Amanda Daniela Cortez

Amanda Daniela Cortez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. She also holds a postdoctoral research associate position at the Center for Indigenous Science.

• Education:
  • PhD in Anthropology (2019), University of Notre Dame
  • MA in Anthropology (2016), University of Notre Dame
  • BA in Anthropology with Honors (2014), University of Washington

Her research sits at the intersection of Indigenous studies, animal studies, and anthropology. Key areas include Indigenous sovereignty, human-animal relationships, gender, visual anthropology, and ethical research practices with Indigenous communities in the Andean region and North America.

Recent publications focus on community partnerships in ancient DNA research and ethical controversies in archaeological genetics. She has taught at Clatsop Community College and worked as a postdoctoral scholar at Notre Dame and the University of Connecticut.