The Research Team
This project is organized by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Anthropology, located at the Penn Museum. We bring a unique skill set of molecular genetics experience to explore questions about human migration, ancestry, and identity.
University of Pennsylvania, Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology
Raquel Fleskes
Raquel Fleskes is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research interests include using genetics to look at ancestry and migration during the historic period (1600-1800) of North America. She is also interested in understanding how genetic ancestry testing informs identity.
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The 17th century Chesapeake Ancestry
Project represents her dissertation research, which explores kinship and the colonization of the Chesapeake using population genetics and ancient DNA. From Maryland originally and having attended the University of Maryland for her B.A., she is excited to explore the area's history and ancestry with local communities in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware to understand the settlement of the Chesapeake from a genetic perspective.
Dr. Theodore Schurr, Ph.D.
Dr. Theodore Schurr is a Professor of Anthropology and the ​Director of the Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. ​ He is also the ​Director of the North American Regional Center of the Genographic Project.
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​Dr. Schurr's ​laboratory ​research ​has focused on mtDNA, Y-​chromosome and autosomal DNA variation in ​
populations from ​the Americas, Siberia, and Asia​, where he has also conducted fieldwork​.​​​ Dr. Schurr brings ​30 years of research experience in​ the field of molecular anthropology to the 17th Century Chesapeake Ancestry Project. ​