ABOUT THIS EPISODE
On this episode of AnthroPuzzled, we speak with Dr. David Syring, cultural anthropologist, professor, and department chair at the University of San Diego. David works at the intersection of humanistic and scientific approaches to human behavior. His research focuses on environmental and social challenges, indigenous perspectives, food systems, and the cultural processes that shape how communities imagine and inhabit place.
David describes how his work blends teaching, research, and community engagement, using anthropology to bridge disciplines and connect academic inquiry with real‑world problems. He discusses his role as a department head, the logistics of supporting faculty and students, and the importance of collaborative, transdisciplinary research. The conversation explores his long‑term work with the Saraguro community in Ecuador, his participatory media projects, his forthcoming edited volume on ecological arts and transdisciplinary science, and his development of "shimmering friction" as a method for understanding urban environments through embodied experience. David also reflects on storytelling, cultural resilience, and how anthropology cultivates curiosity and critical reflection.
Listen now to learn more about cultural anthropology, environmental storytelling, transdisciplinary research, community engagement, and how anthropologists use narrative and place‑based inquiry to address global challenges.
