About me

Silvia Rodriguez-Sama

I am an author and archaeologist whose storytelling invites readers to discover the complex cultural richness of the ancient past.

As a mentee in the We Need Diverse Books 2022 Mentorship Program, I’m honored to have worked with award-winning author Francisco X. Stork to revise my middle-grade debut novel for representation and publication.

I am a first-generation American with roots in Cuba, Venezuela, and Spain. Inspired by this international worldview, I became an archaeologist specializing in the prehistoric Andes, the land of the Incas and their ancestors. I graduated from Stanford University, where I received a BA in Human Biology and an MA and PhD in Anthropology.

Currently I’m an anthropologist based at the University of Colorado-Boulder and a National Geographic Explorer researching prehistoric temple architecture in Perú. I also serve on the Editorial Advisory Board of Ñawpa Pacha, the journal of the Institute of Andean Studies. I am a member of both the Society of American Archaeology (SAA) and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).