Raquel Fleskes
Assistant Professor
Appointments
Assistant Professor
Ecology, Evolution, Environment and Society PhD Program
Area of Expertise
Molecular Anthropology,
Ancient DNA,
Colonial North America,
Community Engagement
Biography
My research uses ancient DNA to understand histories of historic period archaeological populations in North America. I am specifically interested in understanding the lived histories of European and African descended individuals by co-interpreting ancient DNA data with archaeological, osteological, archival and oral history sources. Within this context, I focus on developing theoretical and methodological frameworks for community engagement and scientific communication in collaboration with descendant communities and other community stakeholder groups to make science accountable to the communities it impacts.
Education
B.A. University of Maryland at College Park
Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania
Publications
2023. Fleskes, R. E., Cabana, G. S., Gilmore, J., Juarez, C., Karcher, E., Oubré, L., Mishoe, G., Ofunniyin, A. A., Schurr, T. G. Community Engaged Ancient DNA Project Reveals Diverse Origins of 18th Century African and African descendants in Charleston, South Carolina. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 120(3), e2201620120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2201620120
2023. Fleskes, R. E., Owsley, D. W., Bruwelheide, K. S., Griffith, D. R., Cabana, G. S., & Schurr, T. G. Historical genomes elucidate European settlement and the African diaspora in Delaware Report Historical genomes elucidate European settlement and the African diaspora in Delaware. Current Biology, 33, 1- 9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.069
2022. Fleskes, R. E.,* Bader, A. C.,* Tsosie, K. S., Wagner, J. K., Claw, K. G., Garrison, N. A. Ethical Guidance in Human Paleogenomics: New and Ongoing Perspectives. Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genom-120621-090239
*Both authors contributed equally
2021.* Fleskes, R. E., Ofunniyin, A. A., Gilmore, J. K., Poplin, E., Abel, S. M., Bueschgen, W. D., Juarez, C., Butler, N., Mishoe, G., Oubré, L., Cabana, G. S., & Schurr, T. G. Ancestry, Health, and Lived Experiences of Enslaved Africans in 18th Century Charleston: An Osteobiographical Analysis. American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 175(1), 3-24. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24149
*Selected as the Editor's Choice Article
2019 Fleskes, R. E., Bruwelheide, K. S., West, F. L., Owsley, D. W., Griffith, D. R., Barca, K. G., Cabana, G. C., Schurr, T. G. Ancient DNA and bioarchaeological perspectives on European and African diversity and relationships on the colonial Delaware frontier. American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 170(2), 232–245. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23887
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