewardship Residency [NDSR Art]
in NYC
2013
Smithsonian Summer Institute in Museum Anthropology [SIMA]
in DC
2019
VoCA Voices in Contemporary Art: Artist Interviews [by invitation]
in NYC
2019
Legacy Planning and Archiving for Artists
at the VLA NYC
publications
2020 Proceedings
Conservators in The Wild: Collaboration with Art Studios, Galleries, And Collectors
The Electronic Media Review Volume 6
2020 Book
DNA Polymerase Ancestors: a misguided, illustrated attempt at a unified theory of genetics, astrophysics, colorful portals, premonitions and coincidence
2019 Article
Article: NDSR Art at Small Data Industries: Born-digital Artists’ Materials in the Archive and Studio
Museum Archivist, Summer/Fall 2019 Issue
2019 Report
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 Review
Review of Hans Ulrich Obrist: Ways of Curating
in ARLIS-NA M&T Reviews
2018 Chapter
Strings of Knowledge: Multi-Sensory, Tactile & Digital Interactivity with Archives & Ethnography
Digital Echoes: Intangible & Performance-based Cultural Heritage (Chapter 7)
2018 Book
The Hamptons Oceans: A Poem for Children & Adults
ISBN 9781546459811
2015 Co-Author
Producing New Media Ethnographies
ISEA 2015 Proceedings
2010 Co-Author
Co-Author: Multiple protein kinase pathways mediate amplified IL-6 release by human lung fibroblast
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 247[2]:146-57
2007 Co-Author
Co-Author: HIF1-a and COX-2 mediated synergistic release of angiogenic factors from human lung fibroblasts
Toxicologist 102[2]:2087
presentations
2019
Media Art History [MAH] Annual Conference in Denmark
2019
The Art of Digital Stewardship at The Maryland Institute College of Art [MiCA] in Baltimore
2019
American Institute of Conservation [AIC] in Connecticut
2019
New York University [NYU] Culture Mapping Conference in NYC
2019
Art Libraries Society of North America [ARLIS-NA] in Salt Lake City
2016
American Anthropological Association [AAA] Annual Conference in Minneapolis
2016
Visual Research Conference [VRC] in Minneapolis
2016
Society for Applied Anthropology [SfAA] Annual Conference [also Organizer] in Vancouver
2015
American Anthropological Association [AAA] Annual Conference in Denver
2015
International Symposium on Electronic Art [ISEA] in Vancouver
2015
Society for Applied Anthropology [SfAA] Annual Conference [Received a Poster Award] in Pittsburgh
2013
Rotary International / 10 international presentations throughout USA and Australia
2013
Smithsonian Institute Anthropology Department Annual Symposium in Washington DC
experience
2018-2019
Research Associate
at Small Data Industries in NYC
2016-2018
Collaborator & Archivist
at Dianne Blell Studios in NYC
2017-2018
Digital Content Creator & Editor
at Made by Sea in The Hamptons
2015-2016
Lead Event Curator
at Vice News Virtual Reality Exhibition in Vancouver
2014-2016
Lab Instructor
for Moving Images, Post-Photography, Graphic Design, New Media, Interactive Arts
2014-2016
Research Assistant
at The Making Culture Lab (MCL) in Vancouver
2015-2016
Webmaster
for societyforvisualanthropology.org
2014-2015
Chair of Documentation & Archival
at the Internal Symposium on Electronic Art [ISEA]
2014-2016
Videographer at Bill Reid Centre
for Northwest Coast Studies in Vancouver
2007-2008
Research Specialist II
DNA, RNA, PCR, Western Blots, ELISAs
at University of Pittsburgh
2012-2013
American Museum of Natural History [AMNH] in NYC
as Coordinator: Margaret Mead Annual Film Festival for two festivals [12 months]
as Anthropology Research Assistantship [8 months]
as Public Programs Intern [11 months]
as TA for Archaeoastronomy & The Anthropology of Food (K-5)
funding and awards
2019 American Inst. of Conservation Fund
2018 NDSR Art Award
2017 Social Innovation Seed Grant
2014 Multi-Year Doctoral Fellowship
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
2010 Distinction Award on Dissertation [LSE]
2007 Dean’s List [2003-2007] [All Semesters]
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]
exhibitions
2018
Photography
Annual [51st] Springs Invitational Art Show in The Springs, NY
2018
Book Signing
East Hampton Author’s Night in East Hampton, NY
2018
Photography
Guild Hall Museum in East Hampton, NY
2017
Photography
Cold Winter Beaches [Press]
2016
Documentary Short
Sneakerhead [6 min] / exhibited 6 mos. at the Museum of Vancouver [MoV]
2016
Interactive Art Installation
Liliuokalani: Archival Experimentations in Vancouver
2015
Interactive Art Installation
Ukulele: A Biography in Vancouver
2014
Photography
Society for Visual Anthropology in Washington DC
philanthropy
2019
The Family Center
Leadership Council in Brooklyn
2018
NGO Photographer
Sustainable Community Projects in Senegal
2017
Social Innovation Seed Project: ‘VR Field Trips’
PS129 in Harlem
2014
Volunteer Videographer
First Nations Artist in Canada
2013
Adventures in Science [K-5] Volunteer
American Museum of Natural History in NYC
2011
Rotary Canberra Chapter
Community Service Projects in Australia
2010
Mapuche Indigenous Community
Grants & Development in Patagonia, Chile
2010
Mapuche K-8 School
Volunteer English Teacher in Patagonia, Chile
2009
London School of Economics [LSE]
Sustainability Leader in London
2007
Institute for Child Health
University College London
2008
Carilion Clinic Hospice
Camp Treehouse West in Roanoke, Virginia
2006
Blacksburg Middle School
Volunteer Tutor [2 years] in Virginia
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]
certifications
TCPS2 Certifications in Human Ethical Conduct
NIH Protecting Human Participants
TESL Teaching English as a Second Language
HIPAA Confidentiality Training