Biography

Dr. Sandra Wheeler is a Senior Lecturer in Anthropology specializing in bioarchaeology. Dr. Wheeler received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Western Ontario in 2009. A UCF alumna (BA ’98, MA ’02), she returned to UCF as a faculty member in the Anthropology Department in 2010. Dr. Wheeler has served as the Anthropology Undergraduate Coordinator since 2019, was a Faculty Fellow for Undergraduate Curriculum, and joins the College of Sciences Dean’s Office as Interim Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Student Success.

Dr. Wheeler’s experiences in higher education focus on curriculum theory and integration, educational technology integration, content area literacy, universal design, online pedagogy, and career readiness. Her current and past courses include Primatology, Sex, Gender and Culture, Peoples of the World, Ancient Plagues, Forensic Anthropology, Mummies: Life After Death, Mummies, Zombies, and Vampires: Anthropology of the Undead, and Beyond the Major: Careers Applying Anthropology, among others. Several of Dr. Wheeler’s online and mixed-mode courses earned Quality, High Quality, and High-Impact designations. She was awarded two Teaching Incentive Program awards and two Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching awards in recognition of her teaching efforts.

Dr. Wheeler’s current research focuses on the bioarchaeological analysis of infants and children to shed light on mortuary practices involving the youngest members of society. This research synthesizes information from the social, cultural, and natural environments to gain an understanding of children’s lives and deaths in the past and includes exploring ancient birthing practices, maternal health, growth and development, ancient health and disease, and mortuary landscapes. Her current and upcoming research examines patterns of health and disease, trauma, and mortuary practices in ancient Egyptian and ancient Maya populations. Dr. Wheeler’s research has been published in journals such as the American Journal of Human Biology, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, American Antiquity, International Journal of Paleopathology, and International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. She has also authored several book chapters.

Dr. Wheeler regularly engages in public outreach, sharing her expertise with students of all levels, and to the local and national learning community on various topics relating to Anthropology.