Ava Estacio-Touhey

Ava (she/they) is an anthropology and archaeology student whose work examines the enduring impact of European culture across former European and British colonies. Their previous research investigated the intersections of French colonialism and island societies, focusing on regions such as French Polynesia and Haiti. Ava’s current research explores how European aesthetic movements—particularly British, French, and Classical traditions—influenced landscape and architectural design in antebellum Virginia and Washington, D.C.

With extensive fieldwork experience in archaeological excavation (Karaman, Turkey; Huari, Peru), museum curation (Te Fenua Enata, French Polynesia), and sociocultural research (Montpelier, Virginia), Ava seeks to deepen understanding of the transnational circulation of European ideas and their material legacies. Through continued engagement with museum collections, archival sources, and oral histories, they aim to trace how these European influences continue to shape cultural identities and built environments today.

Department: Anthropology