Institute of Forensic Medicine

Anthropology

CV

  • Since 09/2022: Postdoctoral researcher, FNS Postdoc.Mobility grant #210956;
    • Project Title, “A Methodological Approach to Advanced Imaging and its Applications in Anthropological Archaeological Research: Linking Bone Morphology, Biomechanics, and Behavior”
    • Host Institution: University of Bern (Switzerland)
    • Collaborating institutions: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (Belgium), Moravian Museum (Czechia), the Pennsylvania State University (USA)
  • 02/2022 – 06/2022: Senior Technical Associate (Archaeological Service of the State of Fribourg, Switzerland)
  • 10/2021 – 12/2021: Specialized archaeologist (Archeodunum SA, Switzerland)
  • 03/2021 – 07/2021: Postdoctoral assistant (University of Geneva, Switzerland)
  • 02/2021: Obtention of PhD from the University of Geneva; FNS funding Doc.CH #175169; thesis title: “The Application of Biomechanics and Bone Morphology to Interpret Specialized Activity and Social Stratification: The Case of Bell Beaker Archery”
  • 01/2020 – 02/2021: Research and Teaching Assistant (University of Geneva, Switzerland)
  • 10/2015 – 02/2021: PhD candidate (University of Geneva, Switzerland)
  • 09/2012 – 09/2015: Master of Science in Prehistoric Archaeology and Anthropology (University of Geneva, Switzerland)
  • 09/2008 – 04/2012: Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Classical Archaeology, and Classical Civilizations (University of Michigan, USA)

Researchgate

Research focus

Publications and talks

Publications

Ryan-Despraz, J. (2023). Archery and the arm. In F. Alves Cardoso, R. Gilmour, C. Hirst, & K. Plomp (Eds.), Behaviour in Our Bones. Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-12-821383-4.

Ryan-Despraz, J., & Nicolas, C. (2022). Examining the Role of Bell Beaker Archery through Techno‐Functional and Osteological Analyses: Reinvestigating the Hoštice Cemetery (Czech Republic). In C. Abegg, D. Carloni, F. Cousseau, E. Derenne, & J. Ryan-Despraz (Eds.), The Bell Beaker Culture in All its Forms: Proceedings of the 22nd Meeting of ’Archéologie et Gobelets’ 2021 (Geneva, Switzerland) (pp. 191–207). Archaeopress Archaeology. ISBN 978-1-80327-363-1.

Abegg, C., Carloni, D., Cousseau, F., Derenne, E., & Ryan-Despraz, J. (Eds.). (2022). The Bell Beaker Culture in All Its Forms: Proceedings of the 22nd Meeting of ‘Archéologie et Gobelets’ 2021 (Geneva, Switzerland). Archaeopress Archaeology. ISBN 978-1-80327-363-1.

Ryan-Despraz, J. (2022). Practice and Prestige: An Exploration of Neolithic Warfare, Bell Beaker Archery, and Social Stratification from an Anthropological Perspective. Archaeopress Archaeology. ISBN 978-1-80327-052-4.

Ryan-Despraz, J. (2021). The Application of Biomechanics and Bone Morphology to Interpret Specialized Activity and Social Stratification: The Case of Bell Beaker Archery [PhD thesis]. University of Geneva.

Ryan, J., Desideri, J., & Besse, M. (2018). Bell Beaker Archers: Warriors or an Ideology? Journal of Neolithic Archaeology, 20(2018S), 97–122. 10.12766/jna.2018S.6.

Conference Participation

  • Data Science Competences Center ‑ Data Science Seminar: Big Data, Missing Data and everything in between (University of Geneva, Switzerland); 01.2023
    • Oral presentation by invitation,  Title: ”The Handling of Data Missingness in Biological Anthropological Research”, J. Ryan-Despraz
  • Swiss Society for Anthropology Annual Reunion (Basel, Switzerland); 11.2022
    • Poster presentation, Title: ”A Methodological Approach to Advanced Imaging and its Applications in Anthropological Archaeological Research: Linking Bone
      Morphology, Biomechanics, and Behavior”, J Ryan-Despraz
  • Interdisciplinary Dialogues on Death Rituals: Materializing the Absent (Bern, Switzerland); 09.2021
    • Oral presentation by invitation, Title: ”Ideology and Function: An Anthropological Approach to Assessing the Links between Warfare and Social Status During the Bell Beaker Period”, J. Ryan-Despraz
  • 27th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists: Widening Horizons (Kiel, Germany); 09.2021
    • Oral presentation, Title: ”Identifying Labor Differentiation through Analyses of Entheseal Changes in Bell Beaker Europe”,  J. Ryan‑Despraz, J. Desideri, S. Villotte, and M. Besse
  • 27th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists: Widening Horizons (Kiel, Germany); 09.2021
    • Oral presentation, Title: ”The Treatment of Missing Values in the Analysis of Prehistoric European Anthropological Data”,  J. Ryan‑Despraz, J. Desideri, S. Villotte, and M. Besse
  • 22nd Meeting of “Archéologie et Gobelets” - The Bell Beaker Culture in All its Forms (Geneva, Switzerland); 01.2021
    • Oral presentation, Title: ”Great Warriors? Great hunters? Something else? Biographies of the Bell Beaker Archers and their Equipment from the Czech Republic”,  J. Ryan‑Despraz and C. Nicolas
  • 25th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists: Beyond paradigms (Bern, Switzerland); 09.2019
    • Oral presentation, Title: ”The application of Anthropological Analyses of Occupation on Bell Beaker ’Archer’ Burials in Europe”, J. Ryan, J. Desideri, S. Villotte, and M. Besse
  • Working Your Fingers to the Bone: An Interdisciplinary Conference Identifying
    Occupation from the Skeleton (Coimbra, Portugal); 07.2016
    • Poster presentation, Title: ”Entheseal Changes and the Search for Specialized Archers: A Look into Bell Beaker Burials”, J. Ryan, J. Desideri, and M. Besse
  • “Archéologie et Gobelets”: Beaker Days in Mediterranean France (Arles, France); 05.2016
    • Oral presentation, Title: ”An Anthropological Approach to Interpreting Bell Beaker Archery: A Study on Entheseal Changes”, J. Ryan, J. Desideri, and M. Besse

International Conference Organization

22nd Meeting of “Archéologie et Gobelets”- The Bell Beaker Culture in All its Forms (University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland); 01.2021

Teaching

  • Practical laboratory for the class ”Préhistoire Générale” (General Prehistory) at the University of Geneva (Switzerland)
    • Lecture title: “La Paléopathologie” (Paleopathology); Bachelor’s level, 3 hours per year from 2016-2021
  • Paléoanthropologie II” (Paleoanthropology II) at the University of Geneva (Switzerland)
    • Lecture title: “Les Modifications Osseuses” (Bone Modifications); Master’s level, 2 hours per year from 2016 - 2021
  • ”Le Néolithique de l’Europe” (The Neolithic Period in Europe) at the University of Geneva (Switzerland)
    • Lecture 1 title: “La Guerre pendant le Néolithique” (Warfare during the Neolithic period); Master’s level, 2 hours per year from 2018 - 2021
    • Lecture 2 title: “La Spécialisation pendant le Néolithique” (Specialization during the Neolithic period); Master’s level, 2 hours per year from 2018 - 2021