Dr Samantha Purchase

School of Biosciences

University Teaching Associate - Anatomy

Sam Purchase
Profile picture of Sam Purchase
s.l.purchase@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 2927
Minalloy House

Full contact details

Dr Samantha Purchase
School of Biosciences
Minalloy House
10-16 Regent Street
Sheffield
S1 3NJ
Profile

Sam recently passed her PhD VIVIA in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Sheffield (2018–2021). Her thesis is entitled Point and Shoot: A Radiographic Analysis of Mastoiditis in Archaeological Populations from England’s North-East. Previously, she graduated from the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, with both her MA (2012–2016) and BA High Honours (2008–2012). She trained in bioarchaeology and Classical and Near Eastern archaeology and was a member of the Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project. Today, she is a member of the Bioarchaeology of Urbanization Research Group (BURG), the Bioarchaeology Respiratory Network (BRN), and the Paleopathology Association (PPA), and she organises communications for the EDI sub-group of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO). In 2021 she was shortlisted for Archaeology Achievement Awards Early Career Archaeologist, representing the students in the Save Sheffield Archaeology campaign.

Sam currently works as a Teaching Associate in Human Anatomy and Osteology at the University of Sheffield (2021–2024). She is the module organiser for Human Anatomy, Human Osteology, and Applied Bioarchaeological Science, and teaches on the School of Bioscience Forensic Anatomy module. Sam has worked for the University of Saskatchewan as a Sessional Lecturer in Human Osteology (Autumn 2016) and as a Laboratory Technician, teaching Human Evolution and caring for the osteological collection (Autumn 2017, 2016, 2013). She has taught a course for Saskatoon Seniors and Continued Learning Inc. (Spring 2016); tutored/TAed various modules (2011–2021); and has secured numerous volunteer and casual roles as a speaker and demonstrator. She worked as an Archaeological Technician at Past Recovery Archaeological Services Inc., Maberly, Canada, for three summers (2018, 2010–2012). Her interests include the paleopathology of respiratory-related disease, paleoradiology, funerary archaeology, and EDI in academia and heritage.

Qualifications

PhD Candidate Archaeology – Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK

  • Dissertation – Point and Shoot: A Radiographic Analysis of Mastoiditis in Archaeological Populations from England’s North-East

MA Archaeology – Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Canada

  • Dissertation – Infectious Disease as an Indicator of Physiological Stress in the Middle Holocene Cis-Baikal

BA Archaeology (High Honours) – Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Research interests

My research interests lie in the realm of paleopathology and human osteology. I am fascinated by the relationships between human lifeways, the environment, and human health. My current area of research is the diagnosis and interpretation of mastoiditis and other respiratory-related diseases in human skeletal remains from England’s north-east.

I have worked with various populations, including those from the middle Neolithic Cis-Baikal, Siberia, Russian Federation; Anglo-Saxon/Saxo-Norman Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK; and Industrial South Shields, UK.

Grants
  • 2021- British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO) Symposia/Workshop Grant for the Bioarchaeology of Urbanization Research Group
  • 2013 – 2014- University of Saskatchewan Master’s Scholarship
  • 2012 – 2013- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Master’s Scholarship – Government of Canada
  • 2012 – 2013- Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP) Funding – Government of Canada
  • 2012 – 2013- History Travel Award – History Department, University of Saskatchewan
  • 2012- Fr. Henry Carr Award – St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan
  • 2010; 2011- Dean’s List –  University of Saskatchewan
  • 2010; 2011- Leadership Award – St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan
Teaching activities
  • September 2021 – September 2024 – AAP61004: Applied Bioarchaeological Science - Teaching Associate, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK
  • September 2021 – September 2024 – BMS352: Forensic Anatomy - Teaching Associate, Department of Archaeology and  School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, UK
  • September 2021 – September 2024 – AAP685: Human Osteology - Teaching Associate, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK
  • September 2021 – September 2024 – AAP683: Human Anatomy – Teaching Associate, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK
  • January TBA 2022, April 8, 2019 – April 10, 2019; April 6, 2020 – April 8, 2020- Human Osteology Short Course- Tutor, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK
    • 2020 course cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • October 2020 – January 2021 - AAP685: Human Osteology - Tutor, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK
  • October 2020 – January 2021 - AAP683: Human Anatomy – Tutor, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK
  • October 2019 – December 2019; October 2020 – December 2020 - AAP685: Human Osteology – Tutor, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK
  • January 11, 2018 – March 8, 2018- Bones: An Introduction to Human Osteology – Instructor, Saskatoon Seniors Continued Learning (SSCL) Non-Credit Courses for Seniors Program, SSCL Inc., Saskatoon, Canada.
  • September 2017 – December 2017; September 2016 – December 2016; September 2013 – December 2013- Archaeology 270: Human Evolution – Laboratory demonstrator, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • September 2016 – December 2016- Archaeology 470: Human Osteology – Instructor, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • September 2014- Archaeology 270: Human Evolution – Substitute instructor, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • January 2016 – May 2016- Archaeology 112: The Human Journey, Introduction to Archaeology and Biological Anthropology – Teaching assistant, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • September 2015 – December 2015- Archaeology 270: Human Evolution –Teaching assistant, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • September 2013 – December 2013; September 2011 – December 2011- Archaeology 470: Human Osteology – Teaching assistant, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • January 2012 – May 2012; January 2011 – May 2011- Archaeology 116: Introduction to Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology – Teaching assistant, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Professional activities and memberships

