Holly O'Neil

Archaeology master's student in the Faculty of Environment

Tell us a little about yourself, including what inspires you to learn and continue in your chosen field

Hi! I'm Holly, I've been doing archaeology at SFU since 2018 through a bachelor's and now a master's program. I've always been interested in questions of what makes us human and how our species has evolved, both biologically and culturally, in different time periods and world regions. I love archaeology because it sits at a unique intersection of history, science, and anthropology, which encourages interdisciplinary research - my own research uses archaeological data but could also be explained as a project in evolutionary psychology, cognitive science, or religious studies. I am also inspired to continue in archaeology because of the opportunities it presents for world travel, hands-on fieldwork, and becoming immersed in the culture that you're studying!

Why did you choose to come to SFU?

I chose to come to SFU because of the great things I had heard about the archaeology department and because it was close to home!

How would you describe your research or your program to a family member?

My research looks into the evolution of human cooperation and how religious belief has played a role in facilitating it, with a focus in Ancient Greece. Around 12,000 years ago, there was a massive 'scaling-up' of societies - people went from living in small, dispersed groups across the landscape to congregating in large, settled cities where suddenly they would have had to live amongst and cooperate with hundreds of anonymous strangers. In order to prevent the lying, cheating, and theft that might arise in such a situation, some social mechanism must have come into play to encourage people to cooperate with one another on a large scale. One potential mechanism could have been religious belief, especially belief in gods who watch and punish humans for immoral behaviour. My research project uses archaeological data to investigate whether this concept is true for the ancient Greeks. Right now I am looking specifically for images of eyes, which can act as reminders of gods' surveillance, on ancient Greek pottery.

What three (3) keywords would you use to describe your research?

Archaeology, Interdisciplinarity, Cognitive Science of Religion

How have your courses, RA-ships, TA-ships, or non-academic school experiences contributed to your academic and/or professional development?

The TA-ships I have completed have given me a more holistic perspective on teaching and learning at the university, being a kind of intermediary between students and professors - I end up learning just as much from the students :)

Contact Holly:holly_oneil@sfu.ca

Additional Links

• LinkedIn