Sarah Schrader

About Me

I am a bioarchaeologist and anthropological archaeologist interested in lived experience in the ancient past. I analyze skeletal remains and artifacts from mortuary contexts to address everyday life, social inequality, health, disease, migration, and more. These topics are rooted in anthropological thought and importantly contribute to our understanding of humans through diachronic and heuristic perspectives.

I'm originally from the US but moved to the Netherlands in 2017 when I was hired by the Leiden University. My research interests are diverse but are largely question driven. I am currently the PI on the Embodied Inequality project, funded by the NWO (Dutch Research Council). We are examining the embodied impacts of socioeconomic inequality in one of the earliest states in Africa, Kush. For this we are combining skeletal, biomolecular, and mortuary data to better understand how inequality changed through time and space in this early state context. I am working with the Department of Endocrinology at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) to investigate how bone quality has changed in the Netherlands over the past five centuries. This involves CT scanning human remains at the LUMC and using the historical and archaeological record to understand environment and lived experience. I am also very interested in ethical approaches to studying human skeletal remains and recently wrote a paper on how we might start to decolonize bioarchaeology in the Nile Valley.

In addition to using skeletal approaches to addresses these types of questions, I also use biomolecular methods to better understand life in the past. This has included carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of collagen and carbonate tissues to investigate diet, as well as strontium, neodymium, and lead to examine migration in the past. In collaboration with the University of Nottingham, I have also used proteomic approaches to determine males and females using an innovative and minimally destructive approach. We are also using proteomic analysis to examine ancient diseases, like cancer, in the past. Lastly, through an ongoing collaboration with the LUMC, I am pursuing pioneering research into ancient hormones. Supported by a NWO-XS grant, I am using LC-MS/MS to examine steroid hormones in multiple tissues of archaeological specimens.

I have worked on multiple international projects, including The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sudan, Egypt, Chile, Portugal, and the United States.

Research

I have multiple ongoing research projects. I highlight a few of them here, but please see my CV for a full list of publications, presentations, and grants.

Embodied Inequality

The Embodied Inequality project (funded by the Dutch Research Council, NWO VIDI) examines the origins and consequences of socioeconomic inequality. Today, we know that one's socioeconomic position in society can have an enormous impact on health outcomes and even age at death. The Embodied Inequality project questions, when did this health inequality epidemic first occur? Did it get worse through time? Did it differ between rural and urban settlements? And, who were the most vulnerable in this scenario?

Focusing on one of the earliest states in Africa, Kush, we are investigating how people's lives, health, and even deaths were impacted by their social, economic, and political position in society. Due to the devastating ongoing war in Sudan, we are not able to excavate at this time. However, we are exploring museum collections of previously excavated material that can also address these questions. We turn to biomolecular and skeletal methods that can inform how physiologically stressed a person was, if they were migrants, what foods they were eating, and more. We use skeletal data to understand how physiologically stressed they were, what diseases they had, and how long they lived. We also incorporate the mortuary record to better understand their belief systems and socioeconomic context. This project is ongoing (2021-2026).

Bone Quality

In collaboration with the Leiden University Medical Center, I am working towards better understand bone quality through time. Through CT and DEXA scans we are able to determine if someone had osteoporosis, which is a debilitating disease that causes bone to become more fragile and vulnerable to fracture. We have started a pilot project, scanning Dutch skeletal remains from the 18th-19th century. We have found that women in the past did not have same levels of osteoporosis that they do today. This is very interesting and can potentially provide solutions to todays osteoporosis problem.

Stress

I am also interested in the stress experience and how this impacts the human skeleton. I am working with Leiden University Medical center to examine ancient stress hormones. We are able to reliably quantify cortisol and other steroid hormones, which can speak to a psychosocial stress response. This preliminary research is supported by The Dutch Research Council (NWO Open Competition XS). We are also investigating the link between cortisol and other skeletal indicators of stress and longevity.

Teaching and Outreach

Courses Taught

Teaching – Instructor of Record

2017-2026Leiden University

Advanced Osteoarchaeology
Advanced Paleopathology
MSc Internship Coordinator
MSc Internship
Professional Development
Scientific Methodology in Archaeology

2016-2017University of Notre Dame

Biocultural Approaches to Food

2014-2016University of California, Santa Cruz

Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Human Skeletal Biology
Bioarchaeology and Forensics Biocultural Approaches to Food

2013-2014Western Michigan University

Race, Biology, and Culture (lecture)
Race, Biology, and Culture (online)
Bioanthropological Approaches to Food
Cultures of Africa
Introduction to Biological Anthropology

2012-2013Purdue University

Culture, Food and Health
Archaeology of Ancient Egypt and the Near East

Students Supervised

PhD Supervision

1. Maia Casna, Leiden University
2. Katherinne Guerra Cheva, Leiden University
3. Rachael Hall, Leiden University
4. Cora Leder, Leiden University
5. Mélie Louys, Leiden University, L'École du Louvre
6. Eleftheria Orfanou, Max Planck Institute for Science of Human History
7. Alex Tutwiler, Leiden University
8. Alyson Caine, 2023, University of California, Merced
9. Erin Borneman, 2019, University of California, Santa Barbara
10. Jessica Palmer, Leiden University

I have also served on multiple Examining and Doctorate Committees.

