Her Story
About Isabel
Isabel Sprecher serves as a bioarchaeologist at Indiana State University, where she has been working on NAGPRA repatriation efforts for approximately four months while bringing nearly two years of experience in bioarchaeology. In this role, she studies and analyzes human remains from the past by examining collections of ancestors, determining the minimum number of individuals present, and gathering as much information as possible to share with Native American tribes during consultation processes. Sprecher earned her bachelor's degree in anthropology from Indiana University in 2024 and her master's degree in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology from University College London in 2025. She participates in the bi-monthly Niagara Community of Practice to collaborate with others in the NAGPRA community. She attributes her success to her parents and values honesty with herself, and values research from multiple perspectives to ensure accurate work.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Isabel
01What do you attribute your success to?
My parents, because I would be nowhere without them.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of my anthropology professors told me to honor my inner child in my career. What interested you as a kid can be really telling of what you'd be good at as an adult. I randomly took an anthropology class as an elective after being set on social work, and it reignited my interest in history and the study of people.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Value all of those female perspectives and connections that you're going to be able to have, as bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology are female-dominated fields.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Trying to do our best with the painful legacy that we have been given, such as ancestors that were looted or dug by amateurs with no provenance information. It can be very emotional, but we are trying our absolute best with what we are given.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty with yourself and knowing your educational limits. Taking the time to research thoroughly from all perspectives to ensure the most accurate and detailed work possible.
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