Adam Gamwell, Ph.D.

Founder, Business & Design Anthropologist at Anthrocurious, LLC

Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America

Research Expertise

design anthropology
ethnography
experience design
digital media
Communication

About

Dr. Gamwell is a business and design anthropologist who specializes in ethnographic research (digital and in field) and consulting with businesses and organizations. He has worked as a field researcher in Latin America and Peru and has consulted for businesses across a variety of industries, including food, hospitality, retail, consumer goods and technology. Dr. Gamwell worked in global technology research, studying meaning and cultural change at scale by combining digital tools, Big Data and Anthropology, and served some of the world's largest Fortune 1000 companies to bring a cultural and human centric perspective to innovation, insights, and future forecasting.Dr. Gamwell is the founder of Anthrocurious a collaborative social impact storytelling and design research studio that draws on design thinking, the social sciences, and mindfulness practices to help businesses, change makers and organizations discover, craft and communicate their stories, culture, and relations better.

Publications

Designing Engagement in Local News: Using FOIA Requests to Create Inclusive Participatory Journalism Practices

Journalism Practice / Sep 16, 2020

Mihailidis, P., & Gamwell, A. (2020). Designing Engagement in Local News: Using FOIA Requests to Create Inclusive Participatory Journalism Practices. Journalism Practice, 16(5), 828–847. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2020.1819381

Podcasting the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Anthropology News / Sep 01, 2018

Gamwell, A., & Walker, L. (2018). Podcasting the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Anthropology News, 59(5), e126–e129. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/an.976

Education

Brandeis University

PhD, Anthropology / August, 2018

Waltham

Brandeis University

M.A., Anthropology / August, 2011

Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America

Texas Christian University

B.A., Anthropology and Religion / May, 2006

Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America

Experience

Anthrocurious, LLC

Founder, Business & Design Anthropologist / November, 2019Present

Creative media and mindshare tools for social impact. Anthrocurious creates media and storytelling that helps those who dedicate themselves to understanding the world have more of an impact on it. Courses, Workshops, Coaching, Podcasts, Film and More.

MotivBase (Acquired by Lux Research)

Senior Anthropologist & Client Advisor / June, 2020February, 2023

I work directly with clients across a range of industries including food and beverage, CPG, entertainment, health and insurance, and nonprofits to help them get smarter about culture. On a given day you'll see me consulting with clients to understand consumer insights and advising on recommendations, diving into a data to find the right framing for a project, collaborating with our team of PhD researchers to crack a particularly sticky problem, and bringing a bit of Zen where I can.I work directly with clients across a range of industries including food and beverage, CPG, entertainment, health and insurance, and nonprofits to help them get smarter about culture. On a given day you'll see me consulting with clients to understand consumer insights and advising on recommendations, diving into a data to find the right framing for a project, collaborating with our team of PhD researchers to crack a particularly sticky problem, and bringing a bit of Zen where I can.

Relations Research, LLC

Business Anthropologist / January, 2020March, 2021

I conducted qualitative research on workplace relations, change management, and organizational culture; communication and content strategyI conduct qualitative research on workplace relations, change management, and organizational culture; communication and content strategy Skills: Systems Thinking · Moderating · Behavioral Science · Brand Strategy · Project Management

American Anthropological Association

Executive Board Member / November, 2022Present

Practicing/Professional Seat. As an Executive Board Member, I help strategically guide the American Anthropological Association's focus on professional and practicing anthropology, such as business anthropology, design, HR, organizational research, media and communications.

Missing Link Studios

Co-Founder, Story Director / October, 2018Present

Missing Link Studios is a collaborative social impact storytelling and design research studio. Melding design thinking, the social sciences, and mindfulness practices we help individuals, businesses, change makers and social impact organizations define their paths, conduct research for change, and communicate their stories better.

Lesley University

Affiliated Faculty of Design / August, 2017May, 2020

Teach courses in Design Discourse, Design Thinking + Research, and Digital Cultures to prepare students to be professional designers with cross-cultural competency and sensitivity. Modernizing LUCAD curriculum to include foci on Interaction Design, UX, and Human-Centered Design. These courses help emerging professional designers understand the people, activities, and contexts they design for, how to understand their own values as designers and to apply them, to question universalizing claims, and to contextualize design through cultural specifics and analysis.

Emerson College

Faculty Fellow and Researcher of Civic Media Arts + Practice / August, 2018August, 2019

Co-PI and creative lead on Online News Association Grant. Teach Master's students in the Civic Media: Arts + Practice program; Participatory Design, Civic Engagement, Impact-based Research, Storytelling and Media. MA Thesis Adviser.

Bioversity International

Field Research Consultant (Latin America, Peru) / December, 2014June, 2018

As a field anthropologist and research fellow, I ran and coordinated the 2015-2016 Payments for Agrobiodiversity Conservation Services (PACS) program with six Aymara and Quechua communities in southern Peru. I worked with multilateral stakeholders including the Peruvian government, Puno regional governments, agrarian agencies, technicians and scientists, and farmers. Our work supported the cultivation and conservation of five endangered ecotypes of quinoa for future generations. I also work in survey design and implementation including framed field experiments, behavioral economics, total economic value surveys, and multiple incentive mechanisms.

Ministerio del Ambiente Peru (Peruvian Ministry of the Environment

Scientific Intern / May, 2015August, 2016

As scientific intern I supported the running of the Payments for Agrobiodiversity Conservation Services program, local funding dialogues and market studies regarding endangered types of quinoa and market niches.

This Anthro Life Podcast

Host, Creator, Executive Producer / August, 2013Present

This Anthro Life is a weekly podcast that explores anything and everything human through open conversations and interviews with experts. We take a human-centered approach to realize, understand, solve human problems, and celebrate achievements. We focus on culture and society to see trends and patterns, uncover hidden assumptions and thoughts behind our motivations, hopes, behaviors, and dreams. I am one of the creators of the show and am responsible for content creation and design, hosting, guest relations, audio editing, production, web maintenance, and marketing.

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