B.A. (2012) Cum Laude, History/French, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville TN.

M.A. (2016) Summa Cum Laude, European History, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.

Ph. D (ABD) European History, Mississippi State University, Starkville MS.

M.A. (in progress) Applied Anthropology, Mississippi State University, Starkville MS.

Teaching Experience:
Teaching Assistant
East Tennessee State University:
2016 Early American History for Janet Smith.

Mississippi State University:
2017 HI 1073 Modern American History from 1877 for Niklas Traskowski.
HI 1073 Modern American History from 1877 for Kelly Nelson.
2018 HI 1073 Modern American History from 1877 for Matthew Himel.
HI 1213 Early Western World for Dr. William Hay.
2019 HI 1073 Modern American History from 1877 for Dr. Matthew Lavine.
HI 1213 Early Western World for Dr. Julia Osman.
2020 HI 1073 Modern American History from 1877 for Dr. Zubovich.
HI 1213 Early Western World for Dr. William Hay.
2021 HI 1213 Early Western World for Dr. Julia Osman

Instructor of Record
2021 HI 1223 Modern Western World

Internships and Other Graduate Work Experience:
East Tennessee State University:
2014 Research Assistant to Dr. Philip Wilson.
2015 Graduate Assistant to Dr. William Burgess.

Mississippi State University:
2018  Internship at the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library.
2019  Research Assistant to Dr. Kathryn Barbier.
2020-21 Internship at the Cobb Institute in collaboration with the Mitchell Memorial Library.

Victorian Britain, Foodways, European History, Ancient History, Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology, Household Archaeology, Economic History, Commodity Cultures.

Publications:
Banks, Rachel.  A Proper Cup of Tea: The Making of a British Beverage.  Johnson City, TN: East Tennessee State University, 2016. (master’s thesis)

Guest Lectures:
2017 “Reagan and the 1980s.”  HI 1017.  Course taught by Kelly Nelson.

2019 “Alexander the Great.”  HI 1213.  Course taught by Dr. Julia Osman.

Service Work:
2019-present Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures Graduate Student Association events and fundraisers.

2019-2020 Volunteer at the Cobb Institute of Archaeology Museum.

Other Work Experience:
2016 Guide at the Hands On! Museum in connection with the Gray Fossil Site, Johnson City and Gray TN.

Conference Presentation:
2020 ASFS/AFHVS Twitter Conference #Foodstudies20. “Cooking up the British Empire.”
2020 ASOR  Banks, Rachel, Cassandra DeGaglia, Amy Dixon, Kara Larson, and Dr. James Hardin. “The Spaces Between: Spatial Reconstruction of a Proposed Iron Age IIB Domestic House at Tel Halif, Israel.”  Poster presentation, 2020.
2020 ASOR  “Origins of Early Bronze III Potter’s Marks at Tell el-Hesi.” In the panel Fifty Years at Tell el-Hesi.

Conference Attendance:
2019 Southeastern Archaeological Conference
2020 ASFS/AFHVS Twitter Conference #Foodstudies20; virtual due to Covid-19.
2020 ASOR Virtual Conference

Fellowships, Awards, and Appointments:
2008-2012 University Academic Scholarship, Tennessee Technological University.

2014-2015 Tuition Scholarship, East Tennessee State University.

2015-2016 Graduate Assistantship, East Tennessee State University.

2017-2021 James W. Garner History Scholarship, Mississippi State University.

2020  Joy Ungerleider Poster Award, ASOR Virtual Conference 2020.

Alpha Mu Gamma, Eta Psi chapter

Phi Alpha Theta, Kappa Tau chapter

French: Proficiency reading and speaking.

Latin: Moderate in reading.

Spanish: Moderate in reading.

German: Rudimentary in reading.

American Historical Association (former member)
Association for the Study of Food and Society (current member)
Association for the Study of Oriental Research (current member)
The Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society (former member)
The Society of Military History (former member)

Alpha Mu Gamma, Eta Psi chapter

Phi Alpha Theta, Kappa Tau chapter