Graduate Advisory Council (GAC)

The Penn Museum Graduate Advisory Council (GAC) is a representative council dedicated to facilitating engagement among post-bacc, graduate, and professional students and promoting their involvement both as collaborative stakeholders within and as advisers to the Penn Museum.

GAC organizes a weekly writing group, professional and academic development workshops, and social events, including trips to other Philadelphia institutions. GAC meets once a month, and any interested graduate student enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania may become a member of the Penn Museum Graduate Advisory Council.

Get Involved

Want to learn more about GAC initiatives and meetings? Subscribe to our mailing list to receive emails and updates.

Subscribe
For more information, email pennmuseum.gradstudents@gmail.com.

Spring 2025 Monthly Meetings

January 28, 12-1pm, Classroom L2
Museum Archives: Overview with Alessandro Pezzati, Museum Archivist.
February 25, 12-1pm, Classroom L2
Contemporary Community Archaeology: Introduction the Fort Mifflin Project with Max Brown
March 25, 12-1pm, Classroom L2
Museum Assistantships: Discussion with Grad Students who have held assistantships, and outline of the 2025-2026 school year opportunities
April 29, 12-1pm, Classroom L2
Invisible Galleries: The South America Collection with Anne Tiballi

For additional PMGAC events happening this semester, including our Weekly Writing Group, check out our calendar!

2024-2025 GAC Board

Arielle Hardy, President: Arielle is a Ph.D. student in Penn’s Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World interdisciplinary graduate group (AAMW). Her academic research focuses on the Hellenistic intersections of sacred space, ritual practice, and mythology, and she has participated in archaeological projects in Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Italy. Arielle also has a professional background in museums and has worked at both the Getty Museum in Los Angeles and the Manetti Shrem Museum of UC Davis. She is passionate about facilitating connections with the past through access to objects, and is excited to be part of the Penn Museum community! Outside academic life, Arielle loves finding fresh air—whether that be on a long hike, in the crisp air conditioning of an art museum, or on a roof deck having dinner with friends.
Phoebe Thompson, Chair of Social Programming: Phoebe is a Ph.D. student in Penn’s Ancient History Graduate Group (ANCH). Her academic research primarily focuses on reconstructing past human-geology interaction, particularly within cult activity and the creation of sacred space in the ancient Mediterranean. She has excavated in Scotland, Sardinia, and Sicily, working most recently as the head of the Ceramics Team for the American Excavations at Morgantina: Agora Valley Project. Having worked previously at Vanderbilt University’s Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities, Phoebe is passionate about conducting and facilitating interdisciplinary scholarship. Beyond the classroom, Phoebe can be found reading fantasy books, playing board games, hiking, and struggling to pick up crochet.
Grant Bruner, Chair of Academic & Professional Programming: Grant is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World program. His research focuses on the socio-economic history of the Roman World and particularly the organization of labor in rural communities. Grant loves the Mediterranean heat and has excavated in Greece, Italy, and Türkiye. At Penn, he enjoys leading tours as a Graduate Guide and attending public lectures across campus. Outside of the Penn-verse, Grant can be found running, playing soccer, or searching for the best cheesesteak restaurant in Philadelphia.
Chris Lamack, Communications Chair: Chris is an archaeologist and PhD student in Penn’s Department of Anthropology. With a background in southeastern historical archaeology, his current research focuses on southern India during the British colonial period (18th c. - 1947), driven by questions surrounding the growth and development of small-scale colonial industry in a British-administered district in the modern Karnataka state. A proud North Carolina native, Chris has worked on archaeological projects in the Carolinas, Ohio, India, Azerbaijan, the Republic of Georgia, and right here in southeastern Pennsylvania. Chris has been giving tours of the Penn Museum and Penn’s campus as a Graduate Guide since coming to Penn in 2019, and wrote and recorded the virtual guided tour of the Egyptian section. Previously, he was also involved in producing Ancient North Carolinians, a virtual gallery showcasing nearly 15,000 years of NC’s Native heritage featuring 3D models of archaeological objects. This will be Chris’ sixth year as a PMGAC member.

Student Gala for the Opening of the Stories We Wear Exhibition, September 2021.
Tour of Collections Storage with Steve Lang (Keeper of the Asian Collection), April 2022.
Field Metrology Workshop with Dr. Jason Herrmann (Kowalski Family Teaching Specialist for Digital Archaeology), March 2023.
Tour of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, April 2023.

More Graduate Student Opportunities

The Penn Museum has many programs and opportunities just for graduate students.