Archaeology is most meaningful when it is collaborative and interdisciplinary. Conducting community-engaged research is an important part of how I work; my aim is to do archaeology in support of descendent community interests and priorities.
My research and scholarly work falls into three interconnected areas of interest, all focused on past and present hunter-gatherer peoples of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest: 1) study of human-environment interactions, including contemporary climate change, 2) hunter-gatherer cooking and food preparation technologies, and 3) applied archaeology. My work is informed by Indigenous archaeological theory, feminist theory, and ecological approaches to studying the past.
I work with a variety of partners across state, federal, Tribal and Alaska Native organizations (e.g. National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Native Village of Kotzebue, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde). I continue to work in both the field and lab to provide training experiences for students while engaging them in my research.
You may have seen posters in your community or seen a talk asking you to provide feedback on two of the projects I am working on in Northwest Alaska. Your thoughts are important to me, and I hope that these feedback forms are the start of new relationships, where your voice and your community are heard in my research. Follow the links below to read more about those projects, and have an easy way to contact me.
Data Repositories
