The Department of Anthropology Congratulates Winners of Senior Essay Awards

The Coe Prize is given in honor of Michael D. Coe, Charles J. MacCurdy Professor of Anthropology at Yale (1960-94), a preeminent scholar in Mesoamerican archaeology, and driving force in the creation of the interdisciplinary Archaeological Studies major in Yale College. Awarded annually to the most outstanding senior essay by Anthropology major for an archaeological studies topic.

Janic Aguirre received the Coe Prize for, “Traditions and Intentions: Pseudoglyph Writing in Classic and Postclassic Societies in Ancient El Salvador and Honduras.”

The Schwartz Prize was donated by Schwartz Family Foundation. Awarded to the author of the most outstanding senior essay in biological anthropology by Anthropology major.

Maxwell Kiekhofer received the Schwartz Prize for, “Salivary Testosterone and Estradiol Levels and Taro Flour (Colocasia esculenta) Consumption in Males Aged 18-30.”

The Sapir Prize is given in honor of Edward Sapir, Sterling Professor of Anthropology at Yale (1931-39), a preeminent scholar in linguistic anthropology, and one of the founders of the Anthropology Department. Awarded annually to the most outstanding senior essay by an Anthropology major.

Aruna Balasubramanian received the Sapir Prize for, “Salt, Copper, Art: The (Post-)Industrial Development of Naoshima, Japan, 1840-2025.”

Owen Curtin received Honorable Mention for the Sapir Prize for, “Flowing to the Cloud: Data Centers, Water Infrastructure, and the Remaking of Resource Relations.”