In this spotlight interview, the department caught up with Selena Sheth '24, a Medical Anthropology concentrator, to learn more about her experience in anthropology's Research Apprenticeship Program. The Program aims to foster collaboration between students and faculty on faculty research. 

"I will be working with Professor Irene Glasser this semester to research how Rhode Island can provide no-freeze shelters to people experiencing homelessness. After taking Professor Glasser’s course, The Anthropology of Homelessness, last semester, I was able to conduct anthropological fieldwork, observing first-hand the battles that houseless individuals face in the state of Rhode Island. 

Through my fieldwork at Crossroads RI and reading of Street Sights, the Rhode Island homelessness newspaper and resource guide, it became clear that there is a lack of emergency housing, especially in the winter, for people experiencing homelessness. 

My apprenticeship will allow me to assist in researching and writing articles for Street Sights on programs and funding that will assist people and their advocates to use to end homelessness. I will also interview Rhode Island leaders in the field of homelessness (note: many are members of the RI Coalition to End Homelessness and I plan to go to their 2022 State of Homelessness meeting on November 14th) and read the literature on the best practices of no-freeze shelters in order to see how they can be implemented in RI."

Learn more about Anthropology's Research Apprenticeship Program