Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology

Department of Anthropology and Museum Studies Program Welcomes New Faculty, Dr. April Kamp-Whittaker

Dr. April Kamp-Whittaker

I am delighted to announce Dr. April Kamp-Whittaker as a faculty member of the Department of Anthropology and our Museum team at Chico State. Dr. Kamp-Whittaker comes to us from the University of New Mexico, where she is completing her postdoctoral work. Dr. Kamp-Whittaker is an archaeologist and museum studies, scholar, and educator. She received her PhD from Arizona State University and has a Masters's Degree in Anthropology with concentrations in Archaeology and Museum Studies from the University of Denver. In archaeology, Dr. Kamp-Whittaker specializes in public archaeology, archaeology of inequality (focusing on WWII Japanese American Internment), archaeology of childhood, prehistoric and historic urbanism, and digital anthropology. In museum studies, she focuses on appropriate museology, museum interpretation, digital storytelling, and community collaboration. Most recently, she has been leading the Amache Field School in Archaeology and Heritage Management for the University of Denver (DU) Amache Project, where she combines public archaeology with museum studies and practical museum training.

Dr. Kamp-Whittaker brings her rich museum experience to our museum and the Museum Studies Program through her work as an Interpretation, Digitization, and Collections Consultant for projects related to the Amache site and archives, Exhibit Consultant for the Anthropological Studies Center at Sonoma State University, Family Programs Facilitator at the Colorado History Museum, and Collections Assistant at the Field Museum of Natural History. In addition to her work in the department’s Archaeology Program, she will help train our Chico State museum studies students in collection management, interpretation, and digital storytelling and will advance the museum’s new vision of Inclusion, Decolonization, and Sustainability through her exciting collaborative work with community groups and the documentation of historic and contemporary narratives.

Dr. April Kamp-Whittaker showing two people something in her hand.

Welcome, Dr. April Kamp-Whittaker!