Catharina E. Santasilia

B.A. in Egyptology (University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

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Initiated M.A. in Egyptology (University of Copenhagen, Denmark, incl. one semester at Freie University, Berlin, Germany)

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M.A. in Native American Studies: Mayan Mortuary Practices (University of Copenhagen, Denmark). Thesis.

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Ph.D. in Anthropology: Early Formative Central Mexico: Tlatilco (University of California, Riverside). Dissertation. 

During my years at the University of California, Riverside, I have been fortunate to be a Teaching Assistant as well as a Lecturer for a variety of courses

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Teaching Assistant

Introduction to: Archaeology; Biological Anthropology; and Cultural Anthropology, Introduction to Sociology, Sociology and the Family, Art History, Political Science: Political Ideology, and Judicial Politics and Policy-Making.

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Lecturer

Language and Culture, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Biological Approaches to Medical Anthropology, Political Anthropology, Culture and Medicine, Ancient Households and Communities, History of Anthropological Theory, Introduction to Archaeology, and Archaeology of Western Mesoamerica

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2008 Fieldschool at Jerash, Jordan

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2009 Survey project in Sion, Switzerland 

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2010-2015 Six summers as Supervisor for Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance project, uncovering elite burials within pyramids.

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2016 Shortly joined a project at Tlalancaleca, Mexico for the experience of working in Mexico.

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2017-2018 Research trips to more than 30 museums mostly across the US. An excellent way for an international student to travel and explore the US. Thank you, UCMexus for the grant money! 

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2022, "Identities, Experience, and Change in Early Mexican Villages," eds. Catharina E. Santasilia, Guy David Hepp, and Richard A. Diehl, University of Florida Press

I started out working as a cleaning assistant at my granddad's blacksmith company when I was 13, to earn pocket money that I administered. 

 

While studying in Denmark, I have had a wide variety of jobs to supplement my income from the State.

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The majority of the jobs I have had were in social welfare, assisting in taking care of people with both physical and developmental disabilities. 

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My job as a sales assistant in a movie and music store was short-lived as online streaming took over the world.

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2014 Began as an intern at Riverside Metropolitan Museum (RMM, today known as Museum of Riverside)

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2017-2018 Guest curated exhibition at RMM on dissertation topic: Uncovering Ancient Mexico: The Mystery of Tlatilco.

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UCR Magazine posted an article about the project.

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Ambient Light helped publish a catalogue for the exhibition: Tlatilco Uncovered.

 

The credentials I established through this process assisted me greatly in securing permanent resident status in the United States.

Since graduation, I have been involved with collections projects of many particular kinds, including museums and galleries, private collectors, and artists.

 

Some projects focus on ancient art, particularly Tlaticlo, while others involve Mid-Century Modern or contemporary art.

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I assist with inventorying the collections, archiving, photographing, researching, proposal writing, and communicating with institutions and museums regarding loans, donations, and release forms, as well as installation in galleries and online curation. 

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Lately, I have taken on the role of producer and am working on exciting projects with digital artist pioneer David Em.