Sara L. Gonzalez

Sara L. Gonzalez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington, where she conducts research at the intersection of archaeology, indigenous studies, and decolonizing methodologies. Her work is deeply engaged with community-based collaborations, particularly with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, focusing on reshaping archaeological practice through indigenous perspectives.

Her research portfolio emphasizes:

• Archaeologies of colonialism
• community and public archaeology
• indigenous archaeology
• feminist theory
• historic anthropology
• decolonizing and methodologies
• archaeological survey

Gonzalez's scholarship demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward collaborative and decolonizing approaches, exemplified by her 2018 Archaeologies journal publication which examines capacity-building frameworks with tribal nations. Her work bridges theoretical rigor with practical community engagement to redefine archaeological futures.

She has mentored graduate researchers including Ian Kretzler (PhD, 2019) whose dissertation explored indigenous survivance on the Grand Ronde Reservation, and Yoli Ngandali (2018) who investigated technological styles along the Lower Columbia River. Current teaching includes ARCHY 269 A: Special Topics in Archaeology (Winter 2024) and ARCHY 560 A: Seminar in Archaeological Methods (Spring 2023).