Title: Founder and Principal Anthropologist
Company: Anthrocurious, LLC
Location: Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Adam Gamwell, PhD, Founder and Principal Anthropologist at Anthrocurious, LLC, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Business Owners for dedication, achievements, and leadership in anthropology.
With nearly 20 years of experience to his credit, Dr. Gamwell began his career as a writing consultant and program coordinator for the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life at Texas Christian University between 2005 and 2009. During this time, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and religion from the aforementioned university in 2007. He subsequently gained valuable experience in education, as he served as a writing consultant at Brandeis University from 2009 to 2010, while simultaneously continuing his academic efforts. He later obtained a Master of Arts in anthropology from Brandeis University, summa cum laude, in 2011, before ultimately graduating with a Doctor of Philosophy in anthropology in 2018. Dr. Gamwell’s doctoral research culminated in the publication of “Designing the Future of Food: Quinoa Agrobiodiversity in 21st Century Highland Peru.”
Over the course of his graduate studies, Dr. Gamwell served in several teaching positions, including adjunct professor of anthropology at Fisher College from 2010 to 2012, and a visiting lecturer at Framingham State University from 2011 to 2012. He also worked as an academic administrator for Latin American and Latino Studies at Brandeis University from 2011 to 2015. Additionally, he was active as a scientific intern for the Peruvian Ministry of Environment in 2015 and as a research consultant for Bioversity International from 2014 to 2018. Dr. Gamwell was subsequently recruited as a faculty fellow at the Engagement Laboratory at Emerson College from 2018 to 2019.
In 2018, Dr. Gamwell co-founded Missing Link Studios, a design and social impact storytelling studio. Missing Link Studios collaborated with organizations like Google Podcasts and Public Radio Exchange (PRX) to produce podcasts, including the award-winning Portuguese-language audio documentary, “Faxina.” This collaboration with “Faxina” demonstrated Dr. Gamwell’s commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices, particularly Brazilian house cleaners living in the United States. His work earned recognition at the Third Coast International Audio Festival, where “Faxina” won Best Documentary in a Non-English Language.
While his work in podcast production continued, Dr. Gamwell’s primary focus shifted toward consulting. In 2021, he founded Anthrocurious, LLC, where he currently excels as the principal anthropologist. Anthrocurious enables Dr. Gamwell to apply anthropological methods to help businesses, startups, and individuals navigate complex cultural and behavioral challenges. His client work spans industries, from startups and nonprofits to Fortune 1000 companies, where he offers insights into audience research, cultural analysis, and human behavior.
Throughout his consulting career, Dr. Gamwell has maintained an interest in fostering human-centered practices within organizations. He has further contributed as a senior anthropologist and client advisor at MotivBase between 2020 and 2023 and as a business anthropologist with Relations Research, LLC between 2020 and 2021, striving to bridge anthropological insights with business innovation. Furthermore, he launched the spiritual wellness podcast “Miracle Renegade,” where he interviews thought leaders and entrepreneurs on topics ranging from creativity and design to business and technology. Dr. Gamewell has also flourished also the host and executive producer of “This Anthro Life Podcast” since 2013.
In addition to his primary responsibilities in consulting and media, Dr. Gamwell has remained involved in education. From 2017 to 2020, he provided his wealth of expertise to others as an adjunct professor of design at Lesley University, where he taught courses on design anthropology, media, and user research. He has also found success in his role as an executive board member of the American Anthropological Association since 2022.
Looking toward the future, Dr. Gamwell is eager to continue expanding upon his work at Anthrocurious, where he hopes to promote a more holistic and humanistic approach to business and societal issues. He envisions a future in which anthropology plays a key role in addressing challenges like artificial intelligence, climate change, and business innovation. Through his consulting, media production, and public engagement, Dr. Gamwell is committed to making anthropology accessible to a wider audience and demonstrating its value in navigating modern challenges.
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