Dr. Michael A. Malpass Associate Professor and Department Chair Andean and Mesoamerican archaeology and ethnohistory Phone: 607-274-1363 E-mail: Malpass@ithaca.edu

Michael Malpass has been Chair of anthropology since 1997. He is an Associate Professor in the department. His interests are in South American archeology and ethnohistory, emergence of complex societies, prehistoric agricultural systems, meaning of stylistic variation in archeology, and teaching techniques in anthropology.

Michael teaches classes in Biological Anthropology, the prehistory of both Mesoamerica and South America, a comparative course in New World Complex Societies, and the Archaeological Methods class. He emphasizes understanding processes of human and cultural evolution in all his courses, and approaches learning through a combination of group and individual activities.

Michael does archaeological research in Peru, and has taken students with him the past four field seasons. His recent research has focused on the question of the timing and routes of dispersion of the earliest inhabitants of western South America. Research has concentrated on locating and testing Preceramic sites in the Department of Arequipa, in southern Peru.

Michael is married and has one son, Soren, who is hoping to accompany him to Peru next year!

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