At the 2025 Annual Meeting at the University of Leicester, BABAO’s fourth Mentorship Award was awarded to Dr Joe Wallace Walser III.
What makes Joe’s mentorship stand out is the combination of exceptional scholarly expertise and genuine human kindness, which I think is rare in academia where competition and ego too often dominate.
I would like to nominate Dr. Joe Wallace Walser III, Curator of Physical Anthropology at the National Museum of Iceland, for the BABAO Mentorship Award 2025. Joe has been a mentor to me for the past year and a half and meeting him has been a turning point in my academic journey. I can say with complete confidence that I would not be a doctoral student in biological anthropology today without his constant guidance and support.
I first met Joe in the winter of 2024, when I was a student in his class in Human Osteology at the University of Iceland during my graduate studies in Historical Archaeology. At the time, I wanted to strengthen my skills in the analysis of human skeletal remains, as I was planning a master’s project using osteological methods. Even before our mentorship began, Joe’s teaching left a deep impression, as his expertise, openness, and personal warmth stood out immediately. His classes were engaging and welcoming; he created a place where all students felt heard, safe, and respected. One moment towards the end of the semester captured his approach perfectly: While most students were working on their final projects, a student who had rarely attended class came to Joe with very basic questions about bone identification. Many lecturers would have been irritated or dismissive, blaming the student for not attending regularly. Joe, instead, responded with patience, kindness, and genuine attentiveness, treating the student’s questions with the same seriousness as anyone else’s. That atmosphere of respect and encouragement is something I have seen consistently in all his interactions, and it is echoed by virtually every student I know. Even those who have never met him personally speak highly of him. A bachelor’s thesis written a decade ago acknowledges him as ‘a diamond of a person’, and I can’t think of a better way to put it.
As one of the very few students in Iceland working in bioarchaeology, a field with very limited institutional presence here, I quickly developed a closer mentorship with Joe. From the start, he offered not only intellectual guidance but also personal support. During my graduate studies, I faced real challenges: No one in my department specialized in bioarchaeology, making supervision of my thesis difficult, and my assigned supervisor at the time created an environment that was highly stressful and unsupportive for me. At a moment when I even considered leaving the program, Joe took hours to meet with me, talk through project ideas in depth, and help me find a way forward. Those conversations did not just restore my confidence; they helped me shape a master’s thesis I was proud of and completed successfully. Joe also introduced me to my current doctoral supervisor and encouraged me to switch departments within the university for my PhD. This decision set the foundation for my current research on childhood in early medieval Iceland. Now, as a member of my PhD committee, he continues to refine my research design, discuss specific project details, and help me tackle difficult questions. I have lost count of our meetings and email exchanges over the past 1.5 years, but each one has been a source of motivation and inspiration.
What makes Joe’s mentorship stand out is the combination of exceptional scholarly expertise and genuine human kindness, which I think is rare in academia where competition and ego too often dominate. After every meeting, I leave with a clear sense of direction and enthusiasm for my work. His feedback is always thoughtful, constructive, and tailored to my needs; encouraging me to think critically, push my ideas further, and grow as an independent researcher. He never overwhelms or discourages; instead, he challenges in a way that feels motivating. Additionally, Joe’s generosity with his time is remarkable. Despite his own demanding workload, he consistently makes space for students and treats each one with patience and care. One particularly valuable aspect of Joe’s mentorship were our discussions about the specific challenges of bioarchaeology in Iceland. The skeletal record here is unusually limited, with only 1300 individuals recovered from a period spanning approximately 1100 years, often from poorly dated contexts and / or rescue excavations with incomplete documentation. These circumstances make my research, which centers around non-adult individuals (who are often underrepresented in archaeological contexts), particularly demanding. Joe’s guidance in navigating these challenges has been transformative. He helped me critically assess the limitations and possibilities of the material, refine my research questions, and come up with strategies that make the most of what is available. Rather than discouraging me, these discussions have led me to embrace the unique limitations of the Icelandic skeletal record and develop projects that are ambitious, feasible, and promising.
In addition to guiding me on research questions, methodology, and interpretation, Joe has been exceptionally supportive in practical and professional challenges. For example, he has consistently offered thoughtful advice on project planning and data management. During my master’s studies, he facilitated my access to an independent research project, which enabled me to deepen my expertise in the highly specialized field of infant and child bioarchaeology, and which led to my very first presentation at an international conference. He has also been instrumental in expanding my professional network, introducing me to my current doctoral supervisor and to other relevant scholars both in Iceland and abroad – professional connections which are highly relevant for my doctoral research. His openness in sharing knowledge and resources and his willingness to discuss both the successes and the difficulties of his own research and career has been both motivating and profoundly inspiring. Also, Joe’s impact goes far beyond individual students. In a country where the field is so tiny and resources are limited, his expertise and collaborative spirit are vital to keeping the field active. His work and presence strengthen the entire community, and in such a small field, that influence cannot be overstated.
Overall, Joe embodies everything that makes an extraordinary mentor. He offers intellectual guidance, practical help, and genuine personal encouragement. His mentorship has shaped my academic path, strengthened my confidence, and made it possible for me to pursue the research I care most about in a truly supportive and non-toxic environment. I am incredibly grateful for his support and friendship, and I can think of no one more deserving the BABAO Mentorship Award 2025.
Text prepared by Maren von Mallinckrodt (nominator).