Postdoctoral Research Associate

I am a bioarchaeologist who is interested in the process of initial human settlement in island and coastal environments. My research integrates multiple lines of biological and archaeological evidence to understand the challenges people faced arriving upon and adapting to new island environments, particularly those in the Caribbean and Pacific. My doctoral work, conducted at the University of Oregon, combined ancient DNA, stable isotope analysis, human osteology, and radiocarbon dating to investigate population dynamics and adaptation within the context of initial settlement in Palau, western Micronesia. My postdoctoral research in the UMN Anthropological Genetics Lab integrates ancient DNA and anthropological approaches to investigate population history and settlement trajectories in the Caribbean islands. I am also interested in science education and public outreach, and working with community partners to create local educational opportunities in anthropological genetics.