The Department of Anthropology is pleased to announce that Dr. Magdalena Stawkowski has recently co-authored a new scholarly article and has been awarded two prestigious research grants in support of her ongoing work.

Dr. Stawkowski, in collaboration with Dr. Donna Goldstein, has published an article titled “Of Epistemes and Insects: How Drosophila and Butterflies Shape Our Understanding of Radiation Risk.” The article explores how scientific and cultural understandings of radiation risk are informed through research on insects, offering new perspectives on knowledge production in radiation studies.
In addition to this publication, Dr. Stawkowski has secured two significant research awards:

• A Wenner-Gren Engaged Research Grant to support her project, “Our Land, Our Stories: A Collaborative Oral History and Exhibition Project on Nuclear Testing in Kazakhstan.” This initiative will engage communities in documenting and sharing lived experiences related to nuclear testing.
• A Walker Institute Faculty Research Grant (2026) to fund preliminary archival and ethnographic research at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Kazakhstan, scheduled for June 2026. This work will contribute to a deeper understanding of the historical and social impacts of nuclear testing in the region.

Dr. Stawkowski’s recent achievements highlight her continued commitment to interdisciplinary research that bridges science, history, and community engagement.

For more information or to read the article, please visit:  Of Epistemes and Insects: How Drosophila and Butterflies Shape Our Understanding of Radiation Risk