Completed MSc Theses

1. Hélène Lepage, “Activity and Entheseal Changes of the Population of Eindhoven, Buried at the Catharina Church Between 1500 and 1850” 
2. Michael C. Steenbakker, “Worked to the Bone: Interpreting Entheseal Changes in a Late 15^th to Early 16^th Century Population from Alkmaar, the Netherlands” 
3. Eleftheria Orfanou, “A Shiver Down One’s Spine: The Use of Vertebral Measurements and Stature as Non-Specific Indicators of Stress in Order to Detect Growth Disruption and Social Inequality in Postmedieval Eindhoven, the Netherlands” 
4. Marta Hlad, “Gendered Division of Labor in 15^th to 18^th Century Aalst, Belgium, and 17^th to 19^th Century Middenbeemster, the Netherlands” 
5. Mike de Heij, “Autofluorescence of Bone and the Potential of its Variating Intensities in Relation to Time Since Death: A Macroscopic Analysis of Samples from the Post-Medieval Middenbeemster Cemetery in the Netherlands”
6. Lynn Jansen, “The Application of Analytical Methods to Prehistoric Cremated Human Remains from Ermelose Heide and Oss-IJsselstraat”
7. Marijke Langevoort, “Estimating Sex in Juveniles: Assessing the Curvature of the Iliac Crest Based on Sinuosity Values from 3D Models Using Laser Scanning”
8. Hope Simpson, “The ‘Offal’ Influence of Class on Diet: Contemplating Social Inequalities in Diet through Stable Isotope Analysis of Carbon and Nitrogen in Bone Collagen from Human Remains Buried at Sint-Catharinakerk in Post-Medieval Eindhoven, The Netherlands”
9. Elisa van Veldhuizen, “Not Just Simply Old: Testing the Accuracy and Precision of Transition Analysis on a Human Osteoarchaeological Sample with Known Age-at-Death (Middenbeemster, The Netherlands)”
10. Jude Olszewski, “You Age What You Eat: A Refined Method in Estimating Age-at-Death Using Dental Wear”
11. Rachael Hall*, “Analysing the Auricular Surface: A Validation Study of a Non-Adult Sex Estimation Method in the Middenbeemster Population”
12. Petar Davidkov, “Vertebral Compression: An Assessment of Vertebral Compression Fracture as Indicator of Activity in Post-Medieval Netherlands”
13. Marijke van Kempen (RMA), “Stressed Out: Measuring Frailty in the Early Modern High Status and Low Status Populations of Zwolle and Arnhem with the Use of Non-Specific Stress Indicators”
14. Anne Dijkstra, “Estimating Sex from Calcaneus Measurements in a 19^th Century Dutch Population: A Machine Learning Approach”
15. Mayke Bruïjstens, “Seven Clicks to Sex: Estimating Sex of Adults from the Post-Medieval Sites of Middenbeemster and Aalst Using 2D Photographs for the Crania”
16. Aliki Giannikou, “Life Conditions of Non-Adult Individuals, in Post-Medieval Northwestern Europe, Based on Dental Health and Dental Defects”
17. Roos Kallsingh, “Testing a Metric Sexing Method on the Sterna of the 19^th Century Middenbeemster Skeletal Collection”
18. Helena Muńoz Mojado, “Choose Your Side: Osteometric Sex Diagnosis from Both Upper Limbs in Late Medieval and Post-Medieval Dutch Populations”
19. Maia Casna*, “To Follow Someone’s Nose: A Bioarchaeological Study of Chronic Maxillary Sinusitis and Respiratory Health in Two Post-Medieval populations from the Netherlands”
20. Maria Feiler*, “Sex and the City: Urbanization’s Effects on Sexual Dimorphism in the Post-Medieval Dutch”
21. Raquel Guedes-Almeida, “Generation and Evaluation of a User-Interface for the Identification of Skeletal Joint Diseases”
22. Veronica Jackson*, “Making the Invisible Visible: Test of a Population-Specific Non-Adult Sexing Approach Using Permanent Odontometrics on a Post-Medieval Dutch Skeletal Collection”
23. Elena Sandoval, “Human Adaptation to Climate: A Study of Human Adaptation to Humidity and Temperature in Three Populations”
24. Maria Serrano Ruber, “Re-examining Scurvy: The Prevalence of Scurvy in a Post-Medieval Rural Dutch Population”
25. Niels Sommers, “Age-at-Death Estimation Using Dental Root Translucency”
26. Merel van Eynde*, “Straight to the Hips: Pelvic Inlet Morphology as an Indicator of Nutritional Status in Two Urban, Post-Medieval Dutch Collections”
27. Anita Perlot, “Weary Post-Medieval Populations”
28. Anna Maria Mavridou, “Tracking Breastfeeding and Weaning Practices in Cuba” (co-supervised with Jason Laffoon)
29. Dado Postma, “Respiratory Health in the Netherlands and England in the Post-Medieval period”
30. Jenna Savolainen, “Hands full of work: Musculoskeletal activity patterns as an indicator of socioeconomic and occupational status”
31. Iris Sluis*, “A degree of osteophytes as a marker for age-at-death”
32. Lysanne Michels (RMA), “In Our Own Natures Frail: Testing the Skeletal Frailty Index on the Dutch (Post)Mediaeval Urban Eindhoven Collection”
33. Chrysoula Chatzinikolaou, “Osteoarthritis and Body Size in Ancient Nubia”
34. Amena Ghareeb, “Anatomical Differences Between Endurance Runners and Sprinters”
35. Carlijne Wijngaarden*, “Bone Surface Texture and Age-at-Death of post-Medieval Adult Skeletal Remains from Middenbeemster, the Netherlands”
36. Fotini Constantinou, “Schmorl's Nodes and Vertebral Body Size”
37. Jessica van Dam, “Pulling Teeth: Application of Cementochronology to an Archaeologically Known Age-At-Death Collection” 
38. Roos Kok, “Catch-up If You Can: An Integrated Osteological Approach Combining Stature, Stunting, and Catch-Up Growth for Investigating North-South Differences in Stature in the Postmedieval Netherlands, Using Skeletal Remains from Zwolle, Hattem, Eindhoven, and Aalst” 
39. Kyran Foster, “A Tale of Two Classes: An Investigation into the Impact of Socioeconomic Status into the Diet of Post-Medieval Eindhoven through Dental Disease” 
40. Tessa Zwart, “Ageing the Youngest Members of Past Societies: An Evaluation and Assessment of the Occipital Development Age Estimation Method on a Dutch Post-Medieval Population” 
41. Marijn Bastiaans, “Individual Identification within Commingled Remains Using CT and DEXA scans” 
42. Laura Tuomisalo*, “Genes or Physical Activity: Scapular Axillary Border Variation in Three Modern Human Populations from The Netherlands and Sudan” 
43. Suzette Willemsen, “Testing a new age at death estimation method using the acetabulum: Testing SanMillán-Rissech's Method on a Dutch Sample from a late 19th Century Rural Settlement” 
44. Oriana Chiappa Zugazagoitia (RMSc), “Frailty Among the Non-Survivors: Assessing the Effects of Urban Living on Infant and Maternal Health Through a Comparative Study of Dental Stress Markers Between Two Dutch Post-Medieval Populations” 
45. Jan Dekker (RMA)*, “Imaging Stress: LC-MS/MS and MSI Investigation of Osteocalcin as a Stress Biomarker on a Dutch (Post-)Medieval Assemblage”(co-supervised with Marie Soressi) 
46. Amber Erim, “The Tibia Used for the Estimation of Sex: An Osteometric Application on the Middenbeemster Population from the Post-Medieval Netherlands” 
47. Kiki Gaarthuis, “Wear and Tear in the Rich and Poor: A Study of Socioeconomic Status and Osteoarthritis in the Post-Medieval Population of Eindhoven, The Netherlands” 
48. Melina Grigoriadi, “Sex Estimation Using Patellar Measurements on a 19th Century Dutch Population” 
49. Cora Leder (RMSc)*, “Last, But Not Least: Examining the Role of the Fifth Finger in Daily Manual Activities Through Multivariate Correlations Among Entheses in Three Post-Medeival Dutch Populations” 
50. Elle Liagre*, “Familiar Feet: Kinship analysis using foot anomalies in the cemetery of Middenbeemster (Netherlands, 17th to 19th century)” 
51. Tamara Merjasec, “A Comparative Bioarchaeological Study of Chronic Frontal Sinusitis in Urban and Rural Environments in the Netherlands (1626-1866)” 
52. Tommy Morgan, “Dental Pathologies in Zwolle and Arnhem: How Status and Diet Affected Dentition in Post-Medieval Dutch Populations” 
53. Nina Piso, “Sexual Dimorphism in the Talus: The Talus as a Tool for Sex Estimation in a Post-Medieval Dutch Population” 
54. Anance Minnebo, “It's All in the Hands: A Study on Fractures Connected to Sports in the Nubian Skeletal Collection of Abu Fatima Dating Between 2500-1500 BC” 
55. Boudwijn Sloff, “Cross-Sectional Geometry Analysis of the Roman Inhumations from the Valkenburg-Marktveld Cemetery: Applications of Calculated Indices and Bilateral Asymmetry for Inferring Demographic Differences in Activity Patterns” 
56. Daniëlle van Dieren, “Vertebral Pathology and Social Status: A Comparison Between a Post-Medieval Population from Arnhem and Three Contemporary Populations from London” 
57. Gabriela Perhaj, “Determining Biological Kinship Based on the Cranial Non-Metric Traits in the Middenbeemster Cemetery Sample (the Netherlands, 17th to 19th Century)” 
58. Gendra Lacle, “Widom of the First Teeth: Dental Analysis into the Changing Dietary Patterns of the Archaic, Ceramic, and Historical Populations of Aruba” 
59. Jessika Bentivogli, “Right of Birth: Investigating the Relationship Between Social Status and the Presence of the Dorsal Pubic Sulcus (DPS) in the Dutch Post-Medieval Collections of Arnhem, Eindhoven, and Zwolle (1650-1850)” 
60. Sharandeep Bose, “Worked to the Bone” 
61. Stavroula Papkosta, “Sex Estimation from the Foramen Magnum on a 19th Century Dutch Population” 
62. Tom Herz, “The Mastoid Triangle for Sex Determination in an Adult Dutch Post-Medieval Population: A Validation Study” 
63. Veronica Pace, “Imaging for Headache: Using CT Scans to Diagnose Chronic Frontal Sinusitis in the Post-Medieval Rural Community of Middenbeemster in the Netherlands (AD 1829-1866)” 
64. Yuran Niu, “Social Inequality and Body Size Differences in the Post-Medieval Dutch Populations” 
65. Marjolein Bruinsma, “Unveiling the Past: Shedding light on Post-Mortem Manipulations of Archaeological Human Skeletal Remains through Photoluminescence Analysis” 
66. Noushka Bosch, “Of Athletes and Agriculture: Cam-Type Femoroacetabular Impingement in Medieval and Post-Medieval Dutch Skeletal Collections” 
67. Serina Griffioen*, “Estimating Parity from the Body Pelvis: An Osteological Assessment of Three Pelvic Features in a Post-Medieval Sample from Middenbeemster, the Netherlands” 
68. Christina Karasimou, “The Puzzle of Commingling: Portable X-ray Fluorescence Analysis of Post-Medieval Human Skeletal Remains from Arnhem and Middenbeemster” 
69. Martijn Jacobs, “Study of Porous Lesions of the Anterior Femoral Neck (Cribra Femora) through Portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry” 
70. Melanie Need, “Combining Computational Methods and Dental Wear to Estimate the Dental Number of Individuals in Commingled Remains” 
71. Sofia Orfanidou, “Preservation Patterns and Diagenetic Alterations in Non-Adult Skeletal Remains from Three Post-Medieval Different Burial Environments in the Netherlands” 
72. Lyann Pieters, “Odontogenic Maxillary Sinusitis in Post-Medieval Populations from Arnhem and Middenbeemster, the Netherlands (1626-1866 AD)” 
73. Babette Reus, “Age-at-Death Estimation Through Neural Networks: An Evaluation of DRNNAGE Software for Age-at-Death Estimation on a Dutch Medieval Skeletal Sample” 
74. Carola Ruschel*, “From Bones to Histories: An Osteoarchaeological Study of Paleopathology with a Focus on Osteoarthritis, Periosteal New Bone, and Osteochondritis Dissecans in a Medieval Community from Satricum, Italy (9th-11th Century AD)” 
75. Tessel van Nijs, “Hips Don't Lie: A Revision of the Phenice Method on the Post-Medieval Dutch Skeletal Remains of Middenbeemster” 
76. Teun van Someren, “The DSP Method in The Netherlands: Testing a Mathematical Approach for Sex Estimation on a Post-Medieval Dutch Skeletal Collection” 
77. Emma Vereecken, “The Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Rickets Prevalence in the Post-Medieval Netherlands” 
78. Laura Vranjes, “Stuck in the Middle Ear: A Methodological Approach to Diagnosing Otitis Media in Human Skeletal Remains” 
79. Yue Xuwen, “Activity Differences between Different Socioeconomic Status Populations of Arnhem and Zwolle in the Post-Medieval Netherlands” 
80. Vita Schouten*, “From Pavement to Pasture: How Growing Up in Urban and Rural Areas Shapes the Way We Move” 
81. Andreas Artto, “Were They Soldiers or Citizens in Revolt? Osteological Activity Examination of the Alkmaar Mass Burial from the Early Years of the Dutch 80-Year War (16th and 17th Centuries CE)” 
82. Jessie Boutenstein, “Gaining Muscles, Adding Bone: Comparing Entheseal Changes of the High Status Population of Delft and the Low Status Population of Arnhem as a Proxy for Physical Labour Activity” 
83. Sarah Abdeddaïm, “Bones and Epidemics: A Study of the Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Tuberculosis in Post-Medieval England and the Netherlands” 

*Graduated cum laude
RMA = Research Master's

Completed BA Theses

1. Vitek Weijland, “Digging for DNA”
2. Mary van der Hoorn, “Entheseal changes and patterns of activity in Lower Nubia”
3. Katherine Miller, “Hannek: An investigation into Ancient Nubia Through Excavation and Bioarchaeological Examination”
4. Franklin Norris, “Physical Activity at Abu Fatima, Nubia: An Upper Body Perspective”
5. Aida Tadesse*

Outreach

Day of the Dead, Leiden City of Science 2022

Contact

Sarah A. Schrader
Faculty of Archaeology
Leiden University
Einsteinweg 2
2333CC, Leiden
The Netherlands

s.a.schrader@arch.leidenuniv.nl

• Twitter
• Facebook
• GitHub

Sarah A. Schrader

Faculty of Anthropology, Leiden University

Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands

Phone: +31 (0)71 527 1685

s.a.schrader@arch.leidenuniv.nl

Education

2013 PhD Purdue University, Anthropology, with distinction

Dissertation: “Bioarchaeology of the Everyday: Analysis of Diet and Activity Patterns in the Nile Valley” Advisor: Dr. Michele Buzon

2010 MS Purdue University, Anthropology, with distinction

Thesis: “A Bioarchaeological Investigation of Activity Patterns in New Kingdom Nubia” Advisor: Dr. Michele Buzon

2006 BA University of California, Santa Barbara, with honors

Thesis: “Comparative Skeletal Analysis of Stature in California Native Americans” Advisor: Dr. Phillip L. Walker

Academic Positions

2024-Associate Professor, Archaeology, Leiden University

2017-2024Assistant Professor, Archaeology, Leiden University

2016-2017Adjunct Assistant Professor, Anthropology, University of Notre Dame

2014-2016Visiting Assistant Professor, Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz

2013-2014Visiting Assistant Professor, Anthropology, Western Michigan University

Research and Teaching Interests

Sociopolitical complexity and resultant inequalities, health disparities, and violence; Psychosocial and physiological stress; Mobility, migration, and ancient diaspora; Frailty & resilience; Bioarchaeology of the everyday; Biogeochemistry & biomolecules; Mortuary archaeology; Nile Valley archaeology (Sudan, Egypt, North Africa); Medieval and Early Modern Low Countries and Western Europe

Monographs

2019S. Schrader, Activity, Diet, and Social Practice: Addressing Everyday Life in Human Skeletal Remains. Bioarchaeology and Social Theory Series, Springer. (D. Martin, series editor)

2019S. Schrader, Activity, Diet, and Social Practice: Addressing Everyday Life in Human Skeletal Remains. Bioarchaeology and Social Theory Series, Springer. (D. Martin, series editor)

Articles, Peer-Reviewed (*student collaboration)

2025O. Chiappa Zugazagoitia* and S. Schrader, ”The effects of urban living on child, infant, and maternal health: A Comparative Study of Linear Enamel Hypoplasia Between Two Dutch Post-Medieval Populations” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.

2025J. Carballo Pérez, U. Matić, R. Hall,* S.T. Smith, and S. Schrader, ”Tumplines, Baskets and Precious Burdens: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Bodily Techniques of Carrying Children and Weight in Bronze Age Nubia, New Evidence from Abu Fatima” Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 77:101652.

2024S. Schrader, T. Fushiya, M. Saad, and E.H.A. Hassan, ”Decolonizing Bioarchaeology in Sudan” Journal of African Archaeology 22(1-2):12-38.

2024M. Cansa* and S. Schrader, ”Exploring the Impact of Tobacco Consumption on the Respiratory Health of two Dutch Skeletal Populations (1300-1829 CE). World Archaeology.

2024M. Casna* and S. Schrader, ”The Urban Sea: Cribra orbitalia, Porotic hyperostosis, Linear enamel hypoplasia, and Sinusitis in three diachronic urban sites from the Dutch Province of Zeeland (1030-1800 CE)” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 34(3):e3302.

2024M. Casna* and S. Schrader, ”Chronic Maxillary Sinusitis: A Comparison of Osteological and CT Methods of Diagnosis” International Journal of Paleopathology 45:30-34.

2024Y. Niu* and S. Schrader, ”Social Inequality and Body Mass Differences in Two Post-Medieval Dutch Populations” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 34(5):e3320.

2024M. Casna,* A. Davies-Barrett, and S. Schrader, ”Smoking histories: A bioarchaeological approach to tobacco consumption in two skeletal populations from the Netherlands (1300-1829 CE)” Post-Medieval Archaeology 58(1):1-13.

2024A. Tadesse,* and S. Schrader, ”Culinary Colonialism: Exploring the Impact of Egyptian Colonialism on Nubian Populations through an Analysis of Diet” ARCHON Day (2nd place presentation prize)

2024V. Pace,* M. Casna,* and S. Schrader, ”Using computed tomography to diagnose chronic frontal sinusitis in the skeletal remains of a post-medieval Dutch rural community (AD 1829-1866)” Journal of Archaeological Science 170:106041.

2023S. Schrader and J. Carballo-Pérez, ”Special Issue Adaptive Tools for Resilient Bones: Biostatistical Approaches to Past Physical Activity in Osteoarchaeology” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 33(3): 381-388.

2023B. Shaw ... S. Schrader, and R. Layfield, ”Antibody-based sex determination of human skeletal remains” iScience 26(11): 108191.

2023J. Olszewski,* R. A. Hall,* ... and S. Schrader. ”Osteological, multi-isotope and proteomic analysis of poorly-preserved human remains from a Dutch East India Company burial ground in South Africa” Scientific Reports 13:14666.

2023S. van der Pas and S. Schrader. ”Towards Standardization of Statistical Reporting in Studies on Entheseal Changes.” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 33(3):475-478.

2023J. Carballo-Pérez and S. Schrader. ”Embodied Labors During the State Formation of Egypt and Nubia (ca. 4800-1750 BCE): Elucidating Transformations in Behavioral Patterns with Entheseal Changes.” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 33(3):440-460.

2023C. Cheverko, S. Schrader, C. Torres, W. Pestle, and M. Hubbe. ”Emerging Inequality in the San Pedro de Atacama Oases (Chile): An Investigation of Entheseal Patterns Using ANCOVA and Factorial ANOVA” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 33(3):402-418.

2023M. Casna,* R. Schats, M. Hoogland, and S. Schrader, ”A Distant City: Assessing the Impact of Dutch Socioeconomic Developments on Urban and Rural Health Using Respiratory Disease as a Proxy,” International Journal of Paleopathology 42:34-45.

2023J. Dekker,* ... S. Schrader, M. Soressi, and J. Hendy. ”Spatial Analysis of the Ancient Proteome of Archaeological Teeth Using Mass Spectrometry Imaging” Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 37:e9486.

2023M. Lamer, B. Veselka, S. Schrader, M. Hoogland, and M.B. Brickley, ”Precarious Adolescence: Adolescent Rickets and Anterior Sacral Angulation in Two Dutch Skeletal Collections from the 18th-19th Centuries” International Journal of Paleopathology 40:63-69.

2022S. Schrader, ”The Embodiment of Colonial Strategy: Osteoarthritis in Ancient Nubia” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 32(4):746-758.

2022I. Sluis,* B. Bartholdy, M. Hoogland, and S. Schrader, ”Age Estimation Using Vertebral Bone Spurs: Testing the Efficacy of Three Methods on a European Population” Forensic Science International: Reports 6:100301.

2022M. Casna* and S. Schrader, ”Urban Beings: A Bioarchaeological Approach to Socioeconomic Status, Cribra Orbitalia, Porotic Hyperostosis, Linear Enamel Hypoplasia, and Sinusitis in the Early-Modern Northern Low Countries (A.D. 1626-1850)” Bioarchaeology International 6(4):217-232.

2022E. Liagre,* M. Hoogland, and S. Schrader, ”It Runs in the Family: Kinship Analysis Using Foot Anomalies in the Cemetery of Middenbeemster (Netherlands, 17th-19th century).” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 32(4):769-782.

2021S. Schrader and S.T. Smith. “Archaeology of the Kerma Culture.” In The Oxford Encyclopedia of African History., Oxford University Press.

2021M. Casna, C.L. Burrell, R. Schats, M.L.P. Hoogland, and S. Schrader.  Urbanisation and respiratory stress in the Northern Low Countries: a comparative study of chronic maxillary sinusitis in two early modern sites from the Netherlands (AD 1626--1866). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.

2020S. Schrader and C. Torres-Rouff. “Embodying Bioarchaeology: Theory and Practice.” In Theoretical Approaches in Bioarchaeology, ed. C. Cheverko, J. Prince-Buitenhuys, and M. Hubbe. Routledge.

2020B.P. Bartholdy, E. Sandoval, M.L.P. Hoogland, and S. Schrader.  Getting Rid of Dichotomous Sex Estimations: Why Logistic Regression Should be Preferred Over Discriminant Function Analysis. Journal of Forensic Sciences.  65(5):1685-1691

2019S. Schrader, M. Buzon, L. Corcoran, and A. Simonetti, “Intraregional ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr Variation in Nubia: New Insights from Third Cataract.” Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 24:373-379.

2018S. Schrader, S.T. Smith, S. Olsen, and M. Buzon, “Symbolic Equids and Kushite State Formation: A Horse Burial at Tombos.” Antiquity 92(362):383-397.

2018S. Schrader, M. Buzon, and S.T. Smith, “Colonial-indigene interaction in Ancient Nubia: an integrative analysis of diet, health, and the material record.” Bioarchaeology of the Near East 12:1-32.

2017S. Schrader and M. Buzon, “Everyday Life After Collapse: A Bioarchaeological Examination of Entheseal Change and Accidental Injury in Post-Colonial Nubia.” Bioarchaeology International 1(1-2):19-34.

2015S. Schrader, “Elucidating Inequality in Nubia: An Examination of Entheseal Remodeling at Kerma (Sudan).” American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156:192-202.

2014S. Schrader, M. Buzon, and J. Irish, “Illuminating the Nubian ‘Dark Age’: A Bioarchaeological Analysis of Dental Non-Metric Traits During the Napatan Period.” Journal of Comparative Human Biology 65(4):267-280.

2012S. Schrader, “Activity Patterns in New Kingdom Nubia: An Examination of Entheseal Remodeling and Osteoarthritis at Tombos.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology 149:60-70.

Book Chapters, Peer-Reviewed

2024S. Schrader and M. Buzon, ”Isotopic and skeletal approaches to diet and mobility in ancient Nubia.” In Landscape and Resource Management in Bronze Age Nubia: Archaeological Perspectives on the Exploration of Natural Resources and the Circulation of Commodities in the Middle Nile, edited by J. Budka and R. Lemos, Contributions to the Archaeology of Egypt, Nubia, and the Levant 17, Wiesbaden. pp. 159-172.

2024L. Horáčková, A.J. Scheers,* and S. Schrader, ”Skeletal remains.” In Five New Kingdom Tombs at Saqqara, edited by M. J. Raven. Sidestone. pp. 373-403.

2023R.J. Gilmour, L. Mansukoski, and S. Schrader, ”Injury, Disease and Recovery: Skeletal Adaptations to Immobility and Impairment.” In Behaviour in Our Bones: How Human Behaviour Influences Skeletal Morphology, edited by C.S. Hirst, R.J. Gilmour, K.A. Plomp, F.A. Cardoso. Elsevier. pp.281-302

2020S. Schrader and C. Torres-Rouff. ”Embodying Bioarchaeology: Theory and Practice.” In Theoretical Approaches in Bioarchaeology, edited by C. Cheverko, J. Prince-Buitenhuys, and M. Hubbe. Routledge.

2019M. Buzon, S. Schrader, and G. Bowen, “Isotopic Approaches to Mobility in Northern Africa: A Bioarchaeological Examination of Egyptian/Nubian Interaction in the Nile Valley.” In Trans-Sahara: State Formation, Migration and Trade in the Central Sahara (1000 BC-AD 1500), ed. D. Mattingly. Cambridge University Press. 

2017S. Schrader and S.T. Smith, “Socializing Violence: Interpersonal Violence Recidivism at Abu Fatima (Sudan).” In Broken Bodies: Bioarchaeological and Forensic Approaches of Accumulative Trauma and Violence, edited by C. Tegtmeyer and D. Martin. Lexington Books, Latham, MD.

Published Reports

2023H. Mickleburgh ... S. Schrader, E. Seferidou. Nederlandse Vereniging voor Fysische Antropologie: Ethical Guidelines on Human Remains.

2019P. del Vesco ... S. Schrader. Current Research of the Leiden-Turin Archaeological Mission in Saqqara: A Preliminary Report of the 2018 Season. Rivista del Museuo Egizio 3.

External Research Funding

2023Dutch Research Council, NWO, Open Competition-XS, ”The Evolution of Stress” awarded to PI S. Schrader (€50,000)

2021Dutch Research Council, NWO, VIDI Grant, ”Embodied Inequality: Transforming Archaeological Knowledge of State Formation, Social Disparity, and Health Inequality” awarded to PI S. Schrader (€800,000)

2021Stichting Nederlands Museum voor Anthropologie en Praehistorie, ”Identifying Ancient Cancer: A Proteomic Approach” awarded to PI S. Schrader and Co-PI R. Layfield (€3,000)

2021Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Horizon EU Post-Doctoral Fellowship, ”WOmen-PRO: The biological and social profiles of women in pre-pharaonic Egypt and Nubia (4th-3rd millennium BC), a biocultural approach” awarded to PI V. Tamorri and supervisor S. Schrader (€187,625)

2021Dutch Research Council, NWO, PhD Humanities ”A study into the impact of socio-economic changes on the respiratory health of past Dutch populations” awarded to PhD student M. Casna, supervisor S. Schrader, and co-supervisor A. Henry (€254,945)

2018American Association of Physical Anthropologists Cobb Professional Development Grant, “Unearthing Hidden Stress and Frailty: An Assessment of Hair Cortisol and Non-Specific Disease Indicators” ($7,500)

2017Franklin Research Grant, American Philosophical Society, “Moving to the City: An Examination of Migration, Urbanization, and State Formation in Ancient Nubia” ($6,000)

2016National Geographic Society, “Socializing Violence in Ancient Nubia: Connecting Interpersonal Conflict with State Development in the Archaeological Record” ($20,000)

2012National Science Foundation Dissertation Improvement Grant, “Bioarchaeological Analysis of Diet and Activity Patterns in the Nile Valley,” BCS-1128950 ($19,849)

Internal Research Funding

2024Kiem Seed Grant, ”Bones Under the Microscope,” awarded to PI S. Schrader (€10,000)

2021Conference Organization Grant, ”Adaptive Tools for Resilient Bones: Biostatistical Approaches to Past Physical Activity in Osteoarchaeology” Leids Universiteits Fonds, awarded to PI S. Schrader and co-PI J. Carballo-Pérez (€3,750)

2018Bakels Research Grant, “Stressed Out: An Analysis of Archaeological Hair Cortisol,” Leids Universiteits Fonds (€5,000)

2014Research Grant, Office of the Vice President for Research, Western Michigan University ($800)

2013Walter Hirsch Award, Dissertation Research Award, Purdue University ($1,500)

2012Global Research Synergy Grant,“Identifying Migration: Egyptian Diet and Social Identity in Ancient Nubia,” Purdue University ($10,050)

2012Purdue Research Foundation Grant, “Archaeology of the Everyday: A Bioarchaeological Approach to Activity Patterns and Diet of Ancient Nubians,” Purdue University ($15,288) 

Archaeological Fieldwork and Experience

2018-Saqqara (Egypt); Researcher

2016-San Pedro de Atacama, Chile; Researcher

2015-Abu Fatima, Sudan; Co-Director of Excavation and lead bioarchaeologist

2015Hannek, Sudan; Co-Director of Excavation and lead bioarchaeologist

2012The British Museum; Researcher

2012Duckworth Laboratory, University of Cambridge; Researcher

2012Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen; Researcher

2010-Tombos, Sudan; Lead bioarchaeologist and lab manager

2007-2008Port Anta Association for Iberian Archaeology, Lisbon; Research and instruction

Awards

2023Mentorship Award, British Association for Osteoarchaeology and Biological Anthropology Association, nomination from students

2022Emerging Voice Award, College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University

2019The (Dutch) University Teaching Qualification, Basis Kwalificatie Onderwijs (BKO)

2016Early Career Award, Paleopathology Association

2016Accessibility Leadership Award, Disability Resource Center, University of California, Santa Cruz

2013Teaching Award, Committee for the Education of Teaching Assistants, Purdue University

2011Graduate Teaching Certificate Center for Instructional Excellence, Purdue University

2010Distinguished Masters Thesis Award, Purdue University, College of Liberal Arts

Selected Conference Presentations and Invited Lectures

2021S. Schrader “The Embodiment of Colonial Strategy: Osteoarthritis in Ancient Nubia” poster presented, Paleopathology Association

2020S. Schrader, M. Buzon, and A. Simonetti “Strontium Isotope Variability (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) in the Ancient Nile Valley (Egypt and Nubia): Establishing Baseline Data and Tracking Human Mobility” poster presented, American Association for Physical Anthropologists

2019S. Schrader “Stressed to Death: An Analysis of Hair Cortisol and Non-Specific Stress Indicators” podium presentation, British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology

2019S. Schrader (keynote). “Osteoarchaeology in the Nile Valley: What Bones Can Tell Us About Ancient Life” podium presentation, International Congress for Young Egyptologists

2019S. Schrader. “Archaeological Hair Cortisol: A New Frontier?” podium presentation, Nederlandse Vereniging voor Fysische Antropolgoie

2018S. Schrader and S.T. Smith. “Secondary State Formation at the Third Cataract: Integrating Skeletal and Funerary Data from Abu Fatima” podium presentation, The 14^th International Conference for Nubian Studies

2018S. Schrader. “Mortuary Trends and Tenets in Ancient Nubia: A Case Study from the Third Cataract (Sudan)” podium presentation, Mortuary Archaeology Today: Approaches, Methods and Ethics, Groningen

2018S. Schrader, M. Hubbe, and C. Torres-Rouff. “Contextualizing the Biocultural Approach with Practice Theory: Physical Activity and Inequality During the Andean Middle Horizon and Late Intermediate Period” podium presentation, American Association of Physical Anthropologists

See full CV for teaching experience, laboratory training and experience, awards, outreach, and professional activities and service.