Female hunter with spear aims it at antelope-like animal

UC Davis Faculty and ATS Staff Create a Dynamic Mix of Science and Art

In a remarkable pairing of science and art, UC Davis Assistant Professor of Anthropology Professor Randall Haas and ATS senior artist Matt Verdolivo have collaborated to produce illustrations showcasing new archeological discoveries. 

The flurry of well-deserved international recognition received by the artwork of our ATS colleague Matt Verdolivo highlights the power of combining artistic expertise with scientific discoveries. Following the discovery of hunting artifacts with a young female skeleton in an archeological dig, Dr. Haas reached out to ATS to have an artist create depictions of this young hunter. Dr. Haas’ discovery upends the long-held belief that men were the primary hunters in primitive societies. Matt dug into the research about the artifacts and the hunters’ prey, allowing him to create a depiction of this young hunter based on the currently-available knowledge about her, her tools, and her environment. 

A Google search of these topics will reveal that Dr. Haas’ ground-breaking research, accompanied by Matt’s wonderful art, has been featured in many national and international publications, both scholarly and popular. Another ATS team member, senior producer / director Jeremy Poulos, worked with Dr. Haas and Matt to create a video about this important work. This project exemplifies how well-done art can illustrate advancements in science, and how ATS experts stand ready to support the work of faculty in their research as well as their teaching. Please feel free to contact ats@ucdavis.edu for your own consultation with one of our artists, videographers, or instructional designers. 

Congratulations to Dr. Haas for this exciting discovery, to Matt for making it come to life, and to Jeremy for telling the story! 

Dr. Margaret Merrill
Senior Instructional Design Consultant
Academic Technology Services 

P.S. To learn more, visit the Aggie Video link on this story: https://video.ucdavis.edu/media/The+Art+of+ScienceA+Female+Hunters+of+the+Early+Americas/1_t36rcpfp 

 

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