It wasn’t until an archaeology class perfectly fit her college schedule that Dr. Samantha Fladd considered being an archaeologist or a college professor. Now, as assistant professor, museum curator, and archaeological researcher, she helps college students investigate cultures of the past through analysis of archives and museum collections. She pays special attention to how access to spaces relates to social power dynamics and identity in past civilizations, and candidly offers insights into privileges and barriers that have impacted her own career journey. Dr. Samantha Fladd is a Curator of Archaeology and Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado Boulder. She researches ancient civilizations of the American Southwest, including Chaco Canyon, and places special emphasis on the context and spaces in which objects are found, analysis of original excavation notes, and collaborating with Native descendent communities.