Archaeology Lecture: Modeling Mesoamerican Masks, June 28
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Learn from Keith Chan and Irene Gonzalez about the use of masks in Mesoamerica as a case study of cultural contact and change. They will discuss the archaeology masks as ritual and funerary items in societies such as Teotihuacan, as well as explore the community role of masks and mask makers in present day danzas. Keith and Irene will also describe their methodology and experiences in generating 3D models of a mask collection at San Diego State University and their progress in incorporating them in education.
Meet your lecturers:
Keith Chan is a local anthropology instructor at Grossmont College, MiraCosta College, and San Diego State University. He is especially interested in using immersive technology in his teaching to bring students face-to-face with culture and biology. He created the virtual anthropology museum AnVRopomotron, which won the first Poly Award for Best Educational Experience, and is working on PaleoCalifornia, which turns the Pleistocene into a virtual reality theme park ride. He was also a recent research fellow at SDSU's Virtual Immersive Learning and Teaching center, in which he launched the current project on masks.
Irene Gonzalez received her M.A. in Latin American Studies from San Diego State University, where her research focused on cultural preservation. Her work has explored the importance of community museums, specifically in Mexico, where she conducted field research in Oaxaca. She is currently the Collections Coordinator for the Mesoamerican Mask Collection at SDSU’s Center for Latin American Studies. Irene is passionate about bridging technology and cultural heritage in ways that are equitable and grounded in deep respect for Indigenous knowledge systems.