I am an environmental archaeologist who studies ancient human - environment interactions. To understand the complex relationships between ancient societies and their environments, I employ a multi-scalar approach that spans from regional climates and landscapes to local settlements and features. My research combines archaeological, environmental science, and GIS methodologies to reconstruct paleoenvironments and explore the ways ancient societies adapted to and altered their surroundings. I have conducted archaeological investigations in the Carolinas, Northern California, and Central America and have current projects in Belize and Guatemala. I am also the Director of the Geospatial Archaeology Research Laboratory (GARL), where we focus on advancing the scholarly exploration of past cultures in California and abroad.

Teaching Specialties:

• Archaeology
• Method and Theory in Archaeology
• Archaeology and World Prehistory
• Soils and Society
• Geoarchaeology

Education:

Ph.D., Geography, The University of Texas at Austin
M.A., Applied Anthropology, Cal Poly Humboldt
B.A., Anthropology, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte