JASON MADDEN

My name is Jason Madden, and I am a junior and distinguished transfer scholar at the

University of Texas at San Antonio majoring in anthropology. I graduated from Austin

Community College in 2019 with my associate degree in archaeology. Throughout my schooling

I loved learning about history, and about people -where we came from, how we got to where we

are now, how we differ and ultimately, how we are all similar. Naturally, I gravitated towards

anthropology. Not only does it involve history and prehistory, but it combines many disciplines

like the earth sciences, cultural studies, biology, psychology, and linguistics. I consider myself a

versatile person with a passion for learning many different subjects, which made anthropology

seem like a perfect fit.

I plan to go to grad school with a focus in either archaeology or biological anthropology.

Archaeology, because I love learning about ancient civilizations, and biological anthropology,

because I love learning about primates and human evolution. Regardless of my path, I hope my

studies and career present me with opportunities to travel.

Research:

One of the issues in our country’s education system is its treatment of how evolution is

taught in schools. It has come a long way since its early controversies but remains a problem in

parts of the United States. In my research, I want to go in depth on how evolution is taught in

schools, and how it relates to teachings at the college level. How do elementary schools, middle

schools, high schools, and colleges approach the subject differently? How is evolution taught in

public versus private schools? Are there still obstacles for teachers of evolution to overcome? I

also wonder how human evolution is specifically taught. Do some still believe humans as

separate from apes? It is a topic with countless questions to be answered, and I hope my

contribution will shed further light on the issue.