Leslie Lea Williams

Leslie Lea Williams is an Associate Professor and Co-Chair of the Department of Anthropology at Beloit College, holding the William S. Godfrey, Jr. Chair in Anthropology. Her research focuses on bioarchaeology, mass disasters, human health, data analytics, and climate change's impact on health. She teaches courses such as Human Osteology, Digital Archaeologies, and Mortuary Archaeology, contributing to Beloit's Health and Society and Data Analytics programs.

Williams earned a PhD in Anthropology from The Ohio State University (2013), an MSc from The University of Sheffield (2004), and a B.A. from UC Berkeley (2002). Her work integrates osteological analysis with historical contexts to explore health disparities and environmental adaptation, particularly in medieval and pre-Columbian populations. She collaborates internationally, involving students in fieldwork in Germany and the U.S.

Her publications include Quantitative Anthropology: A Workbook (2019), analyzing statistical methods in anthropological research. Her articles address topics like Little Ice Age health, treponemal disease in stratified societies, and digital methodologies in bioarchaeology.

Williams emphasizes student mentorship, fostering skills for post-graduation success, and applying archaeological insights to modern challenges like climate change. She also advocates for equity in health through historical research.