Submitted 16/03/2026 by Erin B. Waxenbaum, Ph.D., D-ABFA

You are invited to participate in a research study (IRB#STU00224685) being conducted by Erin B. Waxenbaum and James K. Gibb of Northwestern University entitled “Normalizing failure in biological anthropology”.

The purpose of this study is to normalize and encourage an open discussion of failure in academia, specifically biological anthropology, as an important avenue for those interested in coming into the field and make engagement in discussions of academic failure a regular part of the academic education/process. We are requesting your participation in this research study if you are 18yo and older and have engaged/are engaging with academia as a college or graduate student, or academic professional part-time or full-time within the United States.
If you agree to participate, you will be asked to take an anonymous survey. The survey will take approximately should take 10-15 minutes to complete. You will not be financially compensated for your participation, however normalizing and openly discussing failure in biological anthropology will be an important avenue for those interested in coming into the field and creating an environment where failures, big or small, in general, are deemed a common, and accepted part of the academic process. The data collected will inform future publications concerning discussions of normalizing failure in biological anthropology with implications for anthropology and academia more broadly. Participants will benefit by adding to this important conversation within the field and sharing their experience with the community.

Please click on the link below if you agree to participate and to take the survey: https://northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1KSNvP2XP6WSOuq

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Erin Waxenbaum at e-waxenbaum@northwestern.edu.

Thank you for your time and participation!

Erin B. Waxenbaum, Ph.D., D-ABFA

e-waxenbaum@northwestern.edu

https://northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1KSNvP2XP6WSOuq