Background: Most anthropological researchers will engage with the public at some stage of their career. Some develop strong skills in public-facing work, building bridges between local and global communities and the scientific enterprise. Anthropology and archaeology are unsustainable without such community support. Yet engagement work often goes unrecognized and unrewarded within academic institutions.
Aims: We focus on ways to translate the value of public-facing work within academic career trajectories. We consider some of the challenges and benefits of such work for early career researchers and for senior researchers, and we provide guidance that will be helpful across a broad range of career objectives.
Materials and methods: This study employs narratives of both early career and senior anthropologists.
Results: Both early career and senior researchers report challenges and successes in building public-facing work.
Discussion: Pursuing public-facing work in ways that are recognized in academic settings can be challenging both in early career and senior settings. The advice in this paper can help individuals build strategies that will lead to sustainable engagement and career progress.
Conclusion: Attaining a balance between research and public engagement benefits both the fields of anthropology and human biology.
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