Mitch Darnell

2009 Student Awards and Scholarships

2009 Fall Undergraduate Research Assistantship

The school’s undergraduate research assistantships provide students a chance to undertake independent, cutting-edge research while working closely with a faculty advisor. Their research findings are often published.  Students also gain a competitive edge for graduate school and the job market.

"Everybody in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change
has made my first two years here wonderful. It confirms my belief
that this is the field I want to spend the rest of my life pursuing."

 — Mitch Darnell

As a child in Issaquah, Washington, Mitch was fascinated by dinosaurs. As time went on, his interests matured, and he realized that he was drawn to ancient history and cultures and had a desire to travel and work with his hands. As he explains, "All these aspects and more seemed to fit into anthropology — archaeology, specifically." 

Mitch came to Arizona State University because of its well-respected anthropology program, the diversity of the School of Human Evolution and Social Change and Tempe's fantastic weather. In the summer of 2008, he participated in ASU's Cyprus Field School, where, according to field school director and professor of archaeology Steve Falconer, he earned a reputation as the student to volunteer in a pinch, to work the extra hour or two and to propose insightful lines of analysis.

The research project Mitch will be undertaking in the fall involves the analysis of ceramic data from the 2008 Cyprus Field School and data from established sources. He will evaluate cultural practices around food and what kinds of food were eaten by the people of the Mediterranean during the Bronze Age.

Mitch plans to attend graduate school and eventually sees himself as an Iron Age Mediterranean archaeologist. He hopes to teach later in his career.

Special thanks to:

Steve Falconer for providing guidance and advice. Mitch says, "I really trust his experience and look forward to learning from him for the rest of my days at ASU." Mitch would also like to thank everyone in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change who have made his first two years here wonderful.