Field experience

  • Past Recovery Archaeological Services- Field technician – Maberly, Ontario, Canada (May 1, 2012 – August 20, 2012; May 9, 2011 – July 21, 2011; June 1, 2010 – August 20, 2010; April 10, 2018 –September 7, 2018). 
  • Mortuary Archaeology Field School- Student – Drawsko, Poland; Slavia Foundation and Adam Mickiewicz University (July 25–August 20, 2011).
  • Iklaina Archaeological Project- Student – Pylos, Greece; University of Missouri-St. Louis (May 29–June 18, 2009)

Volunteer and outreach experience

  • Taster Session in Human Osteology for undergraduate students at in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Sheffield (2021).
  • Realising Opportunities Virtual National Student Conference: Osteoarchaeology: Human Osteology in Archaeology - Presentation for Year 12s - Sheffield, England, UK (May 8, 2021).
  • Archaeology in the City’s Woodland Heritage Festival- Human Osteology booth – Sheffield, England, UK (May 12, 2019; May 25, 2020- event cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic).
  • HeppSY “Things You Can’t Do in School”: Bones and Burials: Human Osteology in Archaeology- Session for year 9s and 10s – Sheffield, England, UK (March 3, 2020). 
  • University of Sheffield Arts and Humanities Outreach “Princes in the Tower”: Osteoarchaeology: The Princes in the Tower- Session for year 10s – Sheffield, England, UK (February 6, 2020). 
  • Young Archaeologists’ Club “Archaeology and Science”: Bioarchaeology: Archaeology and Science with the Young Archaeologists’ Club- Session for members aged 8–16 years – Sheffield, England, UK (January 25, 2020). 
  • University of Sheffield Outreach and Widening Participation “DiscoverUS”: Skeletons: Human Osteology in Archaeology- Sessions for year 11s – Sheffield, England, UK (November 13, 2019). 
  • Archaeology and Anthropology Graduate Students’ Association (ARCHAIA)- President – University of Saskatchewan, Canada (2013–2014). 
  • University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students’ Association (GSA)- Member – University of Saskatchewan, Canada (2012–2014). 
  • St. Thomas More College Students’ Union (STMSU)- Student at Large and Caucus Leader to Faculty Council (April 2011–April 2012); Vice President Academic (April 2010–April 2011); Director of Publications (April 2009–April 2010); First Year Representative (January 2009–April 2009) –  St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan, Canada. 
  • House Peer Leader- St. Thomas More College – University of Saskatchewan, Canada, (2010–2012). 

Memberships

  • Founding member of the Bioarchaeology of Urbanisation Research Group (BURG)
  • Member of the Bioarchaeology Respiratory Network (BRN)
  • Member of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO)
  • Member of the BABAO EDI Subgroup
  • Member of the Paleopathology Association (PPA)
  • Member of the Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project (BHAP)
Publications and Conferences

Publications

  • Angela R. Lieverse, Kathleen Faccia, Andrea L. Waters-Rist, Anastasia Antonova, Hamed Vahdati Nasab, Caroline Haverkort, Samantha L. Purchase-Manchester, Rick J. Schulting, Nour Moussa, Vladimir Ivanovich Bazaliiskii. In preparation. Chapter 5. Human Osteological Remains. In: Weber AW, Bazaliiskii VI, Jessup EL, Lieverse AR (editors). Shamanka II, an Early Neolithic Hunter-Gatherer Cemetery on Lake Baikal, Siberia: Archaeological and Osteological Materials. Northern Hunter-Gatherers Research Series, Vol. 7. Edmonton, AB: CCI Press.
  • Angela R. Lieverse, Kathleen Faccia, Andrea L. Waters-Rist, Brianna P. Mack, Samantha L. Purchase-Manchester, Rick J. Schulting, Nour Moussa. In preparation. Chapter 6. Demography, Health, and Activity at the Early Neolithic Cemetery of Shamanka II. In: Weber AW, Bazaliiskii VI, Jessup EL, Lieverse AR (editors). Shamanka II, an Early Neolithic Hunter-Gatherer Cemetery on Lake Baikal, Siberia: Archaeological and Osteological Materials. Northern Hunter-Gatherers Research Series, Vol. 7. Edmonton, AB: CCI Press.
  • Purchase, Samantha L. In press. Perspectives on Health: Working with Communities as Cultural Anthropologists and Bioarchaeologists. Engaged Scholar Journal. 
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Vladimir I. Bazaliiskii, and Angela R. Lieverse 2019. An innovative method to visualise mastoiditis using a hand-held X-ray system. International Journal of Paleopathology 26: 22–26.

