Humanities in Motion

Running her fingers over the dips and protrusions of a decades-old skull, Raven Watkins was struck by the idea of grief while thinking about the life this person had lived. The bereftness of loved ones left behind. The sorrow and anger that permeates communities and countries in periods of war. The trauma that becomes generational in the wake of turmoil.

At the time, Watkins, a Florida State University undergraduate studying anthropology through the College of Arts and Sciences and studio art through the College of Fine Arts, was abroad in Chelva, Spain for the summer, excavating and studying bone structures at historical battlefields. The month-long experience included classes and fieldwork providing hands-on opportunities to work with and catalog archaeological remains from the Spanish Civil War, which lasted from 1936 to 1939.

“I research grief and loss in Spanish culture, and this experience was monumental,” Watkins said. “I was inspired to learn more about historical and cultural elements of the Spanish Civil War while studying remains through the Center for Field Sciences School in Chelva — I’m inspired by the human resilience that came from this repression.”

After studying in Valencia, Spain with FSU International Programs in 2024, Watkins wanted to further explore Spanish culture and leverage her dual areas of study through a research project, leading her to the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement IDEA Grant program. IDEA Grants help FSU undergrads advance their academic careers by funding research and the development of new or existing ideas or creative projects like the one Watkins had in mind.

Following her successful proposal submission, Watkins was awarded the IDEA Grant program’s Tyler Center for Global Studies Fellowship to support her work and fund her Summer 2025 studies, and was also supported by the Lisa Scott Undergraduate Research Award for first-generation students. This allowed her to learn bioarchaeology techniques including osteological analysis that lets her ascertain age, sex, and the lifestyle of the individuals recovered from the civil war’s battlegrounds.

“Researching anthropology gives me a feeling of purpose and feels like my calling,” Watkins said. “Learning holistically about humans, culture, and biology makes me want to create. My art is symbolic, but I focus on depictions of real subjects. It’s important for me to intimately understand all aspects of the human — biological aspects like the body as well as expression of emotions and the history of grief.”

Watkins worked under the guidance of assistant professor of art Katie Kehoe to create “A Tattoo of Spain: Using Anthropology to Inform Stop-Motion Animation,” which combined anthropological research into Spanish post-war culture, sculptural figure-making, and animation techniques to depict a woman grieving after war.

She presented her project during the President’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence in October 2025, explaining to attendees how she intertwines her research interests and artistic passions to understand culture throughout historic events using 2D and 3D art.

“I’m so inspired by all the culture I’ve experienced in Spain, like the Concha Piquer song ‘Tatuaje’ that was released at the end of the war,” said Watkins, who plans to graduate in 2026. “It was an expression of grief. This artistic execution set the creative stage for my research, which looks at the forensic and emotional aspects of loss.”

Geoffrey Thomas, specialized anthropology teaching faculty, took note of Watkins’ ability to connect scientific insights and cultural empathy during his Human Osteology course. The science requires a deep understanding of human skeletal remains, studying indicators of diseases and injuries, and making confident judgments in the face of fragmentary evidence — skills that Watkins excels in.

“By combining the study of bones with art, she highlights the humanity behind skeletal remains, turning abstract biological specimens into stories about lived experiences,” Thomas said. “Her work challenges us to see scientific analysis not as detached but as deeply connected to creativity and culture. Raven’s dedication to anthropology is reflected in her ability to make connections between osteological findings and broader cultural contexts.”

Following graduation, Watkins will continue the pursuit of her joint passions in research and art by working at the FSU Ceramics Lab while she explores master’s degree programs in anthropology.

“There’s creative expression in anthropology through humanity,” Watkins said. “You’re discovering who these people are through their physical features to describe their overall story. I’ll create in response to things I experience with the goal of sharing their stories for the rest of my life.”

Bella Bozied is an FSU alumna who earned a bachelor’s degree in information, communication and technology with a dual major in editing, writing and media in 2024. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in integrated marketing management communication with certificates in project management and multicultural marketing communication and is set to graduate in May 2026.