Reviews

  • International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. Web of Science Researcher ID: AAB-7971-2019

Talks and posters

  • Purchase, Samantha L. 2022. Point and Shoot: A handy method to visualize mastoiditis in human skeletal remains (talk). Bioarchaeology Respiratory Network Online Symposium: Leicester, UK.
  • Purchase, Samantha L. 2022. X-Rays and Lifeways: The application of radiology in bioarchaeology (guest lecture). Human Osteology Short Course: Sheffield, UK.
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Lizzy Craig-Atkins, and Jaydip Ray 2022. Telltale Breaths: Respiratory-related health in the late Anglo-Saxon/Saxo-Norman and Industrial North-East of England (talk). Saskatoon Archaeological Society (SAS) Meeting: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
  • Lead organiser of (Un)Natural Lives | Bioarchaeology of Urbanization Research Group 2021 Conference (19–20 October 2021) — BABAO funded
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Elizabeth Craig-Atkins, and Jaydip Ray 2021 Revolutionary Breaths: Respiratory-related health during the Medieval Agricultural Revolution and Industrial Revolution in populations from England’s North-East (talk). (Un)Natural Lives | Bioarchaeology of Urbanization Research Group 2021 Conference: Sheffield, UK.
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Elizabeth Craig-Atkins, Pia Nystrom, and Jaydip Ray 2020. Visualising Mastoiditis with a Portable X-Ray System (poster). 89th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA): Los Angeles, California, USA. 
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Elizabeth Craig-Atkins, Pia Nystrom, and Jaydip Ray 2019. Visualising Mastoiditis with a Portable X-Ray System: A Preliminary Analysis (poster). 21st Annual Meeting of the British Association of Biological Archaeology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO): London, England, UK. 
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Angela R. Lieverse, Vladimir I. Bazaliiskii, and Andrzej W. Weber 2017. A Novel Examination of Upper Respiratory Infection in Hunter-Fisher-Gatherers of the Middle Holocene, Cis-Baikal, Russian Federation (poster). 44th Annual Meeting of the Paleopathology Association (PPA): New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Angela R. Lieverse, Vladimir I. Bazaliiskii, and Andrzej W. Weber 2014. Infectious disease as an indicator of physiological stress in the middle Holocene Cis-Baikal. Baikal-Hokkaido Archaeology Project (BHAP) Workshop (talk): Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Angela R. Lieverse, Vladimir I. Bazaliiskii, and Andrzej W. Weber 2014. Culture change and the relationships between infection and stress in the middle Holocene Cis-Baikal (poster). 83rd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA): Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
  • Purchase, Samantha L., Angela R. Lieverse, Vladimir I. Bazaliiskii, and Andrzej W. Weber 2014. Infectious Disease and Physiological Stress in the Middle Holocene Cis-Baikal (poster). 42nd Meeting of the Canadian Association of Physical Anthropology (CAPA): Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.
  • Purchase, Samantha L. 2013. Whom it May Concern: The Theoretical Determination of Ideology from Mortuary Data with Specific Reference to the Cis-Baikal, Russian Federation (talk). Anthropology, Physical Anthropology, Linguistics, and Archaeology (APALA) Conference: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. 
  • Purchase, Samantha L. 2013. Non-specific Infection and Physiological Stress in Middle Holocene Cis-Baikal, Siberia: A Preliminary Analysis (talk). Saskatoon Archaeological Society (SAS) Meeting: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • Purchase, Samantha L. 2012. Kylikes and Clavicles: Bronze Age Greece and Post-Medieval Poland (talk). Saskatoon Archaeological Society (SAS) Meeting: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • Purchase, Samantha L. 2011. Archaeology in Eastern Canada (talk). Saskatoon Archaeological Society (SAS) Meeting